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“Michael Jordan was right to choose Terry Rozier over Kemba Walker”: How the GOAT choosing Hornets star over Celtics point guard has been beneficial in the long run

Samir Mehdi
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“Michael Jordan was right to choose Terry Rozier over Kemba Walker”: How the GOAT choosing Hornets star over Celtics point guard has been beneficial in the long run

Terry Rozier has been having a career season while Kemba Walker struggles to finding his footing alongside his Celtics teammates. 

Kemba Walker was seen as the franchise star the Charlotte Hornets seemed to want to build their future around. However, you can only go so far in this league with a ball dominant 6’0 point guard. 

So Michael Jordan and the Hornets decided to pull the plug on Walker in 2019 and did a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics to receive Terry Rozier in return. 

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At the time of the deal, it seemed like a no-brainer that the Celts had fleeced the Hornets in this sign-and-trade. Fast-forward two year later and Terry Rozier is leading the Charlotte Hornets to a Playoff berth while Kemba Walker and the Celtics flatter to a middling record of 15-15. A large part of the Celtics’ mediocrity is attributed to Kemba’s declining health and persistent injuries. 

Terry Rozier has been balling out for the Charlotte Hornets

Michael Jordan the Hornets front office were torn to pieces by Hornets fans and NBA fans in general for trading away their franchise star for the Celtics’ back-up point guard.

The deal seems to have paid off however as Rozier is currently averaging 20.8 points while shooting a career best from the field and beyond the arc; 49.5% and 45.1% respectively. 

He’s racked up a couple highlights as well, everything ranging from breakaway dunks on Kevin Durant to game winning fadeaways to beat Steph Curry and the Warriors. Hornets head coach James Borrego addressed Rozier’s offensive contributions to the team saying:

“His will throughout games and 4th quarters just to keep us alive and throw in daggers to win games has been tremendous.” 

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Funnily enough, Rozier wasn’t aware of the fact that his current boss in Michael Jordan, had actually three-peated twice. “Just seeing the documentary (the Last Dance), I learned so much. I didn’t even know that they won three straight championships, twice.” 

It’s safe to say that Rozier has found a home in Charlotte alongside co-star Gordon Hayward. The two lead the Hornets in scoring and currently have them sitting at 14-16 which is just 1 game back from the Celtics. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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