Hornets’ Kelly Oubre has a word to describe how he’s playing lately. It’s not a good one
.JPG "Charlotte Hornets guard Kelly Oubre, Jr., left, hangs his head on the bench during a game against the Grizzlies at Spectrum Center last month. Oubre is in a shooting slump.")
The final word of the question hadn’t been uttered and Kelly Oubre stepped in to finish the query, adding his own vernacular to finalize the thought.
“Trash,” the Charlotte Hornets swingman said Wednesday. “Yeah, trash.”
That’s how an always-prideful Oubre describes the way he’s played of late. Although the Hornets are on a roll, winning six straight games to vault themselves into ninth place in the Eastern Conference leading into their matchup with New York at Spectrum Center, Oubre hasn’t been a huge contributor. He’s struggling a bit, failing to show off the scoring prowess that had him among the league’s best reserve scorers.
Oubre is averaging 9.8 points over his last six games, a huge dip below the 15.7 points he’s averaged this season and the 12.1 he put up in 466 career regular-season outings prior to signing with the Hornets as a free agent. He made only 22.2 percent of his attempts during the stretch, leading to him shaking his head as he explained his slump.
“I wake up each and every day and I want to manifest a beautiful day, so I don’t wake up every day and try to be trash,” Oubre said. “But a lot of things have changed. Consistency plays a big role in that and opportunity. So I’m just trying to figure out whatever I need to do to help this team win.
“I’m trying to make the playoffs. I came here to win. I came here to make this organization better. And I’m going to continue to do whatever is asked of me. But at the end of the day opportunity equates to success.”
Oubre’s minutes have taken a dip along with his production. After typically logging somewhere between 24-30 minutes per game all season, the only time he’s played more than 23 in the past half-dozen games came in their win over Dallas. That’s also the lone occasion he’s reached his season average, netting 17 points.
His shot isn’t going through the set at the same frequency as it had been, but that hasn’t shattered his confidence one it. He’s as upbeat as ever. Expect him to keep letting them fly.
“It’s a rhythm thing,” Oubre said. “I can’t really speak on that because it may seem like I’m coming off nit-picking my game or nit-picking decisions being made. But I’m still the player that I’ve been all season long. I don’t think anybody expected me to be as productive as I was throughout the whole year.
“But I can do more. I can do more. I can continue to evolve and help others grow as well while I do that for myself. I’m still 26. I still have a lot of youth. But I’m still trying to figure it out.”
Just like the Hornets are doing with him. When Gordon Hayward got injured last month just before the All-Star break, Oubre got thrust into the starting lineup for three games. But after going 16 for 40 from the floor and with a pair of losses sandwiched in between a win over Detroit, coach James Borrego elected to move P.J. Washington into the starting lineup and shift Miles Bridges to the starting small forward.
That put Oubre back in a reserve spot. Where is he more comfortable?
“It’s a push-and-pull, man,” he said. “I’ve been starting since my second year in the league. Definitely, that’s a place where I see myself as far as talent-wise. But whatever I need to do to help this team win, that’s my role. I know for a fact that I am confident that I am a starter in this league. So whatever situation that you’re in, you have to hone in on that and make that the best situation possible and that’s what I’m in right now.
“So I can only continue to grow, help other guys grow while I evolve as well. So that’s what I’m here for.”
He’ll remain part of a bench that includes Isaiah Thomas. The Hornets made it official on Tuesday, inking the veteran Thomas for the remainder of the season.
Thomas has endeared himself to his new teammates in the three weeks he’s been around, instantaneously becoming a veteran locker room presence and giving them a jolt off the bench when needed. He’s also formed a nice bond with LaMelo Ball and when he’s on the floor together with the Hornets’ All-Star point guard, his presence gives the opposition a different look.
The 33-year-old is a key contributor for the Hornets.
“He deserves it all,” Oubre said. “He deserves all the positive things coming his way. This is one of the biggest triumphant stories we’ve seen in this league, and he’s somebody who’s handled it with grace and humility. And I can do nothing but root for a guy like that. I’ve known him for some years, since I played against him in the playoffs in my second year in the league, and he’s just been nothing but a dope soul.
“A competitor, great father, great teammate and everything that he embodies off the court has come into fruition since he hasn’t been in the league. I’m happy for him and I think he deserves this. I think he deserves however many years he wants to play in this league. He can do it.”
This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 3:14 PM.
