James

Bouknight

Bouknight didn’t pan out with the Charlotte Hornets after being selected 11th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. He averaged just 3.6 points per game in the 14 NBA contests he appeared in last season and isn’t likely to crack Portland’s deep guard rotation.

The UConn product averaged just 4.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10.2 minutes across three seasons. There probably won’t be a big market for him in free agency, and even if he finds a new home, he’s unlikely to be relevant in fantasy hoops.

Bouknight made his season debut on Tuesday but didn’t check into the game until after the outcome was no longer in doubt. With LaMelo Ball (ankle) likely sidelined for an extended period, maybe Bouknight may get an opportunity to work his way into the back end of the rotation. Unfortunately, that isn’t something fantasy managers can count on happening. Leave him on the wire.

LaMelo was initially listed as doubtful, which normally is an indication that a player won’t miss much time. However, Charlotte hasn’t been good about giving clear timelines, so until they give an official diagnosis, we won’t know how long LaMelo will be sidelined. Brandon Miller should return to the starting unit, with Terry Rozier sliding over to point guard. Bouknight will make his season debut, but it is unlikely that he plays enough minutes to warrant consideration in fantasy basketball.

Bouknight underwent arthroscopic surgery in early October on his knee, and he was expected to miss about four weeks. He’ll make his return and season debut about six weeks after surgery, which is a bit longer than expected. He’ll likely see minutes off the bench, but it won’t be enough to impact fantasy basketball.

The report from the team indicates that Bouknight will be re-evaluated in four weeks, which means he’ll miss at least the first two weeks of the season. He’s not a big part of the team’s rotation, but his absence should allow for guys like Nick Smith Jr. and Amari Bailey to see more preseason minutes.

While this could just be precautionary, it’s unfortunate that Bouknight, Maledon and Black won’t be able to play in this game, since they’re all fighting to either make the team or have a spot in the rotation. However, it’s very concerning that Martin, who was limited to seven games last season because of a left knee issue, is already missing games because of his left knee. It isn’t surprising given recent reports, but there is no official timeline for his return. Hopefully it is sooner rather than later, but even if he is back soon, Charlotte is too deep at forward for him to be part of their rotation. The only chance he would’ve had is during the first 10 games with Miles Bridges suspended, but now he may not even be available for those games.

Bouknight reportedly suffered the knee sprain during training camp, which will keep him out of this game. He wasn’t a big part of Charlotte’s rotation last year, so his potential absence in their first preseason game shouldn’t open up a ton of minutes. However, Nick Smith Jr., Amari Bailey and Bryce McGowens should play larger roles in this scrimmage and potentially their first preseason game if Bouknight remains sidelined.

After struggling through his first two seasons, Bouknight got off to a slow start this summer. He had a solid finish to the regular season after Charlotte pulled the plug, but this was the first good game that he’s had this summer. Perhaps it’s not time to write him off completely, but aside from this game, Bouknight hasn’t given us much reason for optimism.

After offering little in the way of production other than scoring during Charlotte’s two games at the California Classic, Bouknight was a little better on Friday. However, 10 of his 18 shots were taken from beyond the arc, with the 2021 first-round pick going 2-of-10. Bouknight was unable to crack the Hornets’ rotation in either of his first two seasons, which makes the 2023-24 campaign critical with regard to his career. Look for Bouknight to have every opportunity to prove himself this summer, either as someone the Hornets should continue to believe in or someone who should be moved. Bryce McGowens came off the bench to add 15 points, one rebound, one assist, and two blocks in 28 minutes.