LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, Grant Williams, and several other Hornets players were in attendance at Tuesday’s Summer League game alongside new president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and player enhancement coach Kemba Walker, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
Summer League head coach Josh Longstaff said it “speaks volumes” to have the team’s veterans in the building “coaching up” and “cheering on” the Summer League squad, while guard Nick Smith Jr. added that it felt good to have “my big brothers (there) to support us.”
“It’s special, man,” Grant Williams said. “We are just trying to support one another, make sure we understand that team is first and team matters and really, really just committed to getting better and improving and making it a premier organization in the league.”
There are other signs of positive vibes around the organization this summer, according to Boone, who notes that co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin hosted a dinner event on Monday night in Las Vegas that included all of the Hornets’ players as well as a significant number of team personnel. Veteran big man Taj Gibson, the newest member of the roster, was among those impressed, Boone writes.
“It was really nice,” Gibson said. “To be honest with you, just meeting the ownership alone … First you see the ownership, the ownership is so welcoming. Those gentlemen, their energy is just vibrant in how they move and how they already circled and brought all the pieces together last night. It was like a family reunion, because that’s how relaxed we were. Talking, laughing, talking about what it’s going to be like. It was great, just to have that dialect.”
Gibson added that the team’s budding chemistry was on display at the event: “I’ve been to many of those dinners where every guy is over there, guys are over there. But (Monday) night, everybody was mixing. Everybody.”
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- Bridges’ new three-year, $75MM contract with the Hornets has a descending structure, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The deal, which is fully guaranteed with no options, is worth $27,173,913 in 2024/25, exactly $25MM in ’25/26, and $22,826,087 in ’26/27.
- Gibson’s one-year, minimum-salary deal is partially guaranteed, Hoops Rumors has learned. Gibson is assured of receiving at least $1,082,270 and would lock in his full $3,303,771 salary if he remains under contract through the league-wide guarantee deadline of January 7.
- While the signings of Gibson and Seth Curry bring the Hornets’ roster count to 15 players on standard contracts, that number could dip to 14 soon, Boone writes for the Charlotte Observer, noting that Reggie Jackson is considered unlikely to open the regular season with the team. The expectation is that Jackson will be cut at some point to allow him to try to catch on with a team closer to contention, according to Boone.
- In a pair of exclusive interviews, Boone spoke to Hornets center Mark Williams about his efforts to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2023/24 season and to two-way player Leaky Black about his desire to earn a place on Charlotte’s standard 15-man roster.
Taj Gibson: “It was great, to have that dialect.”
Classic! Is that quote correct?
This is the first time in a very long time that Charlotte has a roster that makes sense. It appears there is a direction. And the roster is well-balanced. Health would appear to be a key factor as with all teams, but this team is on the right track. Nothing fancy in free agency, but organized. New ownership, a new head coach, and a solid depth chart. Appreciate the unity of the team seated in the front row at their summer league game, that is cool. I like the additions of Reggie Jackson, Josh Green, Taj Gibson, and rookie Tidjane Salaün. This team will earn its way into the play-in this season. After 1-8 (BOS, NYK, PHI, MIL, CLE, IND, ORL, MIA) 9 and 10 are open for the taking in the East, Charlotte will take one of those seedings.
I think you’re spot on about Charlotte, and think they could really surprise some teams if they stay healthy.
LaMelo, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Grant Williams, and Mark Williams could make for a very versatile, athletic, and solid starting unit. Plus, they’ll have Josh Green, Salaün, Nick Smith Jr., Nick Richards, Cody Martin, Micic, Mann, and potentially veteran additions Seth Curry and Taj Gibson to mentor the team and act as player/coaches as well as Kemba Walker helping mentor the guys as well.
It’ll definitely be interesting to see how Charles Lee decides to set his rotations, and see which Guards earn the most playing time. Curry, Mann, Micic, Green, and Smith Jr. will all be basically fighting for two to three significant playing time slots alongside Martin, Salaün, and Richards for that second unit and possibly mixing and matching with the starting unit if they decide to play Bridges at the 4 some.