Forget his ground-shaking elbow to Lebron’s throat and move on from the bottle rocket passes that lit up the floor night-in and night-out. Gone is his sultry brown mane that fluttered as he galloped down the court, as well as his awe-inspiring beard that hangs from his face like moss on a weathered southern oak. Josh McRoberts (aka The Dude, aka McBob, aka El Duderino) has left the building and in his wake is a roster and offense that is in need of cohesion and new leadership. In other words, Charlotte has lost its glue and they must now reassemble the new-look Hornets so that they can assume their spot in becoming perennial contenders in the wide open east.
The ideal glue guy is an adhesive of the other 4 players on the court who helps his teammates become better and makes creative, yet rational decisions that win games. According to USA Basketball’s definition, this can include taking charges, hitting crucial free throws, making good passes, boxing out on shots, playing tough defense, setting solid screens, diving for loose balls, and even cheering on the sidelines. Basically doing the little things that take the pressure off of your stars in Kemba Walker, Lance Stephenson, and Al Jefferson, so that they can focus on what they do best, which is score buckets.
McBob thrived in this role, and he even got an endorsement from Michael Jordan, who reffered to him as the “connector” of last year’s squad. He did this mostly as an elite passer at the forward position (joining the front and back courts in the starting lineup), but he also did a good job at setting screens, playing a physical style, hitting clutch shots, and carrying himself with a passionate swagger, just to name a few. That all went a long ways in influencing locker room chemistry, and so far this year it has been sorely missed.
When replacing him though, what is important to understand is that no one player can fill the void. Although Lance can average more assists, and Marvin Williams can shoot a higher 3 point percentage, it’s not that easy, and to successfully find last year’s zen it will take a collective effort from other guys on the team to not only provide his skill set, but the intangibles he brought to the table as well. Below is the Glue Crew (it rhymes!), who through their newly learned roles and time together should be able to solidify our core and get the Hornets playing a better style of team basketball.
Honorable Mention: Lance Stephenson
His role in Indiana was that of a glue guy, but their roster makeup was different, and in Charlotte he is asked to do more in terms of ball handling and scoring. It is still too early to tell, and at the end of the year Lance may be at the top of this list, but for now it seems he is attempting to shoulder more of the offensive load and become a star for Charlotte, which places him beyond this group along with Kemba and Big Al. Hard to be a glue guy when you garner the most media attention and are arguably the most popular player on your team.
5. Bismack Biyombo
Bismack finds himself on this list after only 3 games of significant minutes, but if he plays like he did in Phoenix and brings energy and effort every night, we will be looking at an unexpected leader, as well as a long term and hopefully affordable contract this offseason. Biz is an elite defender, great rebounder, good at setting screens, and for years has been the first to practice and the last to leave. He seems to be a more focused player, showing up with a double-double against the Suns, and his play off the bench is what got the Hornets back into the game after falling down by 14 early on. If Bismack can sustain this play, we can trust him as Big Al’s long term backup, and this would make the citizens of #Biznation extremely happy, as well as Rich Cho, who took a major risk selecting him at #7 in 2011 (Note: it is up to your imagination to decide whether or not #Biznation is a real place).
4. Gary Neal
Neal may require the ball in his hands a lot, and may sometimes display a questionable shot selection, but he has started the season strong and could be in contention for a 6th man of the year award, and in some people’s opinion should start over Lance to bring better offense and stretch shooting beside Al. His individual defense under Coach Clifford is solid, he brings a valuable clutch factor, his free throw shooting is unmatched in Charlotte, and his knowledge and experience of winning in the postseason under Greg Popovich is priceless come playoff time. If you look back to his “disruption” of the Milwaukee Bucks locker room last season, including complaints over playing time as well as an argument with Larry Sanders over effort (which isn’t crazy looking back), it’s easy to see a hungry bulldog whose determination and drive fit in better on our roster. Simply put, he is a winner and satisfies Coach Clifford’s sweet tooth for veteran play and awesome outside shooting.
3. Marvin Williams
Marv “The Wet Bandit” Williams (Home Alone reference) steps into the starting lineup this season, and although he isn’t great at any one thing he is a jack of all trades, which is why he has stuck around in the league for so long. In the season opener Kemba Walker got the highlight reel and post game chatter, but it was Williams who got the Hornets back into the game with several clutch plays down the stretch. He has good knowledge and experience of the association, he shows good hustle when healthy, and he isn’t afraid to throw his aging body onto the ground to dive for a loose possession. If he can make less mistakes on defense, and consistently hit his picture-perfect jump shot, Williams could possibly become as good as McBob in every aspect minus the passing (which would explain why Rich Cho paid him $7M per season). His greatest intangible though may be the fact that he has battled a fair share of criticism throughout his career (see 2004 draft), which could come in handy if this team faces any unexpected adversity later in the year.
2. Cody Zeller
The Big Handsome has really stepped into his game this season and is beginning to look like a worthy pick in a not so great draft. His deep 2 is finally starting to fall and he is excelling at putbacks, rebounding, and drawing the foul. Though he does tend to have blinders on when the game is on the line (acts nervous and looks to pass), that will change as he gets more time and experience. Regardless, he is a difference maker and he provides tons of energy off the bench, with a great chance to reach the starting lineup as the season chugs along. With great fundamentals and opportunity, he will be key in replacing the hole left by McBob, and we should expect him to get better at setting screens as well as creating ball movement at the top of the key.
1. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
MKG is your ultimate Glue Guy and we knew this the day we drafted him, but he just had to grow into the role, and he looks primed to do that now that his shot allows for more PT, and McRoberts’ absence creates a bigger need for leadership. This development has added a much needed boost of confidence, and after showing up BIG for the playoff series against the Heat when Jefferson went down, he has transformed that performance (along with hard work during the offseason) into a strong start to the rebirth Hornets. He is the team’s best defender, best floor burner, best hustler, and he has always had an ability of drawing fouls as well as finishing on the fast break. Each day he grows more and more into the second coming of Gerald Wallace, and if he can stay healthy, he could win Most Improved Player this year. The Kidd has finally risen and there isn’t a more versatile player on the roster, so hopefully when he gets back from injury the team can truly start to jell and mold the success that they had last season.
(P.S. Sorry PJ, maybe next year. Brian Roberts, I don’t know you well enough yet, and although I like your passing and shooting, you don’t seem like a leader or someone who plays with enough intensity to make this list. Jason Maxiell, you are getting too old, maybe 5 years ago. And Henderson… Henderson I hope you get better soon: you should have made the cut but are struggling to play “team ball” at the time of this post.)
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