According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Charlotte Hornets are signing veteran guard and former Hornet Ish Smith. To make room, they are waiving Edmond Sumner.
The Charlotte Hornets are signing veteran guard Ish Smith, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Year 14 for Smith. Hornets are waiving Edmond Sumner to make roster space.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2023
Smith spent half of the 2021-22 season in Charlotte before being dealt at the deadline in the trade that brought Montrezl Harrell back from the Wizards. He averaged 4.5 points and 2.6 assists across 37 games for the Hornets that season. He spent last season with the Nuggets before going unsigned as a free agent this past summer. This will be Smith’s 14th season in the NBA after playing collegiately at Wake Forest.
Smith will provide more guard depth, and the Hornets know what they’re getting given his previous run in Charlotte. Sumner would appear to be the better shooting threat, but the Hornets seem to be prefer the ball handling and pesty defense that Smith brings. He and Frank Ntilikina should at least provide some energy in that backup guard spot if nothing else.
If Cody Martin can ever get back to full health, we could see the revival of the “Livermush Boys” that helped win the Hornets a few games back in 2021-22. Martin and Smith’s energy and defensive prowess elevated otherwise lifeless performances and sparked some impressive comebacks. The Hornets will hope they’ve recaptured that magic. And he can provide that veteran leadership the Hornets may or may not need in that locker room.
