Charlotte Hornets summer team is first real point-guard experience for Aaron Harrison

Aaron Harrison says he has no real experience at point guard prior to this stint with the Charlotte Hornets’ summer-league team.

You wouldn’t know that from how he performed Sunday, primarily in the pick-and-roll. Harrison started, finishing with 16 points, a team-high eight assists and four rebounds.

Harrison, an undrafted rookie from Kentucky, was instrumental to a second-half comeback from a 19-point deficit against the Memphis Grizzlies. In the 29 minutes Harrison played, the Hornets outscored the Grizzlies by 20 points.

The Hornets need a third point guard, which could be Harrison’s opening to make an NBA roster.

“I played a little bit (of point guard) at Kentucky in practice and a little bit in high school. Not a lot. This the most I’ve played it by far,” Harrison said following practice Monday.

“I felt like I had point-guard skills, but it’s a lot to learn. A lot of calls to make and that’s a lot different for me. I’m still learning definitely. I have a long, long, long way to go.”

Harrison’s twin brother, Andrew, played point guard at Kentucky. In another twist to this story, the Grizzlies are playing Andrew Harrison at shooting guard, rather than the point, in summer league.

“I learned a lot from my brother. It’s mostly about handling the ball and making decisions with the ball,” Aaron Harrison said. “I just never had to do that before.”

Surprisingly well as Harrison has taken to playing point guard, he has shown no reliable shooting range. In his first two games Harrison made one of nine attempts from 3-point range.

“I’m definitely an up-and-down shooter and I have to work on that,” Harrison said. “And get stronger. Really (improve on) everything.”

Craft, Ross leave team: Point guard Aaron Craft and forward LaQuinton Ross, both former Ohio State players, left the Hornets in Orlando Monday to start practicing with other teams with entries in the Las Vegas summer league.

Craft, who will play for the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas, couldn’t play in Charlotte’s first two games because of a toe injury. Ross didn’t play in either of the Hornets’ first two games by coach’s decision.

Shifting minutes? The Hornets play the Brooklyn Nets at 3 p.m. Tuesday, the third of five games they’ll play in Orlando. Typically coach Steve Clifford cuts back on minutes for players under contract (in this case Frank Kaminsky, P.J. Hairston and Troy Daniels) after that third game. That could open playing time for Ralston Turner from N.C. State or Justin Cobbs from California.

This story was originally published July 6, 2015 at 3:20 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets summer team is first real point-guard experience for Aaron Harrison."