As the Charlotte Hornets fell apart in the second half of a home loss to the Miami Heat, drama played out on their bench. Head coach James Borrego and rookie guard James Bouknight had an argument, which resulted in Bouknight being sent to the locker room.
Borrego seemed to stay something to Bouknight, who stood up to challenge his coach. An assistant coach had to hold Bouknight back, as Borrego turned his attention back to the floor. A Hornets staffer then led Bouknight to the locker room for the remainder of the contest.
Postgame, Borrego acknowledge the incident without getting into specifics.
“Obviously, we were a little frustrated in the third quarter, early fourth,” Borrego said. “We got a little emotional there. Beyond that, I’ll leave it there.”
When asked if Bouknight was upset about a lack of playing time, Borrego empathized with the rookie.
“He obviously wants to play,” Borrego said. “I get that. He’s a kid we believe in, we trust in. We’re going to try to find more minutes for him, more time.”