The NBA’s preseason is in full swing, and I love every minute of it (even that minute that the NBA is taking away from the Celtics and Nets in Sunday’s exhibition contest). The Charlotte Hornets are currently 2-2 after Wednesday’s loss to Detriot. With four preseason games left before the regular season opener against Milwaukee, the Hornets are experimenting with different rotations, sharpening their player’s mindsets, and ultimately trying to dodge the ever-haunting “injury-bug”.
Don’t forget to check out the other two parts of this three-part season preview.
Starters
Charlotte, unlike some teams, does not have many glaring holes at any of their starting positions. Just for reference, here were the starters for Wednesday’s game against Detriot.
Today's #DETvsCHA starters: @MKG14, #MarvinWilliams, #AlJefferson, @StephensonLance and #BrianRoberts
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) October 15, 2014
I’ll break down each position, however, because I believe that two of the above starters (one for certain) may not be in the starting five for the Hornets once the season starts.
Point Guard
Brian Roberts started Wednesday’s game because Kemba Walker suffered a minor knee injury in the previous game against Orlando. Head coach Steve Clifford did not want to overwork his up-and-coming point guard and gave Walker the day off. I expect Kemba Walker to continue to grow and excel as the floor general for this team. Walker is entering his fourth season with Charlotte and has improved each season. Last season, he posted career highs in PPG (tied with his 2012-2013 season), APG, 3-point %, FT %, and minutes per game. Al Jefferson was a big boost to Walker because Walker had been asked to carry too much of the offensive load during his first two seasons. Jefferson commands a double team when he is in the post, which allows a perimeter player such as Walker to have more room to operate. I believe that the offseason additions of Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams will stretch the opposing defenses even more, and Walker’s numbers will increase.
Kemba Walker 2014-2015 stat line: 18.1 PPG, 7.2 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.7 steals per game, and one chest pound per game.
Shooting Guard
Lance Stephenson was brought in this offseason to provide a spark to an offense that lacked explosiveness last season. The ultra-talented Stephenson will get a chance to shine as one of the Hornets offensive focal points this season. He has street ball type handles and is not afraid to embarrass you with a crossover.
R.I.P. to Courtney Lee’s ankles.
Lance will work in an offense that is similar to the one he played in under Frank Vogel in Indiana. Vogel, like Hornets coach Steve Clifford, likes to work an inside-out approach and utilize his post players. Stephenson will be able to work with Al Jefferson and create for himself if the play breaks down. I expect Stephenson to continue to improve and his numbers should rise.
Lance Stephenson 2014-2015 stat line: 16.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 7.0 APG, 50% FG, 36% from 3, and three questionable decisions that will be blown out of proportion by ESPN and the media.
Small Forward
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will begin his third NBA season starting at small forward for Charlotte. He has started every game of his career, except for one, and there is one main reason: his defense. Kidd-Gilchrist came into the league with a defensive mindset and a motor that would make Henry Ford fall in love. He plays physical defense and is tasked with guarding the opposing team’s #1 offensive threat each night. He has struggled with his shooting form and hasn’t become a double-digit scorer in the NBA. However, he is on a team that does not ask him to be an offensive force, and I believe that is helping Kidd-Gilchrist’s game evolve at a good pace. He was injured for a portion of last season, and I think that threw him off his groove somewhat. Kidd-Gilchrist will bounce back, though, and post his best statistical season yet.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 2014-2015 stat line: 11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2 APG, and at least 4 awkward looking jump shots per game.
Will Cody Zeller (above) or Marvin Williams start at PF for the Hornets?
Power Forward
Marvin Williams joined the Hornets over the offseason as a replacement for Josh McRoberts. He is a decent NBA starter, but is nothing spectacular. Williams has improved his three point shooting to allow him to be a viable option as a stretch 4, which is what he will be asked to do with Charlotte. Throughout his nine year NBA career, Williams has pretty consistently been about a 10 point-5 rebound a night player. Don’t get me wrong, this production will be very valuable to the Hornets this season. However, I believe that Cody Zeller will eventually take over as the staring power forward for Charlotte. Zeller offers the Hornets a player who is taller, younger, and better on the fast break than Williams. Zeller would average similar numbers as Williams, but I believe the Hornets may make this switch later on this season.
Starting PF (either Williams or Zeller) 2014-2015 stat line: 8.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 3 missed open jumpers per game because teams will initially disrespect their outside shot and allow them to shoot.
Center
Al Jefferson returns as the the unquestioned leader of the Hornets. He was the driving force behind the Hornets appearance in the playoffs last season, and looks to lead the Hornets back to the playoffs again this season. Jefferson is known for his uncanny ability to get open looks in and around the post, despite limited leaping ability. He’s basically the opposite of JaVale McGee. Jefferson used to be known as a defensive liability, but played better last season. He is by no means a rim protector, but his energy level seemed to increase with better play from the team surrounding him. Jefferson will be asked to carry this young team, and after last season’s effort, I believe that he will continue a trend of dominate Charlotte Hornets big men.
Al Jefferson 2014-2015 stat line: 23.5 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 53 FG%, and numerous new post moves for us to fall in love with.
Key Reserves
The difference between a championship contender and simply a playoff team usually boils down to bench productivity. Last season’s NBA Finals was a perfect example. San Antonio was a much deeper team, which helped them stay fresh and defeat the Miami Heat. The Hornets spent a good portion of their offseason upgrading their bench. Brian Roberts was brought in from New Orleans to be the backup PG. He should stabilize the second unit and allow Kemba Walker the opportunity to rest during portions of the game. The reserve shooting guards for Charlotte are Gary Neal, P.J. Hairston, and Gerald Henderson. Neal and Hairston can light it up from 3-point range, while Henderson brings a veteran mindset and unique off-the-ball skills. The frontcourt reserves (starting off the season, at least) will be Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh, and Bismack Biyombo. All three of these players are young, and need to provide the team with energy and hustle when they play their minutes.
Well, there you have it folks! This completes my three-part season preview for the Charlotte Hornets. With less than two weeks before the official unveiling of the Charlotte Hornets 2.0, I’m sure that the fanbase is exploding with energy.
Here’s to another good season Hornets!
This article Charlotte Hornets season preview: Player projections appeared first on isportsweb by Zachary Chandler