Youngstown Terry Rozier Already Focused on NBA Off-Season with Charlotte Hornets

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Last year was the first time since 2015-16 that the Charlotte Hornets had a winning season. Although they failed to make the playoffs, the Hornets finished with a 43-39 record, good enough for tenth in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for the “Play-In Tournament.” Led by a pair of under twenty-five-year-old stars in the making and a handful of veterans, the city of Charlotte was buzzing.

Whether you live in Youngstown, Ohio, or Charlotte, North Carolina, or Colorado basketball betting is an everyday activity for hoops fans. And regardless of where you live, it would be no surprise that many would have bet on the Hornets to make the postseason this year.

Unfortunately, any promise from last year did not carry forward into the 2022-23 season as the team not only lost sixteen more games but they dropped to fourteenth in the Eastern standings and finished with a 27-55 record, the fourth worst in the entire league.

While any future success for the Hornets lies mainly on the young shoulders of LaMelo Ball, one of the bright spots this season was the bounce-back year from Terry Rozier. Appeared in sixty-three games and posted 21.1 points per game (both second on the team behind P.J. Washington and Ball, respectively).

Armed with a contract that will see him return to the team (baring any of the many trade rumors), Rozier makes a great complimentary backcourt partner to Ball, one that can play a Robin to Ball’s Batman or, if the case calls for it, take over the game himself.

Career Year

At twenty-nine years old, “Scary Terry” is one of the Hornet’s starting unit’s veterans, yet he is still in his prime. A feisty two-way player, Rozier is a volume scorer who can confidently play both backcourt positions. With his running mate appearing in just thirty-six games due to various injuries and Miles Bridges dealing with his off-court legal issues, Rozier’s workload increased as he was asked to carry the team through most of the season.

Averaging a career-high 21.1 points and 5.1 assists, Rozier was the Hornets’ most available and reliable backcourt option this season. A career 36% shooter from downtown (37% in his four seasons with the Hornets), Rozier has hit 41% from the field (43% in Charlotte). Considering that the team ranked third from last in the league in scoring, they need all the buckets they can get. Something that Rozier can provide on a nightly basis.

Building for the Future

Assuming that the Hornets’ 2023 Draft pick is among the top five, they will have their choice of either the franchise-changing big man Victor Wembanyama from the Metropolitans 92 (LNB Pro A) or one of three perimeter players in Alabama Crimson Tide small forward Brandon Miller, or G-League Ignite brothers Amen Thompson or Ausar Thompson. The question is, do they keep their pick, or do they trade it for proven talent?

Should the Hornets draft Miller or one of the Thompson twins, it’s safe to assume that they will likely come off the bench as Rozier should have a lock on the starting shooting guard spot, and it doesn’t make sense to have Gordon Hayward and his $31 million contract coming off the bench (though he could be on the trade block).

Assuming that Ball recovers from his injuries in time for training camp, the team will also have to figure out what to do with free agents Washington and Kelly Oubre Jr. Add in the improved play of 2022 draft pick Mark Williams and backup big man Nick Richards, there could be some hope for fans in Charlotte that the Hornets could bounce back next season.