Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Release Harrison, Munford Close to NBA Call-Up?
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Buzz City Beat is your daily destination for the latest and best news from around the internet about the Charlotte Hornets. The team is looking to snap their two-game skid as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. In this edition, we look at who the Hornets could waive, Aaron Harrison being released, and Xavier Munford potentially being called up.
Who Charlotte Could Waive
“Treveon Graham – Salary: $543,471 – Cap hit if waived: $246,160: Finding minutes has been difficult on a deep, veteran squad. Graham has appeared in seven games and had a start in early November. Graham is on a cap-friendly, non-guaranteed contract next season.” (Sports.Yahoo.com)
After the release of Aaron Harrison, it is unlikely that the Hornets will also waive Graham but it is still a possibility. Both Steve Clifford and the team seem to value Treveon’s defensive ability and his skillset so he is likely to stay on the team for the remainder of the season. If Charlotte wanted to create even more space, they could release Graham but it doesn’t seem likely now that Harrison is out of the picture.
More from Swarm and Sting
“Harrison was sent down to Greensboro three times this season for D-League playing time. He played in 14 games for the Swarm — all starts — and averaged a team-high 20.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 36.1 minutes per game. The Swarm retains Harrison’s rights should he decide to sign a D-League contract.” (Greensboro.com)
The Hornets took a chance on the former University of Kentucky guard after he went undrafted in 2015. Charlotte’s experiment seems to not have worked out but it was worth a shot and maybe Harrison can still develop into a quality NBA contributor one day. The biggest takeaway from the situation is that the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s D-League affiliate, will retain his rights if he signs a D-League deal. Now we wait and see if he does do that or if he leaves to play overseas.
NBA Teams Should Look at Munford
“Last but certainly not least is Xavier Munford who has stood alongside the likes of Cook, Magette and Lucas as the best point guards in the D-League over the last few seasons. Whether it’s with the Bakersfield Jam or his current run with the Greensboro Swarm, Munford has shined as a pretty stable two-way threat that can kill the opposition through his facilitating or scoring prowess. As a scorer, Munfrod does the majority of his work off-the-dribble by utilizing a quick first step and great athleticism that allows him to score despite his small 6’2 frame.” (RidiculousUpside.com)
Xavier is a huge time talent and a legit prospect as he is ranked as the seventh best prospect in the D-League. Munford is playing well this season and is close to getting another shot in the NBA. It may be with the Charlotte Hornets or it may be elsewhere but it won’t be long before he’s back in the league if he continues to play at his current level.
