2019-20 End of Season Interviews

Two-way player Ray Spalding made the most of his two months with the Charlotte Hornets organization, putting up well-rounded numbers as one of the Greensboro Swarm’s rotational power forwards in the latter half of the G League season.

Taken with the third-to-last pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Spalding began the 2019-20 campaign in the Houston Rockets organization, posting averages of 15.5 points on 63 percent shooting, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks in 20 appearances with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Hornets eventually claimed him on Jan. 15 and inked him to a two-way contract.

The now 23-year-old made his debut for the Greensboro Swarm five days later, finishing with 15 points and five rebounds off the bench in a win over the Iowa Wolves. His best outing for the Swarm came on Feb. 13, when he recorded 25 points, a season-high-tying 16 rebounds, four assists and three steals in a loss to the league-leading Wisconsin Herd as the team’s starting power forward.

Spalding closed out the campaign with three straight double-doubles, bringing his Swarm averages to 12.0 points on 51.3 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block in 16 appearances, only six of which were starts. He underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on June 11, although the exact injury wasn’t disclosed at the time.

“I really appreciated the organization and how I was welcomed in,” Spalding said. “It was great. I really enjoyed myself down in Greensboro. They showed me a lot. It was actually my first year being in the G League full time. It was a cool experience, a great experience. Facilities were great, coaches were phenomenal. They were really big on individual work, and I really improved in areas I was looking to improve in. I can’t thank them enough.”

Spalding’s versatility and two-way playmaking ability stood out noticeably during his run with the Swarm. Counting his time with Rio Grande, he ranked 14th in the G League in offensive rebounding (3.1), 18th in total rebounding (8.4) and 15th in blocks (1.4).

“My game developed pretty well,” he added. “At the beginning, I was playing pretty well. Then, I started having a knee problem. I really enjoyed my time. I think I improved a lot with my shooting, my rebounding, just playing hard and then also just being able to sit down and communicate with coaches and watch film. Those guys really helped me a lot.”

Having spent time in the Dallas, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston and now Charlotte organizations, Spalding has been forced to adapt a lot in his two-year professional career, although he is hopeful to soon settle down somewhere for the long run.

“I’m really just looking for that next step and to make a mark for myself,” he stated. “I’ve been bouncing around from my rookie year to my second year in the league. I’m really looking forward to this summer, getting better, training camp and actually staying in a place and being able to grow as an athlete.”

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Season Recap: Ray Spalding Stands Out in Short Stint with Greensboro

Two-way player Kobi Simmons took another step forward in his professional career, putting together a career year while serving as the Greensboro Swarm’s starting point guard throughout the 2019-20 G League campaign.

Simmons signed with the Hornets organization last September after appearing in 33 games at the NBA level with Memphis and Cleveland across his first two seasons. His contract was soon converted to a two-way deal in mid-October and he eventually kicked off his Greensboro Swarm career with three consecutive double-doubles to open up the schedule.

While Simmons was never summoned to the Hornets roster this season, he did post career-high averages in scoring (17.4 points), rebounding (4.3), assists (team-high 5.4), steals (1.3) and field-goal percentage (45.4 percent) in 37 starts with the Swarm. His best stretch of the year came in mid-February, when he tallied 30-point outings in three out of four games, while also dishing out an average of 6.5 assists per contest.

Standing 6-5, Simmons certainly has the size to play in an NBA backcourt and as evidenced by his time in Greensboro, is continuing to progress in multiple areas of his game. He was one of just three G League players to average at least 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal and shoot 45 percent this season, joining Wisconsin’s Jaylen Adams (First-Team All-G League) and Fort Wayne’s Walter Lemon Jr.

“I worked on everything the Hornets wanted me to work on,” Simmons stated during his exit interview on June 10. “I learned how to lead a team and how to develop areas I needed to develop to get better as a player. I think it was great and the players and coaching staff we had down in Greensboro were great. I think I took my game to the next level, for sure.”

Having bounced around the NBA landscape a bit since going undrafted in 2017, Simmons was impressed with the revamped developmental program the Hornets have implemented organizationally over the last two years.

“What really stood out was how they let their players develop and the communication. [Player Development Coach] Nick [Friedman]’s impact was huge. He kept us level-headed throughout the whole season. Whether we had a good game or a bad game, our routine was always the same. He kept us in the right mindset and attitude every day.”

The University of Arizona product will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and while there’s still much uncertainty with how things will shake out over the summer, like many, Simmons is focusing on what he can control for the time being.

“I’m just working on my body and getting bigger every day. Since quarantine started, I want to say I’ve gained around 15 pounds. I want to continue working on that, getting stronger and continue to stick with Charlotte. I like Charlotte, I like the organization, the players, the coaches. I’m looking to have a future with those guys.”

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Season Recap: Kobi Simmons Takes A Leap in First Year with Greensboro Swarm

Brought back for a second year with the organization, Joe Chealey provided the Hornets with combo guard depth and a sense of familiarity in both Greensboro and Charlotte this season.

A two-way player for Charlotte during his rookie year in 2018-19, Chealey returned for both NBA Summer League and Training Camp last fall. He began his second professional season in the G League, posting averages of 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 34 appearances for the Greensboro Swarm, 24 of which were starts.

Needing backcourt help around the All-Star Break after injuries and vacated roster spots, the Hornets inked Chealey to a 10-day contract on Feb. 21. He made his season debut the following night in a home loss to Brooklyn and about a week later, signed another 10-day deal. The College of Charleston product remained on the team until play was suspended on March 11.

All in all, Chealey appeared in just four games for the Hornets, totaling two points, an assist and four steals in 33 total minutes of action. Despite not getting a tremendous amount of playing time at the NBA level, the opportunity was still greatly beneficial said the 24-year-old.

“You always kind of get better with experience and time,” he said. “I understood the overall scheme, the game itself and what we were trying to accomplish. With the Hornets, I didn’t get a chance to play a lot, but I felt like I learned more than I ever have before in a year playing basketball. It was a good experience and I’m excited for what the future holds.”

He added, “Everybody plays a role. My role was different when I was down in the G League. When I got up on the 10-day’s, I had a completely different role and I tried to embrace that. I saw up close how the NBA game works and what all goes into it in terms of preparation. I got an appreciation for the coaches and the jobs they do so well.”

Having showcased his versatility a bit this season as a primary and secondary ball-handler in both starter and reserve situations, Chealey pinpointed a few areas in particular he’s looking to address in a longer-than-usual upcoming offseason.

“[I’m working on] still managing the game effectively as a point guard, being able to slide over to the two because I have size, finishing consistently at the rim and obviously with the way the league is trending, just make the three-point shot at a higher clip. You can always benefit from shooting consistently. Those are the areas I want to improve on.”

Chealey will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and although his future is still uncertain at the moment, he’s ready for whatever the next chapter entails.

“I’ve [thought about the future], but not too extensively,” he stated. “We’ve just learned about how the season’s coming back [without us], and I had been working out the whole time in hopes that we’d be playing. Now, I’m shifting to offseason development mode. I’m focusing on getting better and the opportunities that present themselves. I’ll make the decision when it comes.”

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Season Recap: Joe Chealey Gives Organization Knowledge and Experience in Second Season

Almost four months of constant repetition in the G League put rookie forward Jalen McDaniels in prime position to be a significant contributor for the Charlotte Hornets over the final few weeks of the 2019-20 NBA season.

McDaniels appeared in just two of the team’s first 51 contests, while spending a majority of his time with the Greensboro Swarm. With a heavy focus on bulking up and shooting threes, the San Diego State product averaged over 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 31 games with the Greensboro Swarm, doing so on 44 percent shooting (38 percent from three) on a nightly ration of 32 minutes.

Rotation spots opened up for the Hornets in mid-February following the departures of Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and McDaniels finally grabbed ahold of one on Feb. 8. Four days later, he tallied 10 points and six rebounds in a road win over Minnesota and after the All-Star Break, averaged 5.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists across all 11 outings for Charlotte.

Overall, McDaniels put up 5.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.5 steals in 16 games off the bench this season, shooting respectable clips from the field (47.1 percent), three-point range (37.5 percent; 9-of-24) and the line (82.4 percent; 14-of-17). Throughout the way, his length, athleticism and two-way play-making capabilities flashed more and more frequently.

“Starting in Summer League, I didn’t really play that well,” McDaniels said. “I was adjusting to the game. Going to Charlotte to train, playing five-on-five against NBA players every day and then going to the G League, it just prepared me for the time when I got called up. I knew the defense and plays were going to be like from having reps in the G League. When I stepped on the court, I didn’t really feel surprised.”

“Those game-time reps in the G League are extremely important,” said Hornets Head Coach James Borrego. “We’ll continue to use [the G League] and we’re looking at ways to improve it even right now. I believe it is only going to get better from here. As an organization, the buy-in is there from the players to the staff, to the front office. We’re in full alignment that our G League program is a major part of what we’re trying to do here.”

The two major areas of emphasis for McDaniels this offseason will continue to be adding strength and improving his three-point shooting even more, which jumped from under 30 percent in college to 38 percent overall this year, counting his G League attempts.

“Of course, it’s about getting bigger and making my body the most important thing,” he said. “I feel like me growing and just getting bigger will only maximize my game to another level. [The team] is telling me to stick to three-point shooting. I’ve got to get a lot of reps. It’s about perfecting my game and continuing to do what I’ve been doing and getting better at that.”

“He needs to get stronger in this league,” said Hornets President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “The players in this league are really, at his size, big strong men. The one thing that he’s got to do is to continue to get in the weight room and get stronger. He needs to do that to make his next step, but he lives in the gym, also.”

Playing with fellow rookies Cody and Caleb Martin in Greensboro and Charlotte this season brought a sense of familiarity and comfort for McDaniels as all three played in the Mountain West Conference the last two seasons.

“When I found out we were going to be on the same team, I thought it was pretty crazy,” McDaniels said. “Having those guys there in Greensboro just made every day better and more competitive. As we went through the season, we saw each other get better and we started putting our trust in each other. When we got called it up, it was just like we were in Greensboro. We fed off the energy and then we just kept doing that every game, every day.”

“We saw a lot of growth from Jalen in particular in the G League, and when we brought him up to our program, it translated,” added Borrego. “I think our defense in that final month, we were top ten in the league (in rating) and a lot of that has to do with the Martin twins and Jalen, having that length that size and that versatility.”

Although still a bit raw and a work in progress, McDaniels is under contract through the 2022-23 NBA season and with continued, steady improvements, should be a pillar of the team’s core for the next several years.

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Season Recap: Jalen McDaniels Progresses into an Intriguing Long-Term Prospect for Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets targeted Cody Martin in the 2019 NBA Draft as a versatile player with a wide-ranging skillset, and their intel proved to be spot on as the guard consistently showcased advanced intuition, elite athleticism and maturity throughout his rookie season.

Taken with the 36th overall pick last June, Martin kicked off his rookie campaign on the fringes of the Hornets rotation. It took until only his fifth NBA appearance to understand why the organization was so high on him after he made a series of crucial plays down the stretch in Golden State on Nov. 2, which helped seal a 93-87 road victory against the Warriors.

It quickly became clear that despite limited box score numbers, Martin’s impact would be measured in intangibles like hustle, attentiveness and on-court smarts. Over 16 appearances between Oct. 25 and Nov. 27, the Nevada product averaged roughly three points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal before receiving a G League assignment.

Playing alongside his identical twin brother Caleb on the Greensboro Swarm just down the road from his hometown of Mocksville, NC, Martin racked up averages of 18.4 points on 59 percent shooting (40 percent from three; 10-of-25), 8.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals in five outings before being recalled back to Charlotte in early December.

“[Going to Greensboro] just gave me the opportunity to work on the things they wanted me to work on,” Martin said. “They wanted me to shoot the three-ball with a little bit more confidence. When it comes to handling the ball, coming off ball screens, making decisions, those things don’t just happen overnight. I went to Greensboro, and I think I played well. When I got moved back up, it helped me incorporate what I had already been working on.”

Martin reentered the rotation on a close-to-full-time basis, racking up averages of 5.7 points on 47 percent shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists over his next 21 outings. A concussion knocked him out for three contests right before the All-Star Break, but he closed out the season with marks of 6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals over the team’s final 11 games.

On the year, the 24-year-old averaged 5.0 points on 43.0 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals in 48 appearances, three of which were starts. He also ranked ninth in the NBA in total charges drawn (14), the most by any rookie (even with the shortened season) since Atlanta’s Malcolm Delaney registered 15 in 2016-17.

During exit interviews in early June, Hornets Head Coach James Borrego called out both Martin brothers as key contributors to the team’s improved play over the final few weeks of the regular season.

“That was probably our best stretch of basketball,” Borrego said. “The Martin brothers had a lot to do with it, and Jalen [McDaniels] as well. You never know what to expect when you put these young players in that type of environment. They rose to the challenge. The one thing I can say is they worked their tails off all year to put themselves in that position. I didn’t shy away from that because we saw what they were doing behind the scenes. Extremely coachable, worked hard, wanted to get better, wanted to play for each other, and they all played extremely hard.”

“Being able to be in those [big games] gave me confidence, and it showed that not only my teammates, but the staff had confidence in me to be in those situations,” Martin said. “That was something that was important for me. and something I take pride in is just being ready. Going out there, I already know I’m going to play hard and at 100 percent. It’s about executing the game plan and learning once I’m in there.”

Between getting drafted, becoming a key rotational NBA player and playing alongside his twin brother again in their home state, it’s been quite a year for Cody Martin. The circumstances certainly haven’t gone unnoticed and now, he’s only going to keep working harder and harder to get better.

“To not only be back home, but be here with my brother, my family and people that I haven’t gotten to see a lot and for them to see [us] play at the highest level, it means a lot. We’re blessed and we have to thank the organization for giving us the opportunity. All we can really do is go out there and make sure we’re improving every day. Be professional and make sure we’re not only representing ourselves, but the organization in the right way.”

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Season Recap: Cody Martin’s Game Stands Out in Do-It-All Rookie Season

Undeniably one of the toughest seasons of combo guard Nic Batum’s NBA career, the seasoned veteran handled injury and a scaled-down role with admirable professionalism and a positive attitude this year.

Slotted into a reserve role, Batum’s season got off to a rocky start after he suffered a fractured left middle finger midway through the team’s Opening Night win over Chicago, causing him to miss the team’s next 11 games. He reentered the rotation on Nov. 16 and averaged close to four points, four rebounds and three assists over his next 13 outings.

An ongoing issue with his left hand sidelined him again for about a week in mid-December, and upon his return on Dec. 21, he appeared in just eight more games the rest of the season with the organization leaning heavily towards player development and a youth movement.

The now 31-year-old Frenchman’s final outing of the campaign couldn’t have been more memorable though as he was inserted into the starting lineup for the team’s game in Paris against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 24 and finished with five points, six rebounds and five assists. The contest marked the first-ever regular season NBA game played in France.

Batum wrapped up the year averaging around four points, four rebounds and three assists in 22 appearances, three of which were starts. In his second-to-last game of the season, he passed Hedo Türkoglu for the fifth-most threes in NBA history by a player born outside of the United States (1,247), now trailing only Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojaković, Steve Nash and Manu Ginóbili.

“After the [trade] deadline, everything changed and I accepted my role,” said Batum during his exit interview. “In a career, you have some ups, some downs, some good seasons and some bad seasons. You have to go with it. I’ve been lucky and blessed in my career. I’ve had more good seasons than bad seasons, and I’ve been around for 15 years, counting playing in France. I just have to learn from what happened this year. I think my attitude was good. You have to learn from every situation.”

Having also gone through a rebuilding situation in Portland a handful of years ago, Batum mentioned that he sees notable parallels between the two organizations.

“[This organization] is going in the right direction,” he stated. “Devonte’ [Graham] showed he can be a great point guard in this league for the next 10 years. PJ [Washington] has tremendous potential, you’ve got the [Martin] twins, you’ve got Miles [Bridges], who won the MVP in the Rising Stars Challenge. I’ve been part of a [similar] situation with the Trail Blazers a few years ago. We had a lot of young guys trying to go the right way and this [Hornets] team is going the right way. They understand what they have to do, they’ve been on the court every day, even though the season got shut down.”

He added, “When we started the season, people didn’t really expect a lot from us, especially the young guys, but they showed that they’re NBA players and good players, as well. Especially the last six weeks, they did well. They showed what they can become. If they focus on their work, they can have great careers. When you get a chance as a young guy to get on the court, you have to take it. Those guys are doing a good job of it.”

Batum has a player option for next season, and while it’s still a tad unclear as to what exactly his role will be for the 2020-21 campaign, there’s no denying the seasoned veteran sees tremendous potential within this young Hornets roster.

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Season Recap: Nic Batum Embraces Reduced Role in 12th NBA Season

Although he began the year as the Hornets’ backup center, Bismack Biyombo ended his ninth NBA season as a valuable member of the team’s on-court rotation and its most experienced veteran leader in the locker room.

Playing behind Cody Zeller at the five, Biyombo averaged just over seven points on 62 percent shooting and three rebounds over his first 16 appearances of the campaign, which included one start. He broke out for a season-high 19 points in a home win over Detroit on Nov. 27 and two nights later, made a crucial block in the final minute to help beat the Pistons again on the road.

Hornets Head Coach James Borrego began utilizing a three-center rotation around this time, moving Biyombo into the starting lineup for the first of the two aforementioned games against Detroit. Over the next 24 outings, the 27-year-old averaged about eight points, eight rebounds, one assist and one block in 23 minutes of play.

The Congolese native slid in and out of the rotation the rest of the season, primarily to give Zeller and Willy Hernangómez equal shares of playing time and rest. Biyombo – who didn’t miss a single game because of injury – finished the year averaging a career-high 7.4 points and just under six rebounds, one assist and one block in 53 appearances, 29 of which were starts.

One of the most knowledgeable players on the roster, Biyombo brought rebounding, rim protection and an overall defensive mindset throughout the course of the season. But more than anything, he served as a crucial leader for a developing young Hornets core, particularly after Marvin Williams departed for Milwaukee in mid-February.

“At the beginning of the season, it was Marvin and I. And then Marv went away, so I was like, ‘Okay, here we go,’” said Biyombo. “I’ve been able to lead our young guys and help them in areas whether it’s in games or practices. It has been fun for me this year knowing you have to lead by example. You have to limit your mistakes and listen in order to help them.”

Biyombo also mentioned that one of the strengths of the team this season was the selflessness throughout the roster. It’s something that isn’t always commonplace amongst NBA teams and is generally a byproduct of great leadership at the same time.

“I think we put a big emphasis on player development, but for our team, guys got along pretty well. There haven’t been players that didn’t like or accept their roles. Everyone accepted their role. We rely on each other, we help each other and that’s been fun. You play on some teams where there’s ego. We really don’t have that on our team and that helps you as a player.”

He added, “Players feel comfortable to play with you, they’re happy when they’re on the floor. You get to excel because everything is aligned. From my point of view, our player development coaches have been amazing and the teammates around the locker room make it more fun. It’s just been great.”

Biyombo will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, although he isn’t too caught up in the process as of yet, particularly with so much uncertainty around the league this offseason.

“It’s a different free agency, but as a player, if you do what you’re supposed to do, then you shouldn’t be concerned about free agency. I love Charlotte, and I’d love to be back, but at the end of the day, I don’t control things or other people or what other teams are going to do. I’m excited about the development of our group. I think we exceeded a lot of people’s expectations, and I’m very excited for what’s coming next.”

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Season Recap: Hornets Lean Heavily on Bismack Biyombo For Leadership, Experience

Following two-and-a-half years of steady progression mixed with bouts of inconsistency, things finally started clicking for Malik Monk in a season that ended earlier in more ways than one for the Hornets reserve shooting guard.

Monk experienced a slow start to the season before picking up steam with consecutive 15-point games in late October. Between Nov. 10-25, he averaged almost 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in nine games off the bench, while shooting 48 percent from the field.

During this stretch, he produced perhaps the highlight of the season for the Hornets, knocking down a buzzer-beating fadeaway three-pointer to clinch a 109-106 home win over Detroit on Nov. 15. This shot marked the team’s first buzzer-beater at Spectrum Center since December 2014 and was one of just five total such makes in the NBA this season.

The Kentucky product didn’t score in double figures again until a 23-point and career-high 10-rebound showing in a mid-December home win over Sacramento, good for his first NBA double-double. Following an 18-point outing in Memphis on Dec. 29, Monk averaged only 3 points on 27 percent shooting over his next eight games, leading to a benching in Denver on Jan. 15.

Monk quickly bounced back though, scoring 20 points against Orlando on Jan. 20 and a career-high 31 against Milwaukee in Paris four days later. This kicked off a span in which he averaged 17 points on 46 percent shooting – 35 percent from three – four rebounds and three assists over 13 total appearances, one of which was his first-ever start in Indiana on Feb. 25.

Throughout this run, Monk looked noticeably more aggressive and in control than he had earlier on in the season or in years past. He led the team in drives (11.0), more than doubling his previous 42-game average (5.3) and ranked fourth in the NBA in reserve scoring (17.8 PPG) behind only Dennis Schröder, Buddy Hield and Goran Dragić.

Unfortunately for Monk and the Hornets, a violation of the NBA’s anti-drug program by the former resulted in an indefinite suspension starting on Feb. 26. He remained out through the team’s final regular season game on March 11, although has since been reinstated.

“During the hiatus, Malik was reinstated and that’s been a while now,” said President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “He went through his program, and my understanding was he was reinstated as soon as possible. He has been in our facility, he’s participated in all team activities, and whenever we can resume some kind of activity, hopefully on a formal basis, he’ll be there.”

“It’s great having him back and having him a part of the group again,” said Hornets Head Coach James Borrego. “You never want one of your guys out of the group. We’re a family, a unit. [The team has] been able to connect via Zoom, and Malik has been a part of those. We welcome him back, and we move forward. Malik’s ready to move forward. Obviously, we haven’t been on the court with him. He’s been in our facility, which is a positive, but we welcome him back, and we’ve got work to do this summer. I know he’s ready to do it.”

Monk finished the year with career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (2.9), assists (2.1) and field-goal percentage (43.4 percent), while sliding in at 15th in the NBA in reserve scoring (mini. 40 games). Under contract through next year, Monk’s ability to produce the results he showcased towards the end of this season will be a major factor in determining his future with the Charlotte Hornets organization.

2019‑20 End of Season Interviews