The Charlotte Hornets were building momentum until injuries to key players halted their run at the postseason.
Finishing with a 33-39 record, the Hornets finished 10th in the Eastern Conference as LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward spent significant time on the sideline.
Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier has agreed to a four-year, $97 million max contract extension, his agent Aaron Turner of @VerusTeam told @TheAthletic @Stadium. The guaranteed deal takes Rozier through the 2025-26 season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 19, 2021
One of the more consistent players on the roster was starting guard Terry Rozier, with the veteran putting together a career-best season. The 26-year-old is set to be rewarded for his strong play, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting that Rozier and the Hornets have agreed to a four-year, $97 million extension.
With one season left on his current contract, the reported deal could potentially keep Rozier in Charlotte through the 2025-26 season.
Averaging 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists while connecting on 38 percent of his threes, Rozier joined Khris Middleton and Jamal Murray as the ony players to reach those statistical marks without being selected to the All-Star team.
For the long term, the deal locks in what Charlotte will be hoping to be their core three in Ball, Rozier and Hayward.
| ORTG | DRTG | NET | |
| Ball/Rozier (925 mins) | 108.5 | 114.0 | -5.5 |
| Ball/Rozier/Hayward (479 mins) | 111.6 | 115.3 | -3.7 |
Holding the 16th ranked defence in the league, the Hornets gave up 112 points per 100 possessions in 2020-21, with that number becoming even worse with the three stars on the floor. This will be a number to monitor in 2021-22 as Charlotte attempt to move back into the postseason picture.
The extension could cap a busy offseason with Kelly Oubre Jr. signing a free agent deal with the club, while rookies James Bouknight and Kai Jones have impressed at Las Vegas Summer League adding to what is already one of the most entertaining rosters in the NBA.
By next season the Hornets will be paying the trio of Rozier, Hayward and Oubre approximately $65 million according to Spotrac, and with the rise of the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks creating a log jam for playoff positioning Charlotte are going to be in a fight to move up the standings.
Either way, they figure to be compulsory league pass viewing.
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