Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Charlotte Hornets’ taking pictures guard rotation appeared like one of many crew’s most balanced items. The entrance workplace splashed by buying Josh Inexperienced within the blockbuster deal that despatched Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks. Pair that with the anticipated growth of younger guards Nick Smith Jr. and Isaiah Wong, plus the elite taking pictures contact of veteran Seth Curry, and the Hornets had a mixture of youth, upside, and regular veteran presence.
However because the season unfolded, the crew needed to lean on that depth greater than anticipated. Accidents to key gamers pressured others to tackle bigger or unfamiliar roles — and to their credit score, the group responded. Regardless of the added stress and shifting expectations, the Hornets’ taking pictures guards delivered a powerful marketing campaign.
So, how does this place group grade out for the season? And what position will they play because the Hornets proceed shaping their roster and constructing towards the longer term?
Incomplete Grades
This group is led by Josh Okogie, acquired within the Nick Richards commerce. In 15 video games, he averaged 8.9 factors, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, bringing his trademark vitality and taking up difficult defensive assignments.
Wendell Moore Jr. joined after Detroit waived him and contributed solidly in 16 video games, averaging 5.4 factors on 47% taking pictures, together with 37% from three. His flooring spacing and consistency made him a reliable position participant.
Damion Baugh performed 15 video games, averaging 7.3 factors, 3.3 rebounds, and three.7 assists. Whereas he confirmed versatility as a playmaker, his taking pictures (32% FG, 21% 3PT) held him again.
Marcus Garrett, Jaylen Sims, and Jared Rhoden mixed for 14 appearances, providing emergency depth throughout a season crammed with roster shuffling.
Seth Curry
In his first full season with the Hornets, Seth Curry proved why he’s a trusted veteran. He performed 68 video games (14 begins), averaging 6.5 factors and 1.7 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per recreation. Whereas the numbers have been modest, his effectivity stood out.
After a down yr cut up between Dallas and Charlotte, Curry bounced again by taking pictures a league-leading 45% from three. His flooring spacing and regular presence have been key property in second-unit lineups.
Past taking pictures, Curry introduced management and professionalism to a younger crew. He embraced his position and delivered when wanted, a priceless asset for Charlotte sooner or later.
Grade: B-
Josh Inexperienced
Josh Inexperienced was considered as a powerful match subsequent to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, due to his 3-and-D ability set. He performed in 68 video games (67 begins), averaging 7.4 factors, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 27.8 minutes.
His area objective proportion dropped from 47.9% to 42.8%, however he barely improved from three (38.5% to 39.1%). Whereas his affect assorted, Inexperienced’s protection and flooring spacing made him a gradual presence. He’ll be a key a part of the Hornets’ offseason plans as a commerce piece or a long-term starter.
Grade: C
Nick Smith Jr.
A 2023 first-round decide, Nick Smith Jr. noticed elevated alternative in his second season after splitting time with the G League as a rookie. In 60 video games (27 begins), he averaged 9.9 factors, 2.1 rebounds, and a couple of.4 assists. Whereas his area objective proportion was 39.1%, his three-point taking pictures dipped from 43.2% to 34.0%.
Smith Jr. confirmed flashes however struggled with effectivity and lacked aggression attending to the rim, making an attempt simply 45 free throws all season. For a guard with scoring instincts, changing into extra assertive will probably be key to his growth. His position stays unsure because the Hornets assess their guard depth shifting ahead.
Grade: C-
Daquan Jeffries
DaQuan Jeffries made probably the most of his alternative in Charlotte, showing in 46 video games and averaging 6.6 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 22.7 minutes. He shot 40% from the sector and 33% from the three, exhibiting his worth as a 3-and-D wing.
Jeffries had ten double-digit scoring video games, hitting three or extra threes in eight. His defensive versatility allowed him to protect a number of positions — even logging minutes at heart throughout injury-heavy stretches. A midseason pickup from New York, Jeffries proved to be a strong rotational piece with two-way affect.
Grade: C
Isaiah Wong
Isaiah Wong performed 20 video games for the Hornets, averaging 6.0 factors, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 13.3 minutes per recreation. He had a standout 17-point recreation towards the Pistons, hitting three threes.
Wong’s scoring flashes confirmed potential, however consistency was a difficulty. After his stint in Charlotte, he signed with Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, persevering with his profession internationally.
Grade: D-
In Conclusion
The Hornets’ taking pictures guard rotation was examined all through the 2024–25 season, and whereas it wasn’t all the time easy, the group held its personal. What started as a promising mixture of youth and expertise advanced right into a deeper-than-expected unit that weathered accidents and shifting roles.
Veterans like Seth Curry introduced taking pictures and management, whereas Josh Inexperienced and DaQuan Jeffries provided defensive versatility and starting-caliber minutes. Nick Smith Jr. confirmed glimpses of potential, although inconsistency and inefficiency restricted his affect. Depth items like Josh Okogie and Wendell Moore Jr. stepped up when referred to as upon, reinforcing the place’s reliability.
Because the Hornets look forward, this group’s efficiency offers the entrance workplace flexibility — sustaining continuity, reshuffling the depth chart, or utilizing items as commerce property. The taking pictures guard place wasn’t the flashiest, however it quietly turned one in every of Charlotte’s most reliable items in a turbulent season.
