The Hornets hope a new offensive style and a re-shaped roster will get them back to the playoffs.
Last season’s record: 33-49
Key additions:
- Nicolas Batum
- Jeremy Lin
- Jeremy Lamb
- Spencer Hawes
- Frank Kaminsky
Key losses:
- Gerald Henderson
- Noah Vonleh
- Bismack Biyombo
- Lance Stephenson
2015-16 Season Outlook
Last season’s Charlotte Hornets were one of the most dreadful teams to watch offensively. Take it from someone who watched roughly 75 of their games last season, it was bad. They were 28th in points per game, 28th in offensive rating, and last in 3-point shooting. Al Jefferson couldn’t replicate his All-NBA season from 2013-14 due to persistent injuries, Kemba Walker’s offensive efficiency dropped, and Lance Stephenson, who was supposed to the missing piece for the Hornets, ended up a bust.
With a desire to return to the playoffs, the Hornets made improving the offense a priority. 3-point shooting, ball movement, and making the offense less reliant on Jefferson were goals for improving the offense. Brought in to help were Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lin, Jeremy Lamb, and Spencer Hawes, players known for the outside shooting or play making ability, but coming off of disappointing years individually.
So far in preseason, the Hornets’ offense has been much improved. The Hornets are 4-0 in preseason, and have scored over 100 points in three of the four games. Ball movement and 3-point shooting have been emphasized, with the Hornets averaging 28 3-pointers a game (compared to 19.7 last season), while shooting 38.4 percent (compared to 31.8 percent in 2014-15). Call it preseason, but the Hornets have looked focused, and have played with an understanding that is surprising given how many new players are on the roster.
It starts with Batum, who has been asked to become a bigger part of the offense. In Portland, Batum was the third or fourth option, but the Hornets hope he can raise his offensive production. While it’s unlikely that Batum sees his scoring averages take a huge jump up from his 11.2 points per game career average, his strengths as a ball handler and play maker should help more scoring opportunities for the other players on the floor.
Despite the increased role of Batum, the Hornets first option on offense will remain Al Jefferson. He’s came into training camp having lost 20 pounds, and has moved up and down the court easier than he did last season. The key for Jefferson is health. Scoring in the block (and occasionally in the pick and roll) shouldn’t be an issue for Big Al as long as he remains healthy. Injuries plagued him for much of last season however, and his body has logged a lot of minutes in 12 seasons. The good news however, is Charlotte has managed to put up points in preseason despite average scoring numbers from Jefferson, suggesting that they can overcome an off night from the big man.
Lin will help in a similar fashion to Batum. He has the ability to score both from the 3-point line and at the rim, which is unique to Hornets point guards in recent years who typically have only possessed the ability to score from one of the two spots. Like Batum, Lin looks to make plays for others when handling the ball. He has played well both with the 2nd unit and starting lineup so far in preseason, and regardless of whether Lin ends up as a starter or sixth man, it appears he will have a prominent role this season.
The additions of Batum and Lin should benefit Walker, who was forced to be the first option last season when other players were out. Walker’s efficiency and shooting averages dropped as a result, but as with Jefferson, less emphasis should be put on Walker this season to handle the scoring and playmaking duties, meaning he should see his efficiency numbers rise as he is asked to do less.
The starting power forward spot is an open competition between Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller. Steve Clifford wants the starting four man to stretch the floor and hit 3’s, which is something Williams has been more adept at doing over his career. However, Zeller appears more comfortable shooting 3-pointers now, and has made 3-3 in preseason. While Clifford will eventually have to choose, don’t be surprised to see the two players rotate in and out of the lineup based on matchups.
Charlotte hopes Lamb can have a breakout season after three years spent behind Kevin Durant and others in Oklahoma City. His has great size and length for the shooting guard position, and his quick release helps him attempt shots coming off down screens.
Spencer Hawes is the exact opposite of last year’s backup center Bismack Biyombo. Hawes has 3-point range and solid passing ability, but none of the rim protection that Biyombo brought. So far though, he’s fit with the Hornets second unit, providing a lot of spacing with his faceup game.
The Hornets drafted Frank Kaminksy 9th overall, and comments coming out of training camp suggest the team has been impressed with his ability and potential, but caution that he has to adjust to the speed of the NBA before he can contribute in the rotation. Still, there’s a sense that Kaminsky will eventually break into the rotation this season, unlike last year’s Hornets rookie Noah Vonleh, who was much more of a project and didn’t see extended minutes until late in the season. Kaminsky is already comfortable attempting 3-pointers and attacking the hoop, but his finishing at the rim has been poor, and his defense, while better than it was during summer league, needs improving.
The Hornets should be a much more balanced team this season, but their offseason emphasis on offense was due to their confidence in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist leading the way in keeping the Hornets at top 10 defensive team. Those prospects took a major blow one quarter in preseason, as MKG torn his labrum and will be out an estimated six months. Since he was drafted no. 2 overall, MKG has been the most important player for the Hornets over the span of his career. Last season, they were 27-28 when he played, and 5-20 when he didn’t. The injury will have a big impact on whether the Hornets can remain a top defensive team, and hurts their chances at making the playoffs.
With that said, the new-look offense is very encouraging, and it’s possible that for the first time, the Hornets have a roster deep enough to overcome the loss of MKG, at least to some degree. The early signs have been positive, but they won’t mean anything if their strong preseason start doesn’t carry over into the regular season. At the very least, the Hornets should be more pleasing and fun to watch, which should make for a less painful season, even if they do come up short.
Prediction: 40-42
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