The Charlotte Hornets made a strategic roster move on Wednesday.
The franchise reportedly cut ties with a 33-year-old NBA champion guard to make room for its new addition, Tyus Jones (acquired from the Orlando Magic).
“OFFICIAL: Hornets have waived guard Pat Connaughton,” the franchise’s PR X/Twitter account stated.
Connaughton’s tenure with the Hornets was uneventful, to put it mildly. The Notre Dame product struggled to earn consistent minutes in Charlotte, causing him to be on the outside looking in for the majority of his time with the LaMelo Ball-led Eastern Conference franchise.
Connaughton, who captured a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game in 22 games with the Hornets this season, shooting 48.9% from the field and 40.7% from long range.
With Charlotte on a seven-game winning streak and having legitimate playoff aspirations, it was logical for the Hornets to trade for a seasoned 29-year-old guard in Jones and move on from Connaughton in early February.
Connaughton’s NBA journey is far from finished, though, as the accomplished guard’s veteran leadership could be valuable in a different atmosphere.
The Arlington, Massachusetts native has 86 games of playoff experience on his resume and knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
Expect Connaughton to land with a new organization in due time.
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