Rob Dillingham is heading back home, and the Charlotte Hornets are giving the 21-year-old guard another chance to get his NBA career moving in the right direction.
The No. 8 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dillingham has been traded to Charlotte by the Chicago Bulls in a deal for veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield and cash, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. For the Hickory, North Carolina, native and Kentucky product, it’s a return to familiar ground after a rough start in the league.
Dillingham’s rookie year in Minnesota was a slow burn at best. He appeared in 49 games, made one start, and logged just 10.5 minutes per contest while averaging 4.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 rebounds.
His role didn’t exactly expand when his second season opened, either. He was still buried in the backcourt rotation with the Timberwolves before being moved to Chicago at the deadline.
The change of scenery helped. In Chicago, Dillingham posted the best numbers of his career, averaging 9.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 21.5 minutes per game. Those were all career highs, though his shooting line - 43/30/74 - showed there’s still plenty of room for growth.
Even with that uptick, the Bulls didn’t see enough to commit to him long term. Instead, they sent him to Charlotte, where he’s expected to have a real backcourt role with the Hornets. He has one year left on his rookie deal before restricted free agency in 2028.
At Kentucky, Dillingham looked every bit like the high-end guard talent that made him a top-10 pick. In his lone college season, he averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and 1.0 steals, earning SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors along with All-SEC Second Team and All-SEC Freshman Team recognition.
Playing alongside Reed Sheppard, he formed one of the most electric one-two guard punches in recent Wildcat memory. Now the question is whether being back home gives him the runway he needs to tap into that same level again.
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