Last week, the Charlotte Hornets and Terry Rozier agreed to four-year contract extension to keep the combo guard in the Queen City.
Rozier landed in Charlotte after a sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics that sent Kemba Walker away.
While Walker played two disappointing seasons with the Celtics, Rozier blossomed with the Hornets.
Last season, Rozier established new career highs in a number of statistical categories, including points (20.4) and assists per game (4.2), as well as field goal percentage (.450).
Terry Rozier agrees to a four-year, $97M max contract extension, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/nAmVJBUHM2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 19, 2021
With a young core intact, Rozier provides Charlotte with a reliable perimeter scorer to complement LaMelo Ball.
Hornets Chose Rozier Over Devonte’ Graham
The Charlotte Hornets pushed for a spot in last year’s Play-In Tournament despite an injury-riddled season.
Re-signing Rozier indicates the team stands willing to ride with a young core that includes Ball, Miles Bridges, and top draft pick James Bouknight.
The Hornets opted to keep Rozier with that max extension over fellow 6-foot-1 guard Devonte’ Graham.
Graham went to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a sign-and-trade deal that landed Charlotte a lottery-protected first-round pick.
The choice between Rozier and Graham seemed to come down to efficiency.
Rozier made 45 percent of his field goal attempts last season, including over 51 percent of shots inside the three point arc.
Over the last two seasons with Charlotte, Rozier has netted nearly 40 percent of his three point attempts.
Graham, meanwhile, made 37.7 percent of his field goal attempts last season, including just 38 percent on two-point attempts.
Terry Rozier career year last season:
20.4 PPG
4.2 APG
3.2 3PG
45/39/82%He shot 50/40/80% in the clutch last season — the only player to do so with 55+ attempts. pic.twitter.com/eItuRJoqa4
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 19, 2021
Graham stood as the better playmaker of the two, averaging 6.5 assists per game over the last two seasons.
But that’s a moot point considering Ball becomes the team’s primary playmaker moving forward.
Rozier averages 4.2 assists per game over the last two season in Charlotte.
Rozier’s Deal Deserved
Charlotte might catch some flak for a nearly $100 extension for someone like Rozier.
But looking closer at his numbers, this deal seems commensurate with his recent production.
Rozier stood among select company last season, being one of only four players to average over 20 points per game and make more than 200 three point attempts.
The other names on the list, Stephen Curry, Zach LaVine, and Damian Lillard, were all All-Stars.
Furthermore, Rozier is one of just 24 players to average at least 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game over the past two seasons, with a minimum 100 games played.
Those numbers put Rozier among players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and LaVine once again.
The new deal slots Rozier in the top-20 among the league’s highest paid guards, but he’ll soon be passed on this list by LaVine and a few others.
Considering the ball with be in Ball’s hands most of the time, having someone like Rozier to space the floor will help Charlotte’s offense.
Rozier is hitting 44.3 percent of catch-and-shoot three-point tries with the Hornets.
He has netted the seventh-most threes in the league over the last two seasons combined.
And in clutch situations last season, Rozier made over 54 percent of three-point attempts, which was the best mark by any player with at least 20 tries.
Rozier provides Charlotte with continuity and veteran leadership for its developing young core.
NEXT: 3 Realistic Expectations For Charlotte Hornets This Season