Hornets Cruise Past Brooklyn in Summer League Finale

Brandon Slater steals the show to lift Charlotte to a 4-1 record.

Brandon Slater / Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Charlotte Hornets took another step towards their goal of changing the culture in Buzz City after coasting to victory against the Brooklyn Nets 97-90. They’ve settled into the league nicely here with an improved 4-1 record and are starting to show some signs of life as a franchise. 

This game was a continuation of the trend that Charlotte would find its hero in the most unlikely of places. An unforeseeable 11/11 shooting performance from Matt Morgan stole the show last time out, and now the Hornets stumbled into a 30-point Brandon Slater showcase. 

The theme of the night for Charlotte was clear from the first possession, as Slater banked a 26-foot shot to open the scoring. After jumping to an 8-2 lead to start the game, the Hornets would concede the opening quarter. 

Brandon Slater been working on that outside shot.. pic.twitter.com/Jq5dHYasOJ

— 🅰️RAY (@ARayfor3) July 22, 2024

From that point on, Charlotte managed to establish and maintain control of the game with relative ease. Finding scoring every which way that they looked, the Hornets had four different players turning in a 10+ point performance. 

The star of the show, however, was the aforementioned Slater who had an unpredictable 10/16 shooting performance that included him draining six of his nine three-point attempts.

Brandon Slater put on a show in his #NBA2KSummerLeague finale! The former @MaineCeltics wing poured in 30 points - including shooting 6-of-9 from 3-point range - to lift the @hornets to a win over the Nets. pic.twitter.com/8e9tYriNm2

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 22, 2024

Considering that he didn't attempt a shot during his nine minutes played against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 19, Slater may be responsible for one of the most improbable turn around performances in Summer League.

The supporting cast also provided admirable contributions. Jake Stephens recorded another promising performance, pairing 16 points with 9 rebounds as the big man continues to prove his efficiency.

Nick Smith Jr. and RaeQuan Battle rounded out Charlotte's list of double-digit scorers to ultimately deliver the Hornets' highest-scoring Summer League performance.

Overall the game was yet another encouraging sign to a franchise that is desperately trying to reshape its culture around a youth-driven movement. From Tidjane Salaun's incredibly efficient double-double showing to the scoring outbursts of Slater and Morgan, this has proven how well this staff can develop talent in a short period of time.