Charlotte Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak isn’t doing much to ease concerns about the big payday that he just gave to Terry Rozier.
Addressing reporters Saturday after the Hornets completed their free agent acquisition of Rozier, Kupchak made a rather bizarre comment about his new point guard, saying that he would have been a lottery pick in this year’s draft.
“We feel like if he was in the draft this year, Terry Rozier would have been a lottery pick.” – Mitch Kupchak
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) July 7, 2019
The problem here is that Rozier is a 25-year-old about to enter his fifth NBA season. With the team committing three years and $58 million to him to boot, Kupchak was promptly roasted on Twitter for the strange remark.
— (@LamarHeisman) July 7, 2019
Lol hornets would pay a lottery pick that just came out of college 58 million
— (@Lazerido) July 7, 2019
Just delete the franchise at this point
— Fredo #KnicksTape (@goknickstape) July 7, 2019
Is Mitch high? What does that even mean?
— All Pro LB Luke Kuechly (@EgoOfLuke) July 7, 2019
“…and thus worth a salary equal to what the 5th through 13th picks will earn combined,” he continued.
— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) July 7, 2019
Aside from this statement making zero sense…Rozier on a lotto pick rookie scale is solid, Rozier at 20 mill a year…Not so much
— jbarnes1102 (@jbarnes1102) July 7, 2019
— Chief Keifer (@K_Lineberger12) July 7, 2019
— Andrew M (@Andrew1TM) July 7, 2019
Rozier has some pretty big shoes to fill after longtime Hornets point guard Kemba Walker left in free agency to sign with the Boston Celtics (Rozier’s former team). As for Kupchak, this is probably the worst that he has looked since his days with the Los Angeles Lakers.
