The Charlotte Hornets finished the Las Vegas Summer League 2-3, but a few good things came from those five games. Some of the young players showed that they could be deserving of a roster spot. The other batch could find themselves playing for the G League affiliate in Greensboro with a chance to play some games in the big leagues.
There are a few of them who could be legit impact players, but that could just be an overreaction. So, here are the three biggest Hornets overreactions from the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League.
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Hornets 2022 NBA Summer League Overreactions
3. Bryce McGowens > James Bouknight
James Bouknight was the Hornets' lottery pick back in 2021, but he hasn't exactly lived up to the hype. Former Hornets head coach James Borrego and Bouknight didn't see eye to eye, so he saw limited playing time in Year 1. He only played 31 games and averaged 4.6 points in 9.8 minutes per game. Sure, Bouknight can find his footing in his second season, but we haven't seen him on a court in a while, especially since he opted to have thumb surgery that made him miss Summer league action.
Meanwhile, Bryce McGowens was drafted in the second round and played well in Vegas. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and shot nearly 43% from deep. He can create his own shots and moves pretty well off the ball. He still is a work in progress on the defensive end, but he's a willing defender. McGowens will likely play more minutes in the first couple of months in the season. Bouknight does have more talent and higher upside, but he's going to have to earn his minutes and the trust of Steve Clifford.
2. JT Thor will be a consistent rotation piece
JT Thor played in crunch-time situations in 2021-22 when the Hornets were decimated by injuries. Back then he showed some of his defensive potential and we saw more of that in Summer League. Although his offense is still developing, his summer stats should leave some optimism for the coaching staff. He averaged 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and shot the ball at a near-37% clip from deep. His confidence has grown over the summer.
Jalen McDaniels has been soaking up minutes at both forward spots recently. He's normally one of the first guys off the bench, but that will change with Thor's development. Steve Clifford is more of a defensive coach. It could be a safe bet that he'll fall in love with the defensive potential of Thor's long frame. If he's able to play good defense and space the floor, McDaniels may see his role shrink.
1. Kai Jones, Mark Williams will supplant Mason Plumlee as the starter
Mason Plumlee did a solid job manning the center spot for the Hornets in 2021-22, but it's time for a change at that position. He was a placeholder until the Hornets could find a good rim-runner, rebounder, and defender at the position. Fortunately for the Hornets, they have two solid options. Mark Williams and Kai Jones could occupy that starting center spot. It could be a center-by-committee situation for the starting job. Some nights one will play more than the other.
Jones offers more offensive upside from what we have seen from him so far. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in Summer League. He's also a dynamic athlete and can put the ball on the floor to beat slower defenders off the dribble. The guy has some serious hops, so he'll be a good weak-side shot blocker as a help defender.
Williams averaged 7.0 points and 7.0 rebounds to go along with a steal and a block a game. His instincts as a defender were evident from Game 1 in Vegas. He contests and alters shots better than both Jones and Plumlee. On offense, he admittedly has plenty of room to grow. In college, he shot over 70% from the field. In Summer League, he shot 44%, but his numbers are sure to take a step up when you're playing with a guy like LaMelo Ball. Williams is a legit 7-footer and has the best potential of all the other bigs on the roster.
The Hornets have a good problem on their hands when it comes down to choosing a starter at the 5-spot come training camp. Jones and Williams could edge out the veteran and split some time as the starter.
Of course, there's no telling what happens with any of these storylines once camp kicks off. Steve Clifford has admitted that this Hornets team “is the most talented” team that he will coach. The veteran coach can run multiple different lineups throughout the season with all the talented players at his disposal. The Hornets have a nice young core, and it should be fun to see how they shape out their roster.
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