Terry Rozier won’t soon forget his first bout with free agency.
The Charlotte Hornet guard reflected on his own free-agency process Sunday prior to his team’s NBA preseason game against the Boston Celtics, telling reporters how the reality of the experience differed from his expectations. Rozier returned to Boston publicly last weekend for the first time since he joined the Hornets from the Celtics in July in a sign-and-trade which sent Kemba Walker the other way.
“I had no idea how stressful it was going to be,” Rozier said prior to Celtics’ 107-106 win over the Hornets. “Phone doesn’t stop ringing. It’s hard to get some sleep. You don’t know where you’re gonna be.
“It’s an emotional decision, so it worked out. It worked out. I had no idea how it was going to be. People told me about it, but you still don’t know until you actually go through it. It worked out. It was good.”
One of the most stressful aspects for Rozier must have been waiting for the likes of former Celtics starter Kyrie Irving, Walker and other guards to make their respective moves. The New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns held interest in signing Rozier, who became a restricted free agent after the season, but Charlotte ultimately made most sense, and the best offer, to him.
Rozier, 25, now is expected to be the Hornets’ court general, and his experience with one of the most nerve-wracking periods of a professional athlete’s life might help him lead his young team effectively this season and beyond.
