CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Hornets finished up their 2024 Summer League — one where they nearly made the league’s semifinals — this past weekend.
The Hornets were a combined 7-1 in both the Sacramento and Las Vegas Summer League, compiling a 3-0 record in the former and 4-1 record in the latter.
All adding up to one of most successful Hornets summer teams in years, Charlotte came away with reinforced confidence in players who might be contributors in the upcoming 2024-25 season, either in the Queen City or in Greensboro (with the team’s G League affiliate, the Swarm).
“I’m so proud of the guys and as an organization — high character, extremely competitive, super together,” said Hornets Summer League coach Joshua Longstaff. “This is really the first group for us as an organization where there’s been a lot of change here. This group represents who we want to be. From top to bottom, ownership, the front office, and Charles as a head coach brought in people that think about the players first and we want to be a player-first organization and do everything first class.”
This summer marked the first time in 12 years that Charlotte went 4-1 in Las Vegas, as well as the team’s first winning summer record in six years.
“The Hornets organization did such a good job putting this group together,” Longstaff added. “They complement each other well and they push each other. They love each other and I think that’s really important to us. I have no doubts that they will continue to grow and get better.”
Players like rising second-year phenom Brandon Miller and likely backup point guard Nick Smith Jr. continued to prove why they will be relied on by first-year Hornets coach Charles Lee this year.
“I feel like last year was kind of lifeless and we didn’t win a game,” Smith said. “It does feel good to come out here and get some wins with guys who want to compete with one another. Just staying together on the defensive end and rebounding. The shots are going to fall, but we want to continue to take the open ones and just talk to one another.”
Throughout the Hornets’ eight Summer League matchups, a variety of players emerged as options worthy of a two-way contract with Charlotte or a spot in Greensboro.
Small forward Leaky Black, power forward Mouhamadou Gueye and center Jake Stephens each had explosive bursts off gameplay, indicating they could be factoring into the Hornets’ plans, either now or later on down the road.
It was a mixed bag for sixth-overall draft pick Tidjan Salaun in his three appearances, who still has a rawness in his game as the youngest player in the recent draft. As a project who will continue to hone his basketball fundamentals, it’s unclear at this point if the 18-year-old Frenchman will receive any meaningful action this year.
Across the span of the Summer League, other players who are unlikely to be Hornets still had meaningful moments that are positive signs of their own skills, as well as Charlotte’s viability as an organization.
In a stunning performance, Concord native Matt Morgan had a Charlotte-summer-record 36 points off the bench in a win over Portland on July 19, leading to a signing with Italy’s Virtus Segafredo Bologna two days later.
“It’s been an amazing training camp,” Morgan said. “We felt the energy, even with the vets when I met them, you could feel just something different. So, it’s been so much fun, especially coming off a good season in London. Just trying to build on that and keep getting better.”
Elsewhere, small forward Zavier Simpson set a new Hornets summer record, averaging eight assists in Las Vegas as he passed Kemba Walker’s old summer record of 5.8 assists.
In Charlotte’s final Summer League game, small forward Brandon Slater exploded game-high 30 points on 62.5% shooting from the field.
“It was just my teammates, my coaches and my support staff telling me to keep playing hard, to play how I play, and the game will come to you,” Slater said. “The whole time, they just kept reminding me that I’m a good player and that I’m supposed to be here. It’s been the experience of a lifetime. I’ll never forget this group.”
With the Hornets’ Summer League in the books, the team can now head into the rest of the summer with perhaps an added feeling of confidence. For a team where wins have often been in short supply, even summer exhibition victories can help to inspire optimism.
