The Charlotte Hornets started training camp this morning in Asheville, NC for the upcoming 2014-2015 NBA season. This seemed like the perfect day for me to unveil Part 1 of my three-part series breaking down the Hornets roster and making projections for the season. Parts 2 and 3 will be coming in the next few weeks as Hornets fans look forward to the team’s first game on October 29 in Charlotte against the Milwaukee Bucks.
General Roster Overview
The Hornets were very active during the offseason as they try to make the leap from simply a playoff team to an NBA title contender (See also: the jump the Indiana Pacers have been making since Frank Vogel took over during the 2010-2011 season). The PG position is solid with returning starter Kemba Walker and free agent signee Brian Roberts. Roberts should provide the Hornets with a veteran presence in the 2nd unit and allow Walker more time to rest during the season. Hopefully this will translate into Walker having more energy late in games and in the playoffs. The most significant move for the Hornets this offseason was the signing of shooting guard Lance Stephenson. Stephenson brings a winning background from the Indiana Pacers and a variety of skills for Hornets coach Steve Clifford to utilize. Backing up Stephenson will be Gary Neal, Gerald Henderson, and rookie P.J. Hairston. Charlotte lacked an outside shooting threat for much of last season; however, I feel that guard play and bench play can be a strength of this team this season (more on that to come).
The forwards are Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, and Noah Vonleh. Stephenson can slide down to the SF position when the Hornets go with a smaller attack, too. The small forward depth took a hit recently as Jeff Taylor was given a leave of absence until his domestic violence charges. Al Jefferson is back at the center spot, with Bismark Biyombo backing him up.
Best Offensive Player
The best offensive player for the Hornets is Al Jefferson.
Enough said….
In all seriousness, Jefferson is without a doubt the focal point of the Hornets inside-out offensive attack. Coach Clifford wants the ball in Jefferson’s hands in every possession, preferably with him getting the ball down low on the block. Jefferson has an deep assortment of offensive moves that are more polished than the moves of most NBA big men. If there was a college where young big men could attend to improve their offensive post game, Professor Jefferson would be teaching POST 441 (The Art of the Up-and-Under) and POST 502 (How to Score with Almost No Vertical Leap). The up-and-under, the baby hook, the floater, the jumper, the turn-around jumper, the bank, and the “and-one when defenders simply try to foul him” are just some of Jefferson’s moves.
Jefferson averaged 21.8 PPG and 10.8 RPG last season for the Hornets. These numbers put him near the top of the league’s big men in both categories. I suspect that Jefferson’s numbers will increase this season, too. Last season, opposing defenses would collapse into the paint and surround Jefferson when he was down low. Without a consistent outside shooting threat to kick the ball out to, Jefferson was stuck taking tough shots or passing to a player who would throw up an 15 foot brick (looking at you Kidd-Gilchrist!). Adding Gary Neal at last season’s trade deadline was an upgrade, and he should improve by having a full season with the Hornets. Lance Stephenson and P.J. Hairston are both upgrades in the shooting department, and the Hornets are hoping that improved outside shooting will only make things easier for Jefferson.
Co-Best Defensive Players
I was tempted to have a single “Best Defensive Player”, but I feel that the Hornets will position themselves to have two. Wait, what? Allow me to explain.
Small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is probably the best pure defender on the roster. Last season he was responsible for guarding the opposing team’s best wing player (ex. LeBron, Carmelo, etc.). Kidd-Gilchrist, though, has been terrible on the offensive side of the ball. Wait, Zachary, what does his offense have to do with defense?
I suspect that Lance Stephenson will also be called upon to guard the opposing team’s best wing player for extended periods of time this season. Kidd-Gilchrist’s lack of offense will force coach Clifford to insert more scoring into the lineup from the bench (ex. P.J. Hairston, Gerald Henderson, Gary Neal, etc.). This slides Stephenson over to the SF position and puts him onto the other team’s “scorer”. Both Stephenson and Kidd-Gilchrist will be effective in their roles, because neither will have to carry the defensive load by himself. For this reason, I have selected both players as “Co-Best Defensive Players.”
Under the Radar Player
A player who is flying somewhat under the radar is rookie shooting guard P.J. Hairston. Hardcore Hornets fans will know about his scoring ability from the NBA summer league, but the majority of fans probably do not even know a summer league exists. Hairston averaged 18.3 PPG over seven games in Las Vegas this summer. He comes to the Hornets by way of the University of North Carolina, and he spent last season with the NBA D-League’s Texas Legends where he averaged 21.7 PPG.
Hairston is not afraid to shoot the rock. He is a scorer, but he is somewhat limited in his ball-handling and passing abilities. However, his scoring ability is the sole reason the Hornets traded for him during the NBA Draft. Hairston will be the 7th or 8th man off the bench to begin the season. He will be expected to provide some instant offense for the 2nd unit, and I believe he will excel in this role. As the season progresses, watch for Hairston’s minutes to increase as he shows off his shooting ability. By the end of the season, Hairston will no longer be an “under the radar” player.
Strengths
The strength of the Hornets lies in their defense. Last season, the Hornets ranked in the top 10 in opponent PPG (97.1), opponent FG% (44.2%), and blocks per game (5.1). There is not one dominate player behind this effort, though. Coach Clifford brought a defensive background to the Hornets and his principles worked well last season. The Hornets pressure the opponent’s shots well and utilize their youthful energy on the defensive end.
Another strength that will emerge this season is quality bench production. This was the Achilles heel for the team last season. When the starters were subbed out, the second string players could not come close to matching the starters level of play. This season the Hornets have upgraded their backup PG with Brian Roberts, they have the luxury of bringing Gerald Henderson off the bench instead of starting him, and they brought in two 1st round picks from the NBA Draft. This surge of new/young talent should bolster the Hornets 2nd unit and make them a better overall team.
Weaknesses
The weaknesses of the Hornets are not as numerous as the dreadful Bobcats’ days of old. However, there are some concerns that are worth addressing. One of the weaknesses has to be the PF position. Josh McRoberts took his talents to South Beach (just writing this feels awesome!), and the Hornets have a trio of players trying to replace him. Cody Zeller enters his second season and looks to improve from his disappointing rookie season. The team signed former University of North Carolina star Marvin Williams to provide some versitility at the forward position, too. With the 9th pick in the draft, the Hornets bet on the upside of Indiana’s Noah Vonleh. Vonleh is very young, yet talented, and should push both Zeller and Williams for time at the PF spot. The Hornets are hoping that at least one of these players will step up and secure the job, but they will have multiple bodies to play this vulnerable position, if needed.
Final Thoughts
The Hornets have one of the more talented rosters in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Cleveland and Chicago look to be the best two teams, but there are multiple teams that are hovering just below these two. Charlotte, Washington, Toronto, and Atlanta will all try to take steps forward and challenge for the Eastern Conference crown. I believe the Hornets will finish 3rd in the conference, and I’ll break down the schedule, game-by-game, in Part 2 of this series.
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