Charlotte Hornets: Proving Ground for Harrison
Among the Charlotte Hornets in Summer League, Aaron Harrison might be playing for the highest stakes.
For the Charlotte Hornets the Summer League season has a couple of benefits. One is that it allows the team to fill out its training camp roster. The second is that it allows rookies to get used to Patrick Ewing and how an NBA coaching staff works.
This year the Hornets had no draft picks and the Summer League team is made up mostly of unsigned and undrafted free agents. So one purpose of the league was lost. The team will still likely bring in some of the guys on the summer league roster to camp.
The real storyline of Summer League is Aaron Harrison. Harrison is in his second season with the team and represents the most tenured guy on the Summer League team. Harrison was signed to a minimum contract last year. He bounced around from being on the roster to being in the NBDL.
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Harrison goes from making $525,000 last season to $875,000 this season. In an off season where the Hornets are looking for all the flexibility that can find, they might very well decide that they can get someone cheaper to be the 13th man and rarely active. His contract is not guaranteed, which means that he be cut with no dead money.
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The one thing that Harrison can do is try to show some promise that would justify the continued expense. Which brings us to the showcase opportunity of Summer League. A good experience in Summer League might be the thing that keeps Harrison around.
The Hornets are two games into the summer league season. The first game was a lost game for Harrison. The second game was almost a lost game as well until the second half opened up Harrison’s scoring. He finished with fifteen points against the Pacers. His three point shot is still MIA and that is important in the modern NBA.
Meanwhile Gabe York is making a case for becoming an emergency point guard. He scored eighteen points. The Hornets are 1-1 in summer league play and play later today for game 3.