Seth Curry

Hornets Notes: G. Williams, M. Williams, Miller, Richards

Hornets coach Charles Lee talked about the need to develop “emotional maturity” following a late-game skirmish in Friday’s loss to Boston, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The altercation started when Grant Williams ran into former teammate Jayson Tatum while the Celtics were pushing the ball up court (Twitter video link from NBC Sports Boston). Williams was ejected from the game with a Flagrant 2 foul and may face further discipline from the league office.

“It was a transition opportunity and I was trying to make a play on the ball. I did reach across his body and when you slow down the replay, it looks like I make a play and then I kind of go after it,” Williams explained. “J.T. is one of my closest friends always. There was no intention of trying to harm him in any way. So, it was just one of those plays where in full speed he passes the ball, which probably makes it worse because that’s when I reach for the ball. The ball is already out of his hand. … You seen me raise my hand, say I fouled him.”

Williams added that he wanted to apologize to Tatum immediately after the play occurred. But the teams were immediately sent back to their respective benches, and Williams was tossed out of the game before he could say anything to Tatum.

“We all know J.T. is my guy. Nothing intentional,” Williams added. “He got up quick and by the time I got up, there was a ruckus and they brought us to our benches. I’ll talk to him tonight or (Saturday). He knows. We probably don’t even have to talk. He knows it wasn’t intentional or malicious by any means.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

  • There’s still no timetable for injured center Mark Williams, Boone adds in the same piece. It’s been five weeks since Williams was diagnosed with a strained tendon in his left foot, and he hasn’t been able to scrimmage or take part in any full team drills. “He’s engaged and observing all practice activities and film,” Lee said, “and even (Friday) at shootaround, he’s sitting next to me, trying to talk through the game plan and stuff. So, he’s doing all he can to make sure he’s soaking up all the information and terminology and when he comes back, he’s going to be ready to hit the ground running. But for now, he’s just kind of doing individual work. And the next phase of his return-to-play plan, he’ll do some group-type activities. And then once we get to practices and things like that, I think we’ll update further.” 
  • Brandon Miller will return to action tonight for the first time since leaving the season opener with a glute strain, Boone states in a separate story. However, Seth Curry will miss the contest with a right knee injury and Nick Richards, who has been starting at center in place of Williams, will be sidelined after leaving Friday’s game with a sore shoulder. “Nick has been a big part of what we’ve done these first five games. I’ve been very happy with him and his ability to kind of dominate the paint,” Lee said. “He’s altered a lot of shots, and I think he’s helping us with his pick-and-roll coverage and understanding the different gaps to be in in center field and create some indecision for ball-handlers. He’s done a great job defensively, and then offensively, he’s created a ton of advantages for all of our scorers, all of our ball-handlers.”
  • Jared Weiss of The Athletic examines whether Miller, LaMelo Ball and the rest of the young Hornets can create an identity as a team. Weiss also talks to president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson about the unique approach he took in becoming the third team in the Karl-Anthony Towns deal, acquiring three players through sign-and-trades and effectively using the room exception as a trade exception.

Southeast Notes: Coulibaly, Sarr, Hornets, Bogdanovic, Magic

Bilal Coulibaly‘s improved ball-handling didn’t earn him a significant role with the French Olympic team, but it’s paying off for the Wizards, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. The second-year forward has already set career highs with six assists and 23 points in the first two games, and he looks to be an important part of the rebuilding project in Washington.

“I showed them I could go to the rim, pull up and everything. [The coaches] saw it, I guess, and now they believe in me,” Coulibaly said. “[Head coach Brian Keefe] saw it and he was like ‘yeah, he can play.’ So, he gave me a lot more [responsibility].”

Coulibaly has been expanding all facets of his offensive attack, Hughes adds. He’s driving to the basket 8.0 times per game, more than double last season’s rate, and he shot 4-of-9 from three-point range Saturday against Cleveland. He was also given the toughest defensive assignment, matching up with Donovan Mitchell.

“This is something he’s going to grow into, a ball-handler and decision-maker, plus guard the best player,” Keefe said. “These are great things. You have to grow through that. That’s not something you just flip the switch on. You have to go through that and learn what that feels like. He’s learning every day.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Rookie Alex Sarr faced Evan Mobley, who provides an example of what the Wizards hope Sarr can become, states Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. The No. 3 pick in 2021, Mobley is a lean big man with elite defensive instincts and an expanding offensive game. Washington may wind up building its roster around Sarr much like Cleveland has done with Mobley. “It was cool playing against him,” Sarr said. “He’s a great big, so it’s always fun going up against players like that.”
  • LaMelo Ball, Cody Martin and Seth Curry were in the Hornets‘ lineup for Saturday’s game against Miami even though they had all been listed as questionable, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is already short-handed with Mark Williams and Brandon Miller both sidelined, so Martin said there’s a determination to take the court. “We want to play,” he said. “At the end of the day, everybody in this locker room is hungry and wants to play and when they decide — or it’s deemed they are not playing — they probably can’t play. And I think that’s the biggest understanding. I don’t think anybody questions how important it is for us to want to play and get out there and just have fun.”
  • Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic missed Sunday’s game with right hamstring tendinopathy and the team is being careful not to aggravate the condition, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic.
  • The Magic‘s G League affiliate in Osceola has announced its preseason roster (Twitter link). It includes two-way players Mac McClung and Trevelin Queen.

Seth Curry Returns To Hornets On One-Year Deal

Seth Curry is returning to the Hornets on a one-year deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The signing is official, according to a Hornets press release.

Curry, who turns 34 next month, was waived by Charlotte last month before his $4MM salary for next season became guaranteed. It was noted at that time both sides were interested in exploring another contract. He’ll provide depth at the shooting guard spot.

The younger brother of Stephen Curry, Seth actually has a better career three-point percentage (43.1%) than his superstar sibling (42.6%). However, the 33-year-old – who obviously isn’t Steph’s equal as a play-maker or all-around scorer – is coming off a down year in 2023/24. He appeared in a total of 44 games for the Mavericks and Hornets, averaging just 5.1 points per game on .392/.352/.903 shooting.

The younger Curry, who was sent from Dallas to Charlotte in February as part of the trade package for P.J. Washington, was able to suit up for just eight games down the stretch for his hometown Hornets, as his season ended early due to a sprained ankle.

While the terms of Curry’s new contract weren’t reported, a minimum-salary agreement seems likely.

Hornets Waive Seth Curry

4:00pm: The Hornets have officially waived Curry, the team confirmed (via Twitter).


3:52pm: The Hornets are waiving sharpshooter Seth Curry before his $4MM salary for 2024/25 becomes guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Friday represented the deadline for Charlotte to make a decision on that $4MM — it would have become guaranteed if Curry had remained under contract through today. While the Hornets have opted not to lock that money onto their ’24/25 cap, the two sides have mutual interest in exploring a new deal in free agency, says Wojnarowski.

The younger brother of Stephen Curry, Seth actually has a better career three-point percentage (43.1%) than his superstar sibling (42.6%). However, the 33-year-old – who obviously isn’t Steph’s equal as a play-maker or all-around scorer – is coming off a down year in 2023/24. He appeared in a total of 44 games for the Mavericks and Hornets, averaging just 5.1 points per game on .392/.352/.903 shooting.

The younger Curry, who was sent from Dallas to Charlotte in February as part of the trade package for P.J. Washington, was able to suit up for just eight games down the stretch for his hometown Hornets, as his season ended early due to a sprained ankle.

He’ll clear waivers on Sunday if he goes unclaimed.

Hornets Notes: Curry, Bridges, Williams, Ball, Lee

Charlotte native Seth Curry was only able to suit up eight times for the Hornets after being traded to his hometown team at February’s deadline. A Grade 3 right ankle sprain ended his season early, but he anticipates resuming regular workouts soon and being fully healthy for the start of next season, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

While his $4MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed, Curry said this week that he’s hoping to stick with the Hornets.

“Yeah, I definitely want to be a part of it,” Curry said. “It’s got a great, talented locker room. I think the health has been talked about enough, but the health is the main thing. If we get everybody on the court we can definitely have some success and have the foundation, the talent to compete and make the playoffs here. But like I said, it means more for me to play here.”

At age 33, Curry became the oldest player on the Hornets’ roster. And with veterans like Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier traded away during the season, he quickly emerged as a leader in the locker room.

“It’s funny,” he said. “It happened quick, but I’ve become the oldest guy in the room, most experienced. So, guys were looking at me for wisdom and I was just trying to spread that around the locker room, try to be an example on the floor and off the floor, in the training room, on the bench try to help them as much as possible. Use my eyes, my experience to help those guys play better toward the end of the season, and hopefully that carries into the offseason and next year.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

  • Veteran forward Miles Bridges, who told the Hornets in February that he wouldn’t sign off on a trade, reiterated this week that his goal in unrestricted free agency is to re-sign with the team. “Yeah, it’s still the same,” Bridges said, per Boone. “I would love to be here. That’s my plan to be here. So, like I said, I love the city of Charlotte. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” As Boone writes in a separate story, one big offseason question to answer in Charlotte is how the new front office feels about Bridges, who has thrived on the court but has been accused of multiple domestic assaults off the court.
  • Hornets center Mark Williams doesn’t want to be labeled injury-prone and is determined to return better than ever from the nagging back issues that limited him to 19 games this season, Boone relays. “I’m definitely starting to feel better and I’m able to do more. It’s not something where it’s really going to linger,” Williams said. “I’m aiming to play every game next year, so it’s definitely not something I like doing — sitting out. It’s definitely tough. It was a tough year for us. I’m excited for the future, though.”
  • After only playing 58 games over the past two seasons due to ankle problems, LaMelo Ball said he’s going to experiment with protective braces this summer to see if he can find something that feels good, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Ball tried out braces in practices at the start of the 2023/24 season, but didn’t find any that he was entirely comfortable with, Reed adds.
  • It would be surprising if the Hornets don’t have an agreement in place with their next head coach within the next couple weeks, Boone writes in another story for The Observer. Celtics assistant Charles Lee, who was initially identified as a possible frontrunner when word broke that Steve Clifford was stepping down, remains a strong candidate for the job, according to Boone.

Injury Notes: Curry, Martin, Booker, Craig, Giannis, Markkanen

The Hornets will be without injured wings Seth Curry and Cody Martin for at least two weeks, the team announced on Monday (Twitter link). Both players were injured in Friday’s loss to Philadelphia, with Curry spraining his right ankle and Martin suffering a left ankle sprain.

The banged-up Hornets had already been playing without a pair of key starters in LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams. Martin had been a fixture in the starting lineup for the better part of the past two months, while Curry got his first start on Friday since being traded to Charlotte at last month’s deadline.

It’s an unfortunate setback for Martin, who missed most of last season and the first two months of this season due to a knee issue. The Hornets guard/forward had been looking more like his old self in recent weeks before heading back to the injured list over the weekend.

As for Curry, this injury clouds his availability for a showdown vs. the Warriors in Charlotte later this month. That game is expected to reunite Seth with his brother Stephen Curry and their father Dell Curry (a Hornets broadcaster) in the city where the brothers grew up. If Seth is ready to return – or at least close to returning – when he’s reevaluated in two weeks, he could still suit up for that March 29 game.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

  • Sources told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic on Monday that Devin Booker‘s recovery timeline for his sprained right ankle is expected to be in the range of five-to-14 days, with five days as a best-case outcome and two weeks representing a worst-case scenario. Earlier in the day on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic had projected a seven-to-10 day timeline for the Suns guard.
  • Injured Bulls wing Torrey Craig is ramping up his activity as he makes his way back from a right knee sprain, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who says Craig was doing individual work on Monday. Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that the veteran will be on a minutes restriction upon his return, which may not be far off. “I don’t know about this road trip, (but) it’s not out of the question,” Donovan said. “A lot of it depends on how he continues to progress, but I think the medical guys are pretty optimistic of where he is at this point and time, so he’s definitely progressing closer and closer to playing.”
  • A pair of star forwards sat out on Monday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo (left Achilles tendinitis) missed the Bucks‘ game against the Clippers while Lauri Markkanen (right quad contusion) was unavailable for the Jazz‘s matchup with the Wizards (Twitter links via Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune). There’s no indication at this point that either injury is more significant than a day-to-day issue.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Bridges, Fultz, Coulibaly

Injuries and losses continue to pile up for the Hornets after a brief upturn last month, but head coach Steve Clifford won’t consider tanking over the final 21 games, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

With five rotation members sidelined, Charlotte dropped a close game at Toronto on Sunday night for its fifth loss in the last six games. At 15-46, the Hornets have the league’s fourth-worst record and are two games ahead of San Antonio for a chance to become one of three teams with the best odds at the No. 1 pick, but Clifford doesn’t want to approach the rest of the season that way.

“Look, we’re shorthanded and there’s a big difference between in some of the games you play, there’s going to be a real challenge to win,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you play losing basketball. And there’s a big difference between teams that just pack it in and teams that play the right way and win. And I think as an organization, I think trying to win every game is a big thing.”

Seth Curry, Cody Martin and Nick Richards are the latest additions to Charlotte’s injured list, and they were on the bench in street clothes Sunday along with LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams. Boone notes that two-way players Amari Bailey and Leaky Black have been called up to provide some depth, and Marques Bolden was re-signed to a two-way contract last week two days after being waived.

Clifford points out that the remainder of the season will be crucial for those inexperienced players as they try to establish themselves in the NBA, and he doesn’t want to expose them to a culture that’s focused on losing.

“With younger players, to me, it’s absolutely critical that they understand the importance of getting better every day,” Clifford said. “I’m a firm believer, especially for younger guys, that their first experience is the way they view the league, the way they have to be taught how to be a good NBA player. I think they have to gain an understanding of how to win.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Miles Bridges didn’t experience any customs issues during this trip to Canada, Boone tweets. The Hornets forward was denied access to the country during the team’s December 18 visit because of his legal issues.
  • Markelle Fultz was the only Magic reserve to score in double figures Sunday night as he continues to come off the bench after missing three games due to an aching left knee. Fultz told Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel that he isn’t concerned about not starting (Twitter link). “If I’m in the game, [I’m] playing as hard as I can,” Fultz said. “But I don’t really care about that, man. I care about winning any way possible.”
  • After missing three games with a pelvic contusion, rookie Bilal Coulibaly isn’t on the Wizards‘ injury report for tonight’s game at Utah, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

Southeast Notes: Pokusevski, Curry, Martin, Forrest, Wizards

The Hornets signed young forward Aleksej Pokusevski to a two-year contract which is non-guaranteed for the 2024/25 season, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). Charlotte will get a chance to monitor the 7’0″ forward and see if he can live up to his former 17th overall draft selection status.

Pokusevski became the fourth former Thunder player to join the Hornets after the deadline, joining Vasilije Micic, Tre Mann, and Davis Bertans. According to Sam Perley of Hornets.com (Twitter link), those connections are helping him feel comfortable in his new home.

It feels good,” Pokusevski said. “The guys are great. [Having former OKC teammates here] makes it easier. Vasa, Tre, Bertāns. It feels better that I can talk to the guys that I know and they can explain how things are going here.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hornets guards Seth Curry (right ankle) and Cody Martin (left ankle) exited the second half of Charlotte’s Friday matchup against the Sixers due to injuries, according to team PR (Twitter link). They will both be evaluated on Saturday.
  • Hawks guard Trent Forrest is seeing his hard work pay off after getting his two-way contract converted into a standard deal, writes The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren Williams (subscriber link). According to Williams (Twitter links), coach Quin Snyder lauded Forrest’s progression and work ethic. “He’s just he’s been a guy that’s, it’s hard to, have durability and in this league and Trent’s, a guy that’s continuing to work to put himself in a position where he is where he is right now,” Snyder said. “And I say that with full confidence that he’s going to continue to work. And that’s one of the things that we really appreciate about him. Happy for him. I think he he’s earned everything everybody’s given him in this profession.
  • As the Wizards continue to deal with injuries, their bench players are starting to see more opportunities, according to The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace (subscriber link). Eugene Omoruyi, Jules Bernard, Jared Butler, Johnny Davis, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and Justin Champagnie have all received first-quarter minutes as of late. Omoruyi was promoted to a standard deal from his two-way contract on Friday. “Right now, it’s a lot of discovery,Kyle Kuzma said. “Trying to figure out what a lot of guys do, what they can do, what they can’t do, what they bring to winning basketball.

Southeast Notes: Miller, Curry, Wizards, Young

Rookie forward Brandon Miller is the main reason for optimism in Charlotte, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who suggests the Hornets should trade LaMelo Ball and build for the future around Miller.

Although Ball has better stats, Jones views Miller as having more overall impact because of his superior shooting combined with an ability to dribble and pass, along with his impact on defense. Jones sees Miller as a younger version of Paul George, which is a comparison that was made frequently when Miller was in college.

As Jones notes, injuries are the main concern for Ball, who signed a five-year extension last summer that will take effect in 2024/25. He has appeared in just 22 of Charlotte’s 56 games this season after being limited to 36 last year. Even so, Jones believes Ball has enough trade value to provide a nice return for the Hornets, who are also likely to land a top five pick in this year’s draft.

Jones believes Charlotte is headed in the right direction after bringing in Grant WilliamsSeth Curry, Vasilije Micić and Tre Mann at the trade deadline. Each of those players brings something valuable to the roster, Jones adds, and Mann has excelled since becoming the team’s starting point guard.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Curry was thrilled to be traded to his hometown Hornets, and have his father, Dell, as one of the team’s broadcasters, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The whole family was together Friday night in San Francisco as Charlotte faced Stephen Curry‘s Warriors. “It’s special,” Seth Curry said. “When we are in the game, we are locked into the game, so it’s kind of like no different. But just to see him on the floor about to call the game and to see him afterwards it’s special. Because usually we only see him twice a year, four times a year or something like that. And for all three of us to be involved in one game, that’s history.” 
  • Interim coach Brian Keefe is experimenting with rotations for the Wizards, who dropped their 10th straight game Friday night, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. During the final part of the season, she expects the team to see what it has in Patrick Baldwin Jr., who was acquired from Golden State last summer, Johnny Davis, a 2022 lottery pick who has never been able to earn consistent playing time, and Eugene Omoruyi, who’s currently on a two-way contract but may be a strong candidate for a standard deal.
  • Hawks guard Trae Young is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Orlando due to an injured finger on his left hand, tweets Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution.

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Strus, Lillard, Haliburton

With an established rotation already in place, the chances of the Cavaliers adding help in the buyout market are “incredibly low,” according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). The recent returns from injury by Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have given the team a healthy roster, leaving no obvious role for a buyout player to fill. Sources tell Fedor that the front office is being honest with prospective additions about the shortage of available playing time.

Many of the top names on the market — such as Kyle Lowry, Spencer Dinwiddie and Delon Wright — have already committed to other teams. Fedor hears that Cleveland had interest in Danilo Gallinari, but the veteran forward chose Milwaukee, where he’ll have a better shot at regular minutes. Marcus Morris appears unlikely to land with the Cavs since he’s reportedly leaning toward the Timberwolves if the Spurs buy him out, according to former teammate Patrick Beverley (Twitter link).

Fedor says Cleveland would like to add one more shooter off its bench, which makes former Net Joe Harris and ex-Sixer Furkan Korkmaz intriguing names to watch. The Cavaliers have liked Korkmaz for a long time and made an effort to sign him in free agency in 2021, according to Fedor. He also mentions Davis Bertans and Seth Curry as options if they agree to buyouts with the Hornets and considers the PistonsEvan Fournier as a more remote possibility.

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • The Cavaliers are committed to Max Strus as a starter and are unlikely to shake up their starting five before the end of the season, Fedor adds in the same piece. The team pursued Strus last summer to provide improved shooting and floor spacing, and Fedor notes that he requires constant attention from opposing defenses, even though his shooting numbers have declined. Fedor also points out that coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants a longer look at his current starting lineup, which has been limited to 239 total minutes together because of injuries.
  • Bucks guard Damian Lillard doesn’t bring much strategy to the Three-Point Contest, which he won for the second straight year Saturday night, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “I didn’t prepare at all,” Lillard said. “I think that’s the key to it. I kept telling (teammate Malik Beasley) my first two times I did it, I was practicing, I had racks, I was trying to get ready for it and I just went out there and I didn’t win. And then last year, I never practiced. I never shot off a rack. I just showed up and won.”
  • Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton plans to keep trying for a three-point title after a close call on his home court, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton was in a four-way deadlock for the best score after the first round, but he lost in a tie-breaker and failed to reach the finals. “I think I’m going to just keep coming back until they don’t allow me to, and eventually I’m going to win one,” he said.