Isaiah

Wong

Wong’s signing has been prompted by injuries to LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann. The former will be sidelined for at least two weeks. Wong gives the Hornets another option on the perimeter, but Vasilije Micic and KJ Simpson will be the top two options at point guard. To complete Wong’s signing, the Hornets must waive someone, with Jared Rhoden expected to be that player.

Selected with the 55th overall pick in last month’s draft, Wong will enter next season on a two-way contract. Scoring-wise, he saved his best for last in Las Vegas, making five of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. In the four games prior, Wong shot 23.1% from deep on 3.3 attempts per appearance. Wong’s likely to get the majority of his minutes with the Pacers’ G League affiliate next season. That could also be the case for 2022 second-round pick Kendall Brown, who was most impactful as a defender (1.3 steals, 2.0 blocks per in the four games prior to Sunday) in Las Vegas. He finished Sunday’s loss with a line of two points and three rebounds in 14 minutes, with there not being much need for the Pacers to push him in the second half.

The 6-foot-4 Wong earned ACC Player of the Year honors this season as he helped lead the Hurricanes to their first Final Four appearance. As a senior, he averaged just over 16 points per game, shooting 48.2% from the field and 84.5% from the foul line. Wong is a capable scorer on all three levels and defensively displayed the ability to jump passing lanes. The turnovers did increase slightly this season, but so did Wong’s assists, so his efficiency as a playmaker should not be a concern. The Pacers aren’t lacking young perimeter players, which could make it difficult for Wong to achieve fantasy relevance as a rookie.