CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When the Charlotte Hornets acquired Terry Rozier in a sign-and-trade deal following Kemba Walker’s departure in 2019, no one knew how it’d work out.
Walker had been, arguably, one of the Hornets’ best players in franchise history, and here was Rozier, primarily a sixth man for the Boston Celtics, having to replace him.
While he didn’t need to be Walker, he needed to be efficient and help them win.
He did that and helped lead the Hornets to the NBA’s play-in tournament last season despite injuries to key players around him. His efforts were rewarded earlier this month with a four-year, $97 million contract extension with the Hornets.
Rozier’s deal made him one of the NBA’s 10 highest-paid shooting guards, per Spotrac.
“I fell in love with everything,” Rozier said Wednesday. “I fell in love with the city, the team, the coaches and stuff, so it’s been up ever since then and I never looked back.”
Having Michael Jordan as the team’s owner helped too, he said.
But Rozier sees potential in the Hornets, as do others around the league.
“Last year we were right there, had our foot in the door, but things got taken away from us due to injury. But I think we’re heading in the right direction and I’m just glad to be a part of this.”
The Hornets finished 33-39 during the 2020-21 season and were two wins away from the playoffs.
Rozier, 27, was critical to that success and has been over the past two years. He averaged a career-best 20.4 points per game last season as the Hornets’ starting shooting guard, along with 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
When he came to the Hornets ahead of the 2019-20 season, the plan at the time was for him to play point guard. But the development of Devonte’ Graham that season gave Charlotte a sharp-shooting guard combo with Rozier sliding over to the No. 2 spot on the floor.
He shined even more as a shooting guard this past season with the nickname “Scary Terry” thanks to his clutch shooting in the fourth quarter of games to keep the Hornets in playoff contention after injuries to LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward.
In addition to re-signing Rozier, the Hornets acquired center Mason Plumlee in a trade, signed forward Kelly Oubre and point guard Ish Smith in free agency, and selected James Bouknight and Kai Jones in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft.
Ball, the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year, has a year of experience under his belt and Rozier remains in the middle of his prime years.
“I think it’s going to be real scary,” Rozier said of the Hornets’ backcourt with Ball. “I think it’s great that we’re friends off the court. That’s a plus for us. Real cool friends, like my brother. He just had to get his feet wet last year, and I think he’s ready to show people what that name is about.”
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said earlier this offseason that the goal for the Hornets this season is to make it to the playoffs and advance. Rozier says that’s possible.
“Just hearing from my peers around the league, seeing stuff, people are really excited,” Rozier said. “We’re one of the most exciting teams to watch. We’ve got the hype behind us, now we’ve got to live up to it.”
