A lot of times I sit at work and I start thinking about things, and it inspires me to start writing an article about my Charlotte Hornets. As the Finals are over and everyone can start to focus on the NBA Draft, free agency, and next season, one thing can be agreed upon; no one knows what is going to happen in this draft. I’ve had fans and friends ask me what I think is going to happen. To be honest with everyone, I really don’t know. As I illustrated in my last article, there are so many names floating around right now for the #9 and #24 picks, I wouldn’t be willing to bet anything on which players the Hornets are going to pick. I’d be crazy to. I mean, we all hear about what the Hornets need. We hear we need perimeter shooters. We here we need help at power forward. Until we know for sure who will stay with the Hornets and who will go, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable throwing a name out there. Even the “so-called” experts have us taking a PF, a SF, a SG, a PG…jeez! Draft the best talent available and we’ll sort it out.
Now I didn’t throw this article up just to drum up a few new readers (I mean if it does, great, but that wasn’t the purpose). The purpose of the article is to actually give the fans a laundry-list of the players we know for certain are on the team, under contract, and as of today, are still Charlotte Hornets. Now, we know that we have Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Al Jefferson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo, Gary Neal, Cody Zeller, and Brendan Haywood. Their contracts have them on the team. That’s 8 Hornets. So what about everyone else? Josh McRoberts has a player option. I pray if he opts out, we plan on giving him a couple more years in CLT because I think he has more than earned them. This will be the year for Jeffery Taylor to step up. His contract is a team option for the 14-15 season. I have said since he arrived here that he would be the successor to Hendo in the starting lineup at SG. This may be his time to prove it. The ruptured Achilles ruined his chance to take that spot last season. I pray the front office keeps him here and extends him. That’s a 2nd round contract we’re talking about, and those are good for less than $1 million…even if we keep him one more season. I think it is worth the gamble. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Anthony Tolliver, & Luke Ridnour are all at the end of their contracts here in CLT. It will be up to drafting, trades, etc. to determine what we will need to add.
So, all total, we have what should be considered 9-10 players rostered. We have 2 draft picks at #9 and #24. That could bring the player total to 12. Let’s play it safe and say that we keep McBob and Taylor. Drafting 2 players in the first round gives them guaranteed contracts for the next few years. Do we want to tie up contracts on 2 young guys or would we want to try and pair them together and move up? Let’s do a laundry list of what positions we have covered:
At the center position, we have Big Al, Biz, and Haywood. At power forward we have Zeller & McBob. At small forward we have Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jeffery Taylor. At shooting guard we have Gerald Henderson, Gary Neal, and Jeffery Taylor (JT can play both positions). At point guard we have Kemba Walker. Looking at this list, I see needs at every position. This doesn’t really help narrow down who we will draft. It does, however, open up the ability to draft the best talent available, regardless of position.
So what are our factors in the offseason? We need 2 backup PGs (I’d give Seth Curry a call for one of those spots) and that’s a given. This is a certainty. We need a SG upgrade. I’m not sure how we get that (trade or draft). We need someone else as a backup C (sorry but Haywood is just a salary leach at this point in his career). Will we be able to keep McBob? Will we keep Taylor?
Let’s hear your opinions Hornets fans. Personally, after writing this, I am eager to look into who all will be free agents and see what may be available for us in positions of need.
Share your opinions here at the site. I can’t wait!
Business is about to start picking up again here at Trade Street Post.
And, as always…
Let’s go Hornets!
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