Charlotte signs Isaiah Wong to two-way contract amid injury crisis
Wong, a 6'4 shooting guard, averaged north of 24 points in Indiana's G League syndicate.
CHARLOTTE — The Hornets have signed Pacers two-way guard Isaiah Wong to a two-way deal as Charlotte’s injury crisis continues to deepen. Wong ranks eighth in G League points per game with 24.1 points per game in eight appearances. Wong was the face of Miami’s 2023 Final Four run and earned an ACC Player of the Year award over players like Kyle Filipowski and Dereck Lively II.
The Hornets will wave two-way wing Jared Rhoden to clear space for Wong — Rhoden averaged 23 points per game in two appearances for the Greensboro Swarm.
Charlotte’s addition of Wong gives Charlotte some much-needed depth at the guard slots. They’re currently missing LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann, and DaQuan Jeffries. Wong could have trouble breaking into the Charlotte rotation — he’s behind vet guard Vasa Micic and rookie KJ Simpson in the depth chart.
Wong’s addition comes during a startling slide for the Hornets. After starting the season 4-6, Charlotte has dropped eight of their last ten games. Most damning has been a five-game loss streak that shows no signs of stopping.
Wong has four minutes of NBA experience but could return to the league as early as Tuesday in their home match against the Sixers.
The Spin
Charles Lee is in quite a predicament. Losing two of his biggest stars, trying to turn around a five-game slide, and facing a difficult schedule — all a month or so in his first season as a head coach.
To be fair, he’s managing it pretty well. The Hornets are somewhat unlucky not to claim a win from either of their three most recent losses, which all came down to within four points. It seems he’s finally beginning to uncover Josh Green’s hidden potential. Diabaté is asserting himself as one of the best rebounders in the league. There are highs if you look past the insurmountable mountain of losses and gloom.
One issue that can’t be overlooked is Charlotte’s rapidly growing injury list. Ball and Mann will likely miss around two weeks, Bridges could miss up to a week with a bone bruise, and no one’s heard from the promising Mark Williams since he injured his foot in training camp.
To resolve the issue, Lee and GM Jeff Peterson have signed Isaiah Wong, one of the G League’s most prolific scorers. Wong is a natural shot-creator with creativity and tight handles, and he’s improved his jumper exponentially over the summer. Just 23 years old, Wong could have a future with Charlotte if things go right for him.
The key word is if. Charlotte doesn't necessarily need another self-serving shot-creator, especially with Wong’s relative weakness in passing. They have Ball for that. He has potential as a three-and-D type player — he shot over 41% and averaged 1.6 steals per game with the Mad Ants. Yet, it could take him some time to advance to the NBA’s fast-paced tempo. Time the Hornets don’t have as they try to salvage this sinking wreck of a season.
In short, Wong is an exciting player who could represent the future of the Charlotte organization. Skilled on offense and pesky on defense, he’s a huge steal and slots in as one of the G League’s most sought-after prospects. Yet, Wong doesn’t immediately fit into Charlotte’s hodge-podge lineup of vets and role players. We could see him spend more time in Greensboro than in Charlotte.