Naz Reid Reclaims Starting Job After Hornets Speed-Run the NBA Drama Cycle
"[Naz] and I had a good conversation. He's able to take accountability to me and to his teammates, and we're on the same page. I look forward to him being back in the starting lineup today." - Charles Lee
Getting benched for an entire half of basketball usually means you are headed for a week of passive-aggressive press conferences. Instead, the are speed-running the NBA conflict resolution cycle.
Head coach Charles Lee confirmed that will be right back in the starting lineup for Friday night's matchup against the Washington Wizards. This comes just 48 hours after Lee glued his prized offseason acquisition to the bench for the entire second half of a 97-89 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
According to Lee, the two had a good conversation where Reid took accountability to the coaching staff and his teammates. It is the exact kind of PR-friendly quote that tells you absolutely nothing about what actually happened in the locker room on Wednesday night, but it gets everyone back on the floor.
The disciplinary action was especially jarring given how well Reid has been playing. He is averaging 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds over his last five games. He even had 7 points and 6 boards in just 13 minutes against Detroit before getting the hook for allegedly failing to meet team standards.
For anyone who watched their Reid over props die a sudden death at halftime on Wednesday, his return to the starting five is a welcome sight. The volume and minutes should be fully restored against a very beatable 2-3 Washington squad.
You also have to laugh at the timing. Charlotte's front office spent the entire summer hyping up Reid's character, his undrafted grind, and his flawless " DNA." Five games into the season, he is already getting disciplinary benchings and issuing locker room apologies.
The 3-2 need Reid on the floor if they want to keep pace in the East. If he comes out tonight and drops a 20-point double-double, we can officially declare Lee a motivational genius. If he struggles, we might just get another second-half vanishing act.