Hornets sending rookie Nick Richards to the Swarm in G-League bubble was always the plan
The Charlotte Hornets are sending rookie big man Nick Richards to the Greensboro Swarm to get some run in the G-League bubble.
Richards, a second-round pick out of Kentucky, has played just 23 minutes in eight game appearances for the Hornets. Even when coach James Borrego was down to eight players in the second half Sunday, he didn’t play Richards against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Hornets won’t play again until at least Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, due to contact tracing involving Spurs COVID-19 cases. The Hornets recalled second-season forward Jalen McDaniels from the Swarm on Friday, and McDaniels played 25 minutes against the Spurs.
The Hornets were one of 17 NBA teams that committed to fielding a G-League team in the bubble, at a cost of more than $500,000 this winter.
The intention was always for Richards to be with the Swarm during the 15-game G-League bubble season, staged on Disney’s campus outside Orlando, Fla. A technical issue — an NBA requirement to have at least 12 roster players with the parent club — caused the Hornets to keep Richards in Charlotte while McDaniels got some playing time with the Swarm.
Richards, the 42nd overall pick, came to the Hornets in a draft-night trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Hornets already have rookies Vernon Carey, Grant Riller and Nate Darling with the Swarm.
The NBA has told the Hornets not to practice until at least Friday, while coronavirus testing and contact tracing continues. The Spurs reported four cases of positive COVID-19 tests since playing the Hornets Sunday at Spectrum Center.
The Hornets were down five players going into Sunday’s game: P.J. Washington and Cody and Caleb Martin for health-and-safety protocols (unrelated to the Spurs situation) and starters Gordon Hayward (lower back discomfort) and Devonte Graham (left knee discomfort).
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 11:21 AM with the headline "Hornets sending rookie Nick Richards to the Swarm in G-League bubble was always the plan."
