Charlotte Hornets' summer roster includes Monk, Bacon and a former Tar Heel surprise
The Charlotte Hornets’ summer league roster will include three draft picks, three young veterans and a former North Carolina star: former Los Angeles Clippers first-round pick Brice Johnson.
Johnson showed up among the free agents invited to the Hornets’ minicamp next week at Spectrum Center. The team the Hornets send to Las Vegas for summer league will be drawn from that group.
Johnson, a 6-foot-10 forward, was the 25th pick in the 2016 draft, but never established a career with the Clippers. He was traded twice — to the Detroit Pistons, then the Memphis Grizzlies — and has spent time in the G League.
Among other free agents (drafted or otherwise) on the Hornets' summer roster: Xavier’s J.P. Macura, whom an NBA source says the Hornets have offered a two-way contract, and Clemson’s Gabe DeVoe, who grew up in Shelby. Also, N.C. State’s Terry Henderson.
As expected, Hornets rookies Miles Bridges and Devonte Graham will be on the summer roster. Also, Lithuanian pro Arnoldas Kulboka, whom the Hornets drafted 55th overall, is scheduled to practice in Charlotte and play in Las Vegas. It’s likely Kulboka, a 6-10 forward, would play in Europe next season, with the Hornets continuing to hold his draft rights.
As previously announced, three young veterans from last season’s roster will be part of the Hornets’ summer league roster: Malik Monk, Dwayne Bacon and Willy Hernangomez, a center who originally planned to spend the summer with the Spanish national team. He decided to come to Charlotte and Las Vegas after the Hornets changed coaching staffs.
Another carryover from last season: Louisville forward-center Mangok Mathiang, who was on a two-way contract and played mostly for the G-League Greensboro Swarm.
Hornets summer minicamp roster
Name, Height, positions, last played
Dwayne Bacon, 6-7, G-F, Hornets
Miles Bridges, 6-7, F, Michigan State
Chris Cokley, 6-8, F, Alabama-Birmingham
James Demery, 6-6, F, St. Joseph’s
Gabe DeVoe, 6-3, G, Clemson
Devonte Graham, 6-2, G, Kansas
Terry Henderson, 6-4, G, N.C. State
Willy Hernangomez, 6-11, C, Hornets
B.J. Johnson, 6-7, G-F, LaSalle
Brice Johnson, 6-10, F, Memphis Grizzlies
Arnoldas Kulboka, 6-10, F, Italian League
Ben Lammers, 6-10, C, Georgia
J.P. Macura, 6-5, G, Xavier
Mangok Mathiang, 6-10, F-C Hornets
Malik Monk, 6-3, G, Hornets
Luke Petrasek, 6-10, F, Columbia
Demetre Rivers, 6-8, G, Mercer
Shannon Scott, 6-1, G, Ohio State
Alex Wintering, 6-0, G, Portland
This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets' summer roster includes Monk, Bacon and a former Tar Heel surprise."