Lee benches Reid at halftime as Hornets lose to Pistons

Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee benched Naz Reid for the second half against the Detroit Pistons, saying Reid had not met the team’s standards in the opening half. Charlotte lost 97-89 on Wednesday after leading 51-44 at halftime. Lee made the decision at the break and explained it after the game. He said Reid would not return for the second half, adding that he hoped the forward would meet the standards in the next game. Lee did not specify what Reid had done or which standards he had failed to meet. Reid played 13 minutes, scoring seven points and recording six rebounds. He started the game and did not play again after halftime. The Hornets were outscored 53-38 in the second half as Detroit secured the win. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points. The benching came after Reid had averaged 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over his first four games with Charlotte, according to reports on his season through Wednesday’s game. He joined the Hornets in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Reid had spent his first seven NBA seasons with Minnesota and was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-24 season. One account described Reid appearing...