Naz Reid, a veteran center just crushing it for the Charlotte Hornets this fall, found himself stuck on the bench for the entire second half of Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons. Hornets coach Charles Lee confirmed it wasn’t some injury keeping Reid out. Nah, Lee plainly stated that Reid “didn’t meet our standards in the first half,” adding, “But I look forward to him meeting those standards come next game.” Talk about a bombshell nobody saw coming.
From Seven-Point Lead to Benched Silence
Things seemed totally normal for Reid in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. He dropped 7 points and pulled down 6 rebounds in just 13 minutes on the floor, doing his part to help the Hornets grab a 7-point lead at halftime. Publicly, there was absolutely no sign of trouble. But then the second half started, and Reid was glued to the bench. He stayed there, watching as the Pistons mounted a comeback, opening the third quarter with a brutal 16-5 run that flipped the game on its head. Detroit ultimately seized control and took a 97-89 win. Pistons star Cade Cunningham went off for 30 points, leading their charge. Meanwhile, Brandon Miller put up a massive 31 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, but his team also racked up a staggering 25 total turnovers. The Pistons are now sitting pretty at 4-1 on the season.
A Stunning Turn for a Key New Piece
This benching is especially wild considering the start Naz Reid has had with the Hornets. He came into Wednesday night absolutely cooking, averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over their first four games. That kind of production had helped the team to a solid 3-1 start. Reid, at 27 years old, was dealt to Charlotte in June as part of the trade that sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He got his start in the NBA as an undrafted player out of LSU in 2019 with those same Timberwolves, where he quickly became a fan favorite and a crucial part of their frontcourt. He even snagged Sixth Man of the Year honors during the 2023-24 campaign and averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season. Now he’s in the second year of a five-year, $125 million deal, set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2030. Coach Lee, in his third season at the helm, is in his first head coaching gig in the league. It’s safe to say this is not the kind of “first” he wanted to be dealing with.
What’s Really Going Down Behind the Scenes?
The big question hanging over everything is: what exactly *are* these “standards” Reid failed to meet? The source doesn’t spill the beans, and that’s the real kicker here. We have no clue what’s bubbling beneath the surface with Reid and Lee in Charlotte right now. But one thing is crystal clear: this fresh relationship between a valuable veteran and his coach is not off to the smoothest start. You just know everyone’s gonna be watching when the Hornets hit the court again on Friday to face the Washington Wizards. This story is far from over.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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