After announcing the official acquisition of Terry Rozier, Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak had high praise for his new point guard.
“We feel like if he was in the draft this year, Terry Rozier would have been a lottery pick,” Kupchak said.
Charlotte landed Rozier in a sign-and-trade with the Celtics, where the Hornets sent Kemba Walker and the less favorable 2020 second round pick between the Knicks and Nets in exchange for Rozier and a protected second round pick.
Rozier agreed to a three-year, $58 million contract with the Hornets once free agency opened on June 30, landing him his first full-time starting job since he was drafted 16th overall in 2015.
He had a breakout performance in the 2018 playoffs, helping the Celtics get to the brink of the NBA Finals before losing to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. During the 2018-19 season, Rozier struggled to adjust to a backup role behind Kyrie Irving and his play suffered mightily.
The Hornets may believe Rozier is the answer at point guard in a post-Walker world, but comparing him to a draft pick seems a bit weird in this case. Rozier is heading into his fifth year in the league, and if Charlotte wanted a lottery pick to start at point guard, they could've gotten one for a lot less than $19 million per year.
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