(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
It looks like the Charlotte Hornets are parting ways with one of their young, promising players.
Evan Sidery is reporting that the Hornets did not extend a qualifying offer to Amari Bailey, making him an unrestricted free agent on the market.
Bailey was drafted as the No. 41 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft after playing for UCLA and being a former top-ten high school prospect.
And now he is without an NBA home.
The Hornets did not extend a qualifying offer to Amari Bailey, which made him an unrestricted free agent.
Bailey was drafted No. 41 overall in the 2023 draft out of UCLA after being a former top-10 high school recruit. pic.twitter.com/uU3lz0FxYV
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 2, 2024
During his rookie season with Charlotte, Bailey averaged 2.3 points in 10 games, hardly making much of an impact on the court.
The Hornets have been committing to big changes recently and are plotting a new course forward after years of sitting toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Their new owners want to capitalize on the young talent on the roster, especially LaMelo Ball.
That means they have to make some sacrifices and cut ties with certain stars so they can hold onto more money and spend it elsewhere.
The Hornets were the 13th seed in the East last season, ending with a 21-61 record.
Their hope is to be a lot better in the new season but it remains to be seen if that is possible.
As for Bailey, he will try to find a new team to play for but he didn’t get much time to show off his skills in 2023-24.
That means finding a different franchise to suit up for will be incredibly hard for the 20-year-old guard.
Will this be the only change the Hornets make this summer or will other players be sent away as well?
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