The Hornets fell apart in the second-half of their 97-89 loss to the Pistons on Wednesday night, amassing just 38 points across the final two frames.
Those who kept tabs on the contest were no doubt left confused by the team’s insistence on playing bigs other than Naz Reid in that 24-minute period.
Reid was a lone wolf on the sidelines, failing to suit up after starting the game. Predictably, some were left talking about the matter afterwards. Charlotte head coach Charles Lee offered some insight into the team’s decision to keep its highest-paid player on the bench during the loss.
Here’s what you need to know.
Hornets coach blasts Naz Reid after second-half benching
Lee had his say regarding Reid’s lack of second-half minutes in Charlotte’s loss on Wednesday. He explained that Reid failed to
“Unfortunately, Naz 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 said. “I look forward to him meeting those standards come next game.”
🎙️ Charles Lee: “Unfortunately, Naz (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. But I look forward to him meeting those standards come next game.”
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) October 29, 2026
Reid, the centerpiece of Charlotte’s return for Lamelo Ball, has saw his averages swell across the board during his first season with the Hornets. He’s averaging 17 points and 8.8 rebounds. Despite the impressive nature of his counting stats, the advanced analytics suggest that his first five games in Charlotte have been a little more of an adventure. His 53.1% true shooting rate sits 3.4% below the league-average. He is also turning the ball over 2.8 times per contest, a whopping figure when compared to his 2.0 assists per game.
Reid produced seven points and six rebounds in the first half of Wednesday’s game. But he was -4 in his minutes, a notable figure given the fact that the Hornets led by seven at the break.
Naz Reid Was Just Messing Around Out There… 😭😭 https://t.co/PRSnUb2ieB
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 29, 2026
Without Reid, Charlotte toiled, amassing just 38 points en route to defeat. Reid’s absence very well could have exacerbated the Hornets’ toils, although it’s hard to argue that he was one of the primary reasons why they led earlier, either.
Regardless, Reid’s status as a sage veteran on Charlotte’s youthful roster was always bound to make him a subject of scrutiny. We’ll see if he can follow through on Lee’s demands going forward.
