Tag: Charlotte Hornets

Leaky Black’s time with Charlotte Hornets comes to end

Leaky Black’s dream of playing for his hometown Charlotte Hornets came to a bittersweet end on Thursday, August 1.

There was hope that when Leaky Black’s time at North Carolina was up after the 2022-2023 season, he would be highly-sought after amongst NBA teams.

Black enjoyed a solid offensive jump during his COVID season, averaging a career-high 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, but that isn’t enough to be a consistent starter in today’s NBA.

Despite his prowess as a defensive ace, Black signed a 2-way deal with his hometown Charlotte Hornets – after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. He spent most of last season with Charlotte’s G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, but appeared in 26 NBA games (three starts) – averaging 2.7 points in 10.7 minutes per game.

Black played Summer League ball with the Hornets again this summer. Unfortunately, that was his last time (for now) in Charlotte, as the Hornets released him on Thursday, Aug. 1.

If you follow the NBA, you’ll know Charlotte is one of the worst teams in the league. The Hornets, however, enjoyed a strong 7-1 Summer League – and are giving 2-way contracts to rookie KJ Simpson and Moussa Diabate instead.

If teams were looking at Black because of his defense alone, Black would be an easy first-round pick. As a Tar Heel, Black was typically assigned to the opposition’s top scorer.

There isn’t a lot of defense in today’s NBA, though, with some of the highest-ever point totals coming in the past couple seasons.

I’m sure another team will pick up Black, whether in the NBA, overseas or somewhere else in the Americas. After all, a player with Black’s caliber of defense is a rare find in today’s game – and defense wins championships.

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Former Tar Heel Leaky Black featured in Charlotte Hornets’ NBA Summer League highlights

It’s safe to say that Leaky Black is enjoying his time with the Charlotte Hornets.

Leaky Black is arguably one of the best all-around basketball players to ever don a UNC uniform.

Black played at North Carolina for five seasons (2018-2023), carving out a name for himself as a defensive standout, a title that was apparent by being name a 2-time member of the ACC’s All-Defensive Team.

Roy Williams and Hubert Davis typically put Black on the opposition’s best shooter or offensive creator, with his goal the ability to heavily influence a game’s outcome.

As Black developed throughout his Tar Heels career, he added a solid shooting touch to his arsenal. Black never averaged more than 7.3 points per game in a single season, with that total coming in his 2022-2023 COVID year, but you could still count on him for decent scoring production.

When Black’s time at UNC ended, he signed a 2-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets. Despite spending most of last season with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s NBA G League affiliate, Black played 26 NBA games.

Black was also part of Charlotte’s Summer League team the past two seasons, with 2024 being a strong summer in particular at 7-1. Black played in five of the Hornets’ eight contests, averaging three points, four rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

In the Hornets’ summer league highlights recap video, which they posted to Instagram on Thursday, July 25, you’ll see Black several times throughout.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C92mjbuJQ0Y/

I hope Charlotte decides to keep Black at the NBA level, but if he’d rather the route to more playing time, Greensboro might be the better option.

With both cities being just 90 minutes from each other, though, don’t be surprised to see Black bouncing back and forth.

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Watch Malik Hall’s posterizing dunk in the NBA Summer League

Malik Hall made the highlight reel once again in the NBA Summer League

Former Michigan State power forward Malik Hall has made a mark on the NBA Summer League, showing off his athleticism and showing why he could be an asset in the league.

Hall made another rim shaking dunk during the summer league, and you can watch it via X:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner

Summer Celtics defeat Sin City Hornets 89-84 in Las Vegas Summer League action, improve to 2-1

The victory was due in large part to team play, with four players scoring in double figures and another four nearly so.

The Boston Celtics have won their third game of the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, beating the Charlotte Hornets 89-84 to improve their record in Sin City play to 2-1. The victory was due in large part to team play, with four players scoring in double figures and another four nearly so.

Reserve combo guard Jamius Ramsey tied the Celtics in scoring with 15 points, (and 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and a block), and forward Anton Watson also put up 15 points in the win (along with 5 boards, 2 assists, as many steals, and a block).

Rookie wing Baylor Scheierman (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and as many steals) and free agent forward Killian Tillie (11 points, 2 boards, and 2 blocks) also had a good game.

The Celtics still have one more game before the Sin City postseason (should they make it) against the Dallas Mavericks on this coming Friday (July 19).

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Watch Malik Hall make the NBA Summer League highlight reel

Malik Hall made the NBA Summer League highlight reel with this throw down:

Malik Hall is participating in the NBA Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets looking to make his name in the league and earn a spot in the National Basketball Association.

In a summer league game between the Hornets and Atlanta Hawks, Hall had a patented play, showing off his off the dribble drive to the rack and a slam dunk.

Watch the highlight reel play via X:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Miles Bridges resigns with Charlotte Hornets on 3-year deal

Miles Bridges re-signs with the Charlotte Hornets

Miles Bridges has made the decision to come back to Charlotte, and will re-sign with the Charlotte Hornets on a 3-year deal. The deal, reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, is going to be for 75-million dollars over the 3-years.

Bridges is coming off of a career year, averaging 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner

Maine Celtics coach Blaine Mueller, Boston assistant Jermaine Bucknor to join Charles Lee in Charlotte

Given Boston’s success in 2023-24, it is not hard to see why teams are looking to peel off a little of what led to Banner 18 being hung.

It seems former Boston Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee is going to thin the bench of the Celtics’ G League and assistant coaches a bit as Lee makes the move to Charlotte to take over as the Hornets head coach next season.

According to recent reporting from the Portland (Maine) Press Herald’s Drew Bonifant, Maine Celtics head coach Blaine Mueller will join Lee in Charlotte as an assistant coach. MassLive’s Brian Robb adds that Boston assistant Jermaine Bucknor will also join Lee on the Hornets’ bench, which will also have Celtics alum Kemba Walker making the leap to the other side of the clipboard this week.

They will have former Boston forward Grant Williams on the roster as well, making the new-look Hornets a distinctly Celtics-inflected ball club next season. 

Given Boston’s success in 2023-24, it is not hard to see why other teams are looking to peel off a little of what led to Banner 18 being hung.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Hornets sign No. 6 pick Tidjane Salaün to first-round contract

The Hornets announced on Wednesday that they signed Tidjane Salaün, the sixth pick in the draft, to his rookie-scale contract.

The Charlotte Hornets announced on Wednesday that they signed Frenchman Tidjane Salaün, the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, to his rookie-scale contract.

He will make $6,240,600 next season as the sixth pick.

Salaün averaged 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 54 games last season across all competitions with Cholet Basket of the LNB Elite League. He played the previous two campaigns for Espoirs Cholet in the under-21 league.

The 18-year-old dazzled in the French League playoffs, averaging 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in three games against Paris. He had his best outing in Game 1 after recording 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in a win.

The team announced this week that Salaün will miss the California Classic in Sacramento after suffering a minor laceration near his knee. He is expected to be available to play in the NBA Summer League beginning on July 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He will be joined by roster players Brandon Miller, Nick Smith Jr. and Leaky Black in Las Vegas, along with undrafted free agents RaeQuan Battle, Kevin Cross Jr. and Malik Hall, among others.

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Ex-Boston point guard Kemba Walker to join Charles Lee’s coaching staff in Charlotte

Walker will coach current Hornets and former Celtics forward Grant Williams in Charlotte.

Fresh on the news breaking that former Boston Celtics floor general Kemba Walker would be calling it quits as a player, news of the next step in his basketball career post-playing days is now coming into focus.

That phase, which he alluded to in his goodbye message shared on social media this past Tuesday (June 2) evening, reportedly consists of the University of Connecticut point guard legend making a leap to the other side of the clipboard. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that after “retiring from a 12-year NBA career, four-time All-Star Kemba Walker is rejoining the Charlotte Hornets on new coach Charles Lee’s coaching staff as a player enhancement coach.”

Lee and Walker will join current Hornets and former Celtics forward Grant Williams as an active Charlotte player with Boston ties under a new ownership regime in a post-Michael Jordan era.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Hornets’ KJ Simpson ruled out of summer league with injury

Hornets rookie KJ Simpson will not play in summer league, the team announced on Monday.

Charlotte Hornets rookie KJ Simpson will not play in summer league due to a hamstring injury sustained during the predraft process, the team announced on Monday.

The Hornets begin summer league on Saturday with three games in the California Classic from Sacramento. The team will then play at least five games in the NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV starting on July 13.

Simpson, the 42nd pick in the 2024 NBA draft, is expected to be fully recovered and available for the start of training camp in September. The team will also be without Tidjane Salaün, the sixth pick, for the California Classic after suffering a minor laceration near his knee.

Simpson was drafted after averaging 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists on 43.4% shooting from 3-point range as a junior at Colorado. He was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and set several single-season program records, including double-digit-scoring games (35).

Salaün was highly touted after dazzling with Cholet Basket in the French League. He ended the season on a tremendous run and produced 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in a Game 1 win over Paris in the playoffs.

The Hornets will tip off their schedule in the expanded California Classic with the San Antonio Spurs and then face the Chinese national team (Sunday) and Sacramento Kings (July 9).

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