Why Brice Johnson didn't last to Las Vegas with Charlotte Hornets
No misunderstandings: The Charlotte Hornets' summer-league entry will be all about the core roster players this July.
The Hornets cut six players from the summer roster Tuesday night, including former first-round pick and North Carolina star Brice Johnson. The Hornets don't want a crowded roster in Las Vegas, with new coach James Borrego planning to use players already slated for training camp extensively in the games.
“The Hornets' roster players are going to play. Sometimes the rest of the roster has to understand that. I’ve explained that to them and I expect them to handle themselves appropriately,” coach James Borrego said Tuesday morning.
The new coaching staff is looking to install offensive and defensive systems and create synergy with core players. So there will be extra emphasis on drafted rookies Miles Bridges and Devonte Graham and young veterans Malik Monk, Dwayne Bacon and Willy Hernangomez.
If the coaches can find some minutes for others on the summer roster, fine, but that‘s way down the agenda when the team starts playing games Friday in Las Vegas.
“If I can get (the non-contract) players minutes, I’ll get them minutes, but our core guys are going to play," Borrego said. "This is a big two weeks for them. We want them getting heavy minutes, getting comfortable in our system, in your style.”
It figures that the starting backcourt will be Monk and Graham, with Bacon and Bridges at the forwards and Hernangomez at center. Arnoldas Kulboka, drafted 55th by the Hornets but under contract in Italy, and J.P. Macura, an undrafted rookie from Xavier signed to a two-way contract, also figure to get extra consideration.
Along with Johnson, the Hornets cut Chris Cokley, James Demery, Ben Lammers, Demetre Rivers and Alex Wintering. The Hornets added a player. former College of Charleston guard Joe Chealey. The summer roster is now at 14.
This story was originally published July 3, 2018 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Why Brice Johnson didn't last to Las Vegas with Charlotte Hornets."