The last time the Charlotte Hornets took the floor, their big offseason acquisition didn’t step foot on the court in the second half.
The Hornets benched Naz Reid on Wednesday night at halftime. He didn’t play a second in the third and fourth quarter.
It wasn’t a move anyone saw coming, and it wasn’t because of injury. It was a choice by Charlotte’s coaching staff.
Reid’s status does come into question for Friday night, though, when the Hornets are back in action. They’re taking on a surprisingly high-powered Washington Wizards team, and Charlotte will need all the firepower it can muster.
Here’s what we know so far about Reid’s status.
Is Naz Reid Playing Tonight?
The expectation is that yes, Reid will play on Friday night, seemingly back in his normal starting role.
The best we have to go by are the comments from Hornets coach Charles Lee after Wednesday’s game.
“Unfortunately, [Reid] didn’t meet our standards in the first half, and at halftime we made the decision that he wouldn’t play in the second half,” Lee told reporters after Charlotte’s last game. “But I look forward to him meeting those standards come next game.”
That last line suggests the Hornets will be giving Reid another chance, seemingly believing that they’ve sent him the message they wanted to.
Reid did have one clip go slightly viral on social media of what looked to be a lazy shot attempt and hustle after the ball on the offensive end during Wednesday’s first half, but it’s not clear exactly what got him benched for sure.
It’ll be up to him to show he’s ready to respond on Friday and play at the level, in all facets, that the Hornets are expecting from him.
Naz Reid Trade
The Hornets acquired Reid as part of the LaMelo Ball trade.
They sent Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.
Reid is under contract for this season and the next three seasons to come with the Hornets after signing a five-year, $125 million deal with the Timberwolves before last season.
The Hornets are hoping Reid can be a leader for them now and into the future, and his response to his benching will be very telling.
If Reid can put up a strong performance against the Wizards, the Hornets will be able to trust that his impact going forward should be positive.
Here’s What We Know on Naz Reid Benching vs. Playing Tonight for Hornets