LAS VEGAS, NV -- No Brandon Miller, no Nick Smith Jr., yet the Charlotte Hornets come away with their first and only win of NBA2K24 Summer League, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-92.
For really the first time this summer, the Hornets' offense had flow to it. They spaced the floor well, moved the ball, and had few rushed shots. As a team, the Hornets finished with 34 assists, by far their most of the summer. Justin Robinson and Kobi Simmons led the team in that category with eight a piece.
What really allowed Charlotte to gain separation in this one was their ability to knock down shots from three-point range. Four different players (Xavier Sneed, Tre Scott, Amari Bailey, and Angelo Allegri) each drained at least two shots from the perimeter. It was a balanced approached offensively with six players reaching double figures and another three ending with nine. Sneed was one of the three with nine, making him the only member of the starting five to not reach 10+.
Second round picks Amari Bailey and James Nnaji played arguably their best ball and were critical factors to the Hornets ending Summer League victorious. Bailey led all scorers with 17 points on 7/14 shooting while recording three rebounds and three assists. Nnaji chipped in 10 points but really made his mark on the defensive end rejecting five shots.
It may not have been the way the Hornets wanted Summer League to go but overall, there were a lot of positives, particularly from the 2023 draft picks.
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