Charlotte Hornets exercise team options on rookie contracts for three core NBA players
The Charlotte Hornets further solidified LaMelo Ball’s contract status Thursday.
In an expected move, the Hornets announced they have picked up the 2023-24 team option on Ball’s rookie contract, and did the same with second-year players Kai Jones and James Bouknight. The deadline to exercise the options is Oct. 31.
Ball is scheduled to earn $10.9 million in 2023-24 in the final year of his contract, and will be eligible for a hefty extension prior to the start of next season. He’s still nursing a sprained left ankle suffered in the Hornets’ penultimate preseason game and is on track to miss his fifth game when they finish their three-game road trip with a date in Orlando on Friday.
Bouknight is fighting through an early-season slump that’s further magnified by his Oct. 16 arrest for driving while impaired. He’s been part of coach Steve Clifford’s rotation, with Terry Rozier and Cody Martin sidelined and nursing injuries. He’s on track to pocket $4.5 million.
Jones, who will earn $3 million in 2023-24, is still on the outside looking in his second season. He’s viewed as more of a center than a power forward, and he’s currently behind incumbent starter Mason Plumlee and reserve big man Nick Richards on the depth chart, vying for that next spot alongside rookie Mark Williams.
This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 5:22 PM.
