Old North Banter
Fansided

Terry Rozier is an Underwhelming Consolation for Kemba Walker

By Joseph Ochoa

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 30: Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics dribbles against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on January 30, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 30: Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics dribbles against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on January 30, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Charlotte Hornets Find Kemba’s Replacement in Rozier

On the heels of Kemba Walker finalizing a deal to play for the Boston Celtics for the next four years, the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to acquire Celtics point guard Terry Rozier, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The deal is reported to be worth $58 million over the course of three years via a sign-and-trade. Rozier was coming off a season of averaging under 10 points per game in 2019. Rozier came on the radar for a lot of teams during the 2018 postseason when he filled in for an injured Kyrie Irving.

Rozier is a Gamble, One the Hornets Felt They Had to Make

There is an old proverb in the sports world from one Bomani Jones: “Scared Money Don’t Make None” and that’s how we ended up with “Scary Terry” on the roster instead of Walker. The Hornets were afraid to sign Kemba to a max deal in fear of going over the luxury tax.

As I mentioned, Rozier would’ve been a piece to go after in free agency should they lose out on the Kemba Walker Sweepstakes, but the fact that this is going to be Kemba’s replacement going forward is incredibly disappointing for Charlotte fans.

The Hornets seem to be going the route of being semi-competitive while trying to be an awful team at the same time, which more often than not doesn’t work out in the long run.

The Hornets are banking on what Rozier was in 2018 and think that sitting behind Irving was an issue that caused him, and other players on the Celtics, to become dissatisfied with their role on the team.

What Does Rozier Bring to the Table?

Rozier was the Celtics first round pick back in the 2015 NBA Draft and is a University of Louisville product, which has produced some okay talent over the last few years. Overall though, Rozier was strictly a rotational player on the Celtics roster during his time with the team, never getting any considerable playing time.

Rozier had to sit behind Isaiah Thomas during his first two years in the league and then spend his next two seasons backing up Irving. He did so some flashes during the 2018 playoffs but never built upon it during the 2018-19 season.

It will be the first time since Rozier was at Louisville was playing in Louisville will get the opportunity to start the season as a team’s starting point guard, which could be what he needs to finally develop into the point guard he showed he could be during the team’s 2018 postseason run.

Overall Outlook for the Hornets with Rozier on the Team

Unfortunately, Scary Terry is not going to be enough to save the Hornets from what most believe will be a wash. The roster is still loaded with bad contracts, most notably Nicolas Batum, and this is no exception.

Rozier will be making somewhere between $17-19 million per season. For someone who has never been a starter for a full season at the professional level, that’s a lot of money, money that could’ve been spent on a more seasoned point guard like Ricky Rubio.

The roster is also chock full of lottery players that had a bit of hype coming out of college and hasn’t lived up to where they were drafted (we’re looking at you Miles Bridges and Malik Monk).

Hopefully, I’m very wrong about his role on the team and how this season will play out, but the Hornets faithful should expect to be somewhere pretty high in the 2020 draft lottery because Scary Terry isn’t going to be enough to drag this group of aging, overpaid veterans and underwhelming young talent to a postseason birth.

Home/Charlotte Hornets