Charlotte Hornets Blog – Page 19 – NBA Blog

NBA trade: Bucks, Hornets swap Spencer Hawes, Roy Hibbert, Miles Plumlee

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that the team has acquired forward/center Spencer Hawes and center Roy Hibbert from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Miles Plumlee. In a related transaction, the Bucks have requested waivers on forward Steve Novak.

“Spencer and Roy are two proven NBA centers who give us additional depth and versatility in the front court,” said Hammond. “The trade also gives us future cap flexibility as we continue to shape our roster. Miles and Steve are true professionals both on and off the court, and we wish them all the best.”

Hawes, 28, has appeared in 35 games (one start) for the Hornets this season with averages of 7.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Hawes also spent the 2014-15 season with Charlotte and has split time with the Clippers, Cavaliers, 76ers and Kings during his 10-year NBA career. The No. 10 overall pick by Sacramento in the 2007 NBA Draft, Hawes has career averages of 8.8 points, 5.8 boards and 1.9 assists in 665 games (368 starts).

Hibbert, 30, has posted averages of 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field in 42 games (13 starts) with Charlotte in 2016-17. Originally drafted by Toronto with the 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and traded to Indiana on draft night, Hibbert played his first seven NBA seasons with the Pacers and then spent the 2015-16 season with the Lakers before joining the Hornets. Hibbert owns career averages of 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists in 656 games (586 starts) over nine seasons. He is a two-time NBA All-Star (2012, 2014) and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team following the 2013-14 season.

Kemba Walker makes NBA All-Star team

The Charlotte Hornets have themselves an All-Star. The reserves were announced earlier today. Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting:

Point guard Kemba Walker was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve Thursday, the first time the Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats have had an NBA All-Star since 2010.

Walker was selected as one of seven reserves, in a vote of Eastern Conference head coaches. He is having his best of five NBA seasons, averaging 23 points, 45.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Hornets last had an All-Star when forward Gerald Wallace was selected as a reserve for the 2010 game in Arlington, Tex.

Nicolas Batum out with hyperextended knee

Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum underwent a Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) today which confirmed the previous diagnosis of a hyperextended right knee. The MRI also showed that Batum withstood no structural damage to his knee.

Batum will be out for Charlotte’s game tomorrow at San Antonio and his status moving forward will be day-to-day. He suffered the injury with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter of the Hornets game at Detroit last night.

The 6-8 shooting guard is averaging career highs of 15.1 points and 5.8 assists per game, along with 7.4 rebounds per game in 36 appearances (all starts) in the 2016-17 season. In nine seasons, Batum holds career averages of 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 587 contests (534 starts).

Hornets waive Aaron Harrison

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has waived guard Aaron Harrison.

Harrison (6-6, 212, Kentucky) was originally signed by the Hornets on July 14, 2015. The Kentucky product appeared in 26 games over two seasons with Charlotte, including two playoff outings in 2016.

Charlotte’s roster now stands at 14.

Cody Zeller placed in NBA concussion protocol

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that center Cody Zeller has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Zeller was hit with an elbow to the head late in the fourth quarter of Charlotte’s game against Cleveland on Dec. 31, 2016.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Zeller will begin the process to return once he is deemed symptom free. No timetable is set for his return and further updates will be provided when available.

The fourth-year Indiana product is averaging 10.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 59.5% field goal shooting in 26.1 minutes per game, marking career-highs in all categories. Zeller has played in 31 games for Charlotte this season (starting in 29 of those contests).

Hornets have not beaten the elite East teams

A line of demarcation has formed between the Charlotte Hornets and the top teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – and it goes deeper than what is now a combined 0-6 record this season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics.

“There’s a reason why they’re the three best teams,” said coach Steve Clifford after his team lost 121-115 to the defending champion Cavaliers on Saturday at Spectrum Center. “Every team has a talent level. For us to beat the top teams, we’re going to have to be at or near our best. For (Cleveland on Saturday), for instance, they were really good, but they really didn’t have to be.”

The loss to the Cavs dropped Hornets to 19-15, good enough to remain in first place in the Southeastern Division as they head to Chicago for a game Monday against the Bulls. Do the math: the Hornets are 19-9 against the rest of the league.

— Charlotte Observer

Andre Drummond fined for elbowing Roy Hibbert

Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond has been fined $15,000 for striking Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert in the back of the head with an elbow, it was announced yesterday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Drummond was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 4:09 remaining in the second quarter of the Pistons’ 112-89 win over the Hornets on Nov. 29 at Spectrum Center.

To view the incident, click on this link.

Jeremy Lamb out with hamstring injury

Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb suffered a strained left hamstring in the Hornets home game on Oct. 29, 2016 against the Boston Celtics. The injury occurred with 4:40 remaining in the second quarter and he did not return to the game.

Lamb is listed as out and will be reevaluated in one to two weeks.

The fifth-year Connecticut product is averaging 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game in three appearances in the 2016-17 season. In five seasons, Lamb has averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in 217 games (8 starts).

The Hornets are 2-1 this season, which began less than one week ago. They’re getting 23.3 points per game from point guard Kemba Walker, while Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Frank Kaminsky are all averaging 11.0 ppg.

Hornets exercise option on Frank Kaminsky

The Hornets on Sunday exercised their third-year option on forward/center Frank Kaminsky.

“We are excited to keep Frank Kaminsky as a part of our team’s core,” said Hornets General Manager Rich Cho. “We have been very pleased with Frank’s development both offensively and defensively. We look forward to what he will continue to contribute to our organization while evolving into an even better player.”

The 23-year-old Kaminsky (7-0, 242, Wisconsin) enters his second NBA season after appearing in 81 games (three starts) as a rookie in 2015-16, averaging 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.3 minutes per game. He scored in double-digits 23 times including two games of 20-or-more scored and nine games of 15-plus points. Kaminsky was selected by the Hornets ninth overall in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

Hornets waive Perry Ellis, Mike Tobey and Rasheed Sulaimon

The Charlotte Hornets have waived forward Perry Ellis, guard Rasheed Sulaimon and center Mike Tobey.
Ellis (6-8, 225, Kansas) signed with the Hornets on Sept. 23 after going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft. Ellis appeared in one preseason game and totaled four minutes of playing time.

Sulaimon (6-4, 190, Maryland) signed with the Hornets on Sept. 7 and played in four preseason contests. He averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 assists in 8.6 minutes per game.

Tobey (7-0, 260, Virginia) originally signed with the Hornets on July 25, 2016 after going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft. The former Virginia Cavalier appeared in two games for the Hornets in the preseason and averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game. Tobey appeared in five games for the Hornets in the 2016 Orlando Pro Summer League averaging 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.8 minutes per game.

The team’s roster stands at 15