Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets announced Sunday they are ending their partnership with CPI:

Hornets Sports & Entertainment Statement Regarding CPI Partnership pic.twitter.com/V7EUYQ5u6a

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) June 7, 2020

The move comes after an offensive email surfaced from CPI Security CEO Ken Gill in response to a call to action to end police brutality by Queen City Unity.

"Please spend your time in a more productive way," Gill responded in an email, via Chloe Leshner of WCNC. "A better use of time, would be to focus on the black on black crime and senseless killing of our young men by other young men."

The remarks come amid widespread protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

The email was enough to cost several major relationships for the Charlotte-based company.

The Carolina Panthers announced Saturday they were terminating their partnership, while North Carolina State and South Carolina followed suit Sunday.

Former Panthers star Julius Peppers had specifically called out those who support the company:

https://twitter.com/juliuspeppers_/status/1269397560214654978

Gill has since apologized for his initial email.

"Regarding the email from me that was shared on social media, I want to apologize for my remarks which did not directly address the public's outcry for racial justice and equality in the wake of George Floyd's senseless killing," he said, per Leshner.

Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan was among those expressing reservations about the circumstances under which the NBA will potentially resume the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania, having all 30 teams travel to Orlando, Florida, to restart play was an idea that garnered some disapproval inside the league. Jordan was part of that group:

"[Jordan] was outspoken on Friday's call, advocating for player safety and not having players have to return for meaningless games following a four-plus month hiatus, sources said. The Hawks and Bulls ownership groups said on the call that they wanted to return, sources said, but several players and staffers throughout both organizations prefer not to."

With a resumption appearing to be all but certain, the NBA is stuck having to balance player health with a level of competitive fairness.

No team has played more than 67 games, so squads on the outside edge of the playoff picture might feel it is unfair to move straight ahead to a 16-team postseason. Of course, more teams mean more personnel the NBA and health officials will have to monitor to limit the spread of COVID-19.

And beyond the risk of contracting the disease, asking players to compete after such a long layoff could increase their susceptibility to basketball-related injuries.

That was seemingly the point Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was making when he told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes he wasn't planning to suit up in a restarted season if the Blazers didn't have a clear opportunity to make the playoffs. Lillard said he would be willing to travel with his teammates and practice but that he'd draw the line at taking the floor for games.

While the NBA hasn't finalized any plans, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday "the league has been advancing on a plan that would include regular-season, play-in and playoff games for the 16 teams currently holding a playoff position and six more teams within six games of the eighth seed in each conference."

Wojnarowski followed up Wednesday and reported 22 teams would play eight regular-season games in Orlando to help determine the seeding for the playoffs.

According to Charania, the NBA would also hold a play-in tournament for the eighth seed in each conference if the ninth-seeded team is within four games of the final postseason spot.

The Charlotte Hornets will reopen their team facility Tuesday, allowing players to take part in voluntary workouts, according to Steve Reed of the Associated Press.

The 2019-20 NBA season has been suspended since March 11, but the league first allowed organizations to open team facilities on May 8, local laws permitting. The teams must still adhere to several restrictions, including no more than four players in the facility at a time and no head coach or assistant coaches in attendance during training sessions.

Though only a couple teams opened on the first date available, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Sunday all but 11 squads have returned.

The NBA announced it plans to restart its season in late July with games likely taking place in Orlando.

Despite the optimism about a return, there is uncertainty about how many teams will compete going forward. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, general managers were asked to complete a survey about how to proceed, whether going straight to the playoffs or resuming a regular season with all 30 teams.

Another option includes a "playoff plus" with as many as 24 teams involved in play-in games ahead of the playoffs.

This could greatly affect the Hornets, who entered the hiatus with a 23-42 record, good for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Any system with just the 16 playoff teams would exclude Charlotte, but the squad would be involved in most forms of a play-in format.

The former Pizza Hut employee who claims he delivered the infamous pizza discussed in Episode 9 of The Last Dance disputes the notion that anyone tried to poison Michael Jordan.

Craig Fite, who says he made and delivered the pizza, addressed the controversy during an appearance Monday on 1280 The Zone's The Big Show (h/t Sporting News' Joe Rivera).

"The crap story the guy said, that there was five people, there was two of us—and I didn't even have that many people working at the time at the store—but there was two of us," Fite said.

Fite also said he's "100 percent certain" Jordan wasn't poisoned by "that pizza."

In the documentary, Jordan—along with his personal trainer, Tim Grover, and his best friend, George Koehler—recalled hanging out in his hotel room the night before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

Grover claimed there were five people at the door to deliver the pizza, which drew the suspicion of everyone in the room except Jordan.

Jordan ate the entire pizza by himself, and Grover said he received a phone call shortly thereafter that the five-time NBA MVP was "literally curled up in the fetal position" on his hotel room floor.

After some uncertainty that Jordan would be able to play in Game 5—he said after the game that he showed up to the arena "almost dehydrated" and was given an IV—His Airness turned in one of the most iconic performances of his career.

Jordan scored 38 points in 44 minutes and made a go-ahead three-pointer to put the Chicago Bulls up 88-85 with 25 seconds remaining. They went on to win 90-88 in what has been dubbed "The Flu Game."

"I'm going to come out of this quarantine looking like The Rock."

Charlotte Hornets big man Bismack Biyombo provided a word of warning for his future opponents during an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report on Thursday. With the extra free time, he's had different workouts with his trainer and lifting sessions from Monday through Friday, adding additional strength for the impending battles on the blocks.

Biyombo has done far more than devote additional time to training with the 2019-20 season on hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bismack Biyombo Foundation he founded in 2016 delivered approximately $1 million of medical equipment to his home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. The donations included more than 10,000 face masks, 780 hazmat suits, wheelchairs and "all the essentials that doctors need to function day-to-day."

"We started doing this a long time ago," Biyombo said. "It just happens to be that with COVID-19 because of the way our hospitals are equipped, we're trying to find a way that would make sense to help the population and support the population."

The DRC has dealt with Ebola, measles, malaria and COVID-19, which has left the healthcare system severely strained.

"We figured it's best to start looking into equipping a lot of clinics and hospitals that needed the equipment," Biyombo said. "The idea was before I started looking into building new hospitals, I had to think about the ones that are not functioning properly."

The 27-year-old also acknowledged that "70 percent of the population is poor, so it's difficult for any public figure to tell people 'hey, you guys need to stay home' so you can stop the spread of the virus."

Biyombo also revealed his foundation is helping build schools in the country so it is better prepared to come out on the other side of the pandemic.

In terms of a return to basketball, the Hornets center said, "I'm very excited for what the future holds, but right now I just think everybody has to stay safe and come out on the other side stronger."

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported "optimism abounds" among players, owners and the NBA league office that there will be some type of finish to the 2019-20 campaign. However, such a return would be in arenas without fans present.

"I would love to play basketball. Playing in an empty arena is probably not a good feeling, but under the circumstances that we are in, if that's what we go by, then by all means you have to support it for the sake of the fans and us as players," Biyombo said. "It will be hard to play in an empty arena."

He did joke that playing in an empty arena will help his teammates hear him on defense, which isn't even a problem in sold-out stadiums.

"I talk a lot on defense, and if my teammates can hear me when I'm talking with fans in the building, how is that going to sound in an empty arena?"

Before that happens, Biyombo, along with hoops fans across the world, will have the chance to scratch their basketball itch by watching the highly anticipated documentary, The Last Dance, chronicling the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s.

Biyombo is quite familiar with the main character considering Michael Jordan is the principal owner of the Hornets. The big man got to see some of His Airness' famous intensity up close during his second season in the league in 2012-13 when a 50-year-old Jordan pulled aside some of the Hornets' guards in practice and started beating them in one-on-one showdowns.

"it was a thing of beauty to watch, he took them one by one, one by one, and we were just watching like 'wow,'" Biyombo exclaimed.

He also said Jordan gave him some of the best basketball advice he's ever received by creating a pressure-packed situation after practice early in his career. Biyombo was shooting free throws when the Hall of Famer came over and offered him $1,000 if he could make seven out of 10.

After Biyombo made the first few, Jordan started talking, pulled the money out of his pocket to dial up the pressure and took the ball to break his focus. It all came down to the final shot after he missed a pair, and Biyombo didn't deliver.

"I don't need your $1,000," Jordan said. "I was just trying to teach you a lesson. … This is how you're going to play, like you're playing for something every night."

Biyombo said he's played that way ever since, and he's made a name for himself as a defensive presence for the Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic. He is now using the success he built on the court to give back to his home country in a time of need.

Charlotte Hornets guard Malik Monk has been suspended indefinitely after violating the NBA's anti-drug program. 

According to a statement from the NBA, the suspension will continue until he's "determined to be in compliance" by the league.

STATEMENT: We are disappointed in Malik’s decision-making that resulted in his suspension. As an organization, we do not condone his behavior. However, we are committed to supporting Malik during this time.

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 26, 2020

The third-year player is currently averaging 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, all of which would be career highs.

Though Monk had been inconsistent offensively for much of his career, the guard appeared to be turning a corner as of late.

In the last 13 games, the 22-year-old was averaging 17 points per game while shooting 35 percent from three-point range. This included his career-high 31 points in a January loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The hot streak was enough for him to earn his first career start Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers, although he was minus-33 on the court in the 119-80 loss.

An indefinite suspension could now derail what had been an encouraging season for the 2017 lottery pick.

Charlotte will also lose a key player in what has already been a poor year for the team that entered Wednesday 19-38. The squad ranks dead last in NBA scoring with just 102.2 points per game and could struggle more offensively after losing one of its top rotational players.

Devonte' Graham and Terry Rozier will have to handle an even bigger scoring load going forward, with Caleb Martin potentially getting more minutes in the backcourt.

The Charlotte Hornets will be without guard Terry Rozier (left knee soreness) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Wednesday night, the team announced.

Head coach James Borrego relayed that undrafted forward Caleb Martin will make his first career start in Rozier's absence with Malik Monk "likely" as the backup point guard, per The Athletic's Rod Boone. 

The Hornets will also be without rookie second-round forward Cody Martin (concussion protocol).

Rozier averaged 9.0 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 35.3 percent from three-point range with the Boston Celtics in 2018-19.

The Hornets turned heads in the offseason when they signed Rozier to a three-year, $56.7 million contract. He replaced Kemba Walker, who left Charlotte after eight seasons to join the Celtics.

Whereas many expected the Hornets to embrace a full-scale rebuild following Walker's departure, they instead spent relatively big on a point guard who had only 30 starts through his first four years.

Rozier is averaging 17.8 points and 4.1 assists through 53 games with the Hornets.

His presence is unlikely to keep the 17-36 Hornets out of the lottery, though. Charlotte missed the playoffs by two games in 2019 with what was arguably a better squad than it has now. Not only did Walker leave, but Jeremy Lamb also signed with the Indiana Pacers, creating a massive void in the backcourt.

The Charlotte Hornets waived forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on Saturday. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon previously reported the two sides were working on finalizing a contract buyout after Kidd-Gilchrist remained with the team through Thursday's 2020 NBA trade deadline, noting the Dallas Mavericks as a potential landing spot after Kidd-Gilchrist clears waivers.

The 26-year-old University of Kentucky product has struggled to earn a consistent place in the Charlotte rotation during the 2019-20 season after undergoing groin surgery in June.

He's made just 12 appearances while also dealing with knee and calf injuries. He's averaged 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 34 percent from the field in 13.3 minutes per game.

In December, Kidd-Gilchrist told Mitchell Northam of Sports Illustrated he's tried to stay ready without lamenting his lack of opportunity to make an impact.

"I am who I am. I'm a stand-up guy. You know, so, I don't know," the 2012 second overall pick said. "I was just trying to have fun. Just have fun and be myself. I've been here for eight years, so like, you know."

He added: "I'm young. I got a lot of basketball left in me. Whatever happens after this, happens."

The Hornets probably tried to deal Kidd-Gilchrist before the deadline, but hitting free agency should give him a chance to pick a contender to join for the season's second half.

Kidd-Gilchrist has never developed into a reliable offensive weapon at the NBA level, but he could carve out a niche as a wing defender. His career defensive box plus/minus (1.0, per Basketball Reference) could make him an asset for a team that won't rely on his offense (-2.2 OBPM).

The Mavs make sense as a destination on paper. He'd likely take over for Justin Jackson as the chief reserve at the 3 behind starter Dorian Finney-Smith.

The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly nearing a buyout agreement with forward Marvin Williams one day after the NBA trade deadline, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium added that Williams plans to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks once the buyout is complete. Wojnarowski added: "Milwaukee is waiving Dragan Bender, clearing the way to sign F Marvin Williams as soon as Monday, league sources tell ESPN. Williams buyout is complete with Charlotte and will be waived as soon today."

The 15th-year veteran has averaged 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field in 41 games this season.

"Well-respected veteran presence who can guard multiple positions and is a respectable three-point shooter," ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote of Williams when Wojnarowski's report came out.

It's easy to see why Charlotte would agree to the buyout. The Hornets have gone all-in on developing the young core of Devonte' Graham, PJ Washington, Miles Bridges and Malik Monk. Williams provides some value, but he's struggled to see the floor as Charlotte lets its young stars learn on the fly.

Williams started just one game this season and has averaged 19.7 minutes per night. After five-plus seasons with the Hornets, the fit no longer made sense, though it's fair to wonder why the team didn't deal him before the deadline.

Charania reported in December that multiple teams were "monitoring the trade availability" of Williams, and even second-round picks would help general manager Mitch Kupchak get the franchise back on track after it lost Kemba Walker in the offseason.

Now the NBA's top team will add to its stacked lineup by picking up a veteran free agent who was expected to have his choice of contenders on the open market.

Charlotte Hornets point guard Terry Rozier has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for throwing the ball into the crowd at the Spectrum Center Friday night. 

Rozier was presumably celebrating that Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul missed what would have been a game-winning three-pointer as time ran out in the fourth quarter when he grabbed the rebound and chucked the ball into the stands. However, since the game wasn't over, Rozier was given a technical foul to begin the overtime period.

The Thunder went on to win 104-102. 

Rozier led the Hornets with 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-9 from three-point land. The Hornets signed the 2015 first-round pick to a three-year contract in free agency this summer. Rozier previously played four seasons with the Boston Celtics.

The 25-year-old is averaging 17.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals across 34 starts for Charlotte this season.

The 13-21 Hornets next play at Memphis on Sunday night.