On Friday, NBA fans were treated to a sensational performance by Charlotte Hornets guard Matt Morgan. Going 11-11 from the field and 7-7 from 3, Morgan torched the nets from start to finish.
Matt Morgan’s PERFECT night in Vegas
36 PTS
11-11 FGM
7-7 3PMLeading the @hornets to the #NBA2KSummerLeague win! pic.twitter.com/VneaDPQidr
— NBA (@NBA) July 20, 2024
The 26-year-old is now averaging 17.8 points per game in the Las Vegas Summer League while shooting an eye-popping 61.5 percent from the field and 56.0 percent from 3.
Hornets Should Sign Matt Morgan
At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Morgan doesn’t have the ideal body for a 3-point specialist who primarily plays off-ball. However, his body of work is extremely consistent.
In four seasons at Cornell, Morgan played 114 games, shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from 3-point range. He graduated as the Big Red’s all-time leading scorer (2,333 points). As a pro, Morgan has continued to excel from beyond the arc. In three seasons playing abroad, he’s never averaged below 17 points per game or shot under 37 percent from 3.
Morgan may not be looked to as a go-to scorer in the NBA. Nonetheless, his steadiness makes it easier to have faith in his ability to replicate those results at the NBA-level.
Furthermore, players like Seth Curry and Patty Mills have thrived with a similar size, style, and skillset. At this point in their careers, Curry and Mills may be a bit longer in the tooth than their teams would like. Still, as deadly but diminutive deep threats, they serve as a blueprint for the player Morgan can be if signed.
With 15 players signed to standard contracts and one signed to a two-way contract, Morgan would have to agree to a two-way deal. Teams are now allotted three two-way roster spots, so the Hornets would still have one remaining.
Why Sign Matt Morgan?
After going undrafted in 2019, Morgan will have agreed to his first official NBA contract.
To this point, he’s signed multiple Summer League contracts, playing with the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers. He’s even suited up for the Raptors’ G League team. However, he’s yet to agree to a two-way or standard contract with an NBA team.
That being said, signing a deal with Charlotte would be a momentous moment for him.
It also gets Morgan’s foot in the door for more opportunities.
Due to the nature of two-way contracts, he would probably spend most of his time in the G League. Nonetheless, whether with the Hornets or their G League affiliate, he could get an opportunity to stand out. Indeed, the ‘next man up’ mentality has led to myriad players being discovered.
Morgan could be the next one to deliver a home run when he steps to the plate. As Charlotte’s backcourt is often plagued by injury, there’s a decent chance that they’ll have to lean into their depth at some point.
The pharaoh in their story would seem to be LaMelo Ball, who has played just 58 games over the past two seasons. However, Curry has missed even more games (59) in that time. If he or Tre Mann were to go down, Morgan could be a call-up due to the similarities in their shooting ability. Of note, Curry averaged 19.9 minutes per game with the Hornets last season, while Mann played 31.0 minutes per game.
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