The LaMelo Ball trade is official for the Charlotte Hornets, and Coby White is now the starting point guard. But Charlotte still needs reliability behind White, just as they did behind Ball a year ago.
3 Ideal Veteran Point Guard Targets for the Hornets
Charlotte’s real challenge right now is deciding whether they are comfortable rolling Christian Anderson Jr. or Tre Mann out in the regular season versus a true veteran guard. The Sion James point guard experiment did not go well in the Summer League either.
Kon Knueppel or Hannes Steinbach could have more playmaking duties during the regular season, but Charles Lee may still want another point guard on the roster. If the Hornets opt to pursue one in the summer, here are three veteran point guard targets that they should consider adding behind White.
Dennis Schroder
According to HoopsHype, the Hornets have been linked with interest in Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder. He’s currently on a 3-year $44.4 million contract, which isn’t cheap. But the Hornets currently aren’t crunched for salary cap space, so it makes sense as a trade target.
Hornets GM Jeff Peterson is well aware of Schroder’s capabilities due to his previous tenure with the Atlanta Hawks. At 32 years old, he’s still very capable.
For a franchise wanting to embrace physicality, Schroder can be a menace defensively. He can create for others while providing a steady downhill presence to the second unit. He’s not an efficient shooter, but Lee doesn’t need him to be.
Schroder is a good veteran pickup for a young Charlotte roster. He’s played for 11 different teams in his long NBA career, which could be viewed as a negative. But Schroder has been utilized as a mentor to younger guards due to his wealth of experience in playoff/non-playoff settings, which is beneficial for a franchise trying to follow the OKC blueprint.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook isn’t the most explosive guard in the NBA anymore, but even at 37 years of age, he’s still more than capable of being a dependable backup point guard.
Last season with the Sacramento Kings, Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists on 29 minutes per game. His high-energy play and usefulness as a ball handler off the bench are still valuable. He’s a solid backup who can impact the game in multiple ways. Shooters will surround him, so opposing defenses can’t just clog the paint.
Given the report that Westbrook is unlikely to return to the Kings, the Hornets can sign him at the veteran minimum. The nine-time All-Star would be a fine addition while Anderson adjusts to the pros. Whether he’s mentoring him or just a placeholder while Anderson develops, it’ll help the Hornets in the long run.
Gabe Vincent
Gabe Vincent is currently an unrestricted free agent after his stint with the Hawks. Vincent is the least flashy name on this list of guards, but there’s a lot to like about him.
Statistically, Vincent is coming off his worst season in the pros, as he averaged 3.9 points on 36.0/30.0/83.3 shooting splits, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across 24 appearances. He has historically shot the ball better, especially when he was with the Miami Heat.
He’s also battle-tested in the playoffs, as he played a large number of minutes during the Heat’s championship run in 2023. Vincent was a full-time starter when the Heat made it out of the Play-In Tournament to reach the NBA Finals. Now, he has transitioned to strictly being a role player on different teams.
The Hornets don’t need the flashiest guard in a backup role. They need someone who will embrace “Hornets DNA” and help stabilize an offense. Vincent is an average facilitator, but he brings other traits to the table like defensive pressure, being a catch-and-shoot option, and professionalism.
Photo Credit: Mike Watters, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
