Date for Hornets’ first summer league game is set. Which player will make his debut?
It may be unclear who the Charlotte Hornets will draft No. 2 overall later this month, but one thing is certain: They’ll be California Dreamin’ in July.
For the first time in franchise history, the Hornets will make an appearance at the California Classic Summer League in Sacramento, which is scheduled for July 3-5 at Golden 1 Center. They open up against San Antonio and expected top overall pick Victor Wembanyama on July 3 before matching up with Golden State on July 5. Both games will be televised by ESPN.
Along with the Hornets, Spurs and Warriors — Sacramento, Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers are also part of the expanded field at the classic, which precedes the annual Las Vegas Summer League. Charlotte will participate in that league as well.
Of course, the biggest question surrounding the Hornets involves what they will do with the second selection in the NBA Draft on June 22. Alabama’s Brandon Miller and G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson are the two candidates being internally evaluated by Charlotte’s personnel decision-makers.
Miller would fill an immediate void at the wing, giving the Hornets a two-way player at the position that’s sorely needed. Henderson is considered by many pundits to be the second-best talent in the draft behind Wembanyama, but he’s a point guard and there are questions about how he’d fit in the backcourt with LaMelo Ball.
And while finding the right player at No. 2 is a pressing matter and something that can shape the franchise’s future, the Hornets also have four more picks — Nos. 27, 34, 39 and 41 — to help retool their roster to end a seven-year playoff drought that’s the longest in the league.
Hornets schedule
July 3: Charlotte vs. San Antonio, 8 p.m. ET
July 5: Golden State vs. Charlotte, 6 p.m. ET
This story was originally published June 1, 2023 at 11:16 AM.
