When Spencer Hawes signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer of 2014, there was a lot of excitement over the versatility he would be able to provide for the Clippers. Instead, he struggled in his lone season in Los Angeles.
He dramatically fell to the near bottom of the Clippers rotation and he had his least productive NBA season, averaging 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and shooting just 39% from the field and 31% from 3-point range.
So when a trade this summer to the Charlotte Hornets happened, it appeared to be a blessing in disguise for Hawes. A new place and a new start.
Following from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
Last season Spencer Hawes wasn’t upset with the Los Angeles Clippers.
He was upset with himself, he said.
For the first time in a nine-season NBA career, he truly got to pick where to play via unrestricted free agency. And he picked wrong.
“When you feel like you made the wrong decision, it adds a lot of pressure and it builds and builds. Good as it looked on paper, it just wasn’t the right fit for whatever reason. That’s what ate at me the most, that I felt like I kind of failed myself,” Hawes said.
“Then when you get a clean cut, it allows you to start over and build a new foundation and get your career back on track. I feel like going out there, individually it took a turn and not for the better.”
Now with the Hornets, Hawes is coming off the bench playing 18.5 minutes per game, averaging 7.5 points per game with 3.5 rebounds, shooting 54% from the field and 50% from three in four games of action. The sample size is small but the start for him is great.
Hopefully Hawes will continue to play a big role on a Hornets team attempting to get back into the playoffs without their best defensive player, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
