So many things dance in my head when the NBA draft comes around. I wonder what our team needs are. I wonder if the BPA will be a player that we need the most. I wonder if we will trade up to get to that BPA that we need. I wonder if we will trade the pick for some vet help, or for multiple lower picks. I guess, like many fans, I just wonder and speculate what exactly the Hornets will do.
As always, In Cho I Trust. Whether that’s the smart move or not, I trust the guy. The Lance trade, I question a little because I’m looking at it and wondering why we give up an expiring deal for a guy with 3 years guaranteed and a 4th year player option. I hesitate to make ANY judgement, because when we traded for Josh McRoberts, I thought the same thing. We all know how McBob wound up fitting with this team. Now my hope is that Spencer Hawes can be what McRoberts was, and not what Byron Mullens was.
Take a look at my “current” depth chart below. I’ve stuck everyone on there, whether they are due qualifying offers or not, just to get an idea of where we stand. Don’t read into the order, that’s just where ESPN had them sitting.
Depth Chart
Center:
Al Jefferson
Spencer Hawes
Bismack Biyombo
Power Forward:
Marvin Williams
Cody Zeller
Noah Vonleh
Small Forward:
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Jeff Taylor
PJ Hairston
Matt Barnes
Shooting Guard:
Gerald Henderson
Troy Daniels
Point Guard:
Kemba Walker
Brian Roberts
The first thing that jumps out at me is how thin we are at the 1 and 2 spots. I see a glaring need for at least one more shooting guard and point guard. Could we be drafting one at 9? Devin Booker could be an option, but that leaves our shooting guard rotation a young one behind Gerald Henderson, who is a free agent at the end of the season. Are we going to draft a point guard? If we do, I don’t see it coming at #9.
Let’s move away from the guard spots for a minute. I want to because I want to address the depth chart at small forward. Obviously, MKG is our starter, but behind him, Jeffery Taylor is due a qualifying offer. Will he get it? I question it myself. I’ll also state that I do not in any way view PJ Hairston as a small forward. Perhaps he is, but his defense is so slow at times, I really think he needs to up every aspect of his game and hopefully he can improve it all. As for our qualifying offers and cash flow stands, it only makes sense to waive Matt Barnes. Regardless of what he could bring to the table, we would pay him 1 million to leave or 3.5 million to stay. Makes sense to me to let him go. Could we let him go and let Jeffery Taylor go and draft a small forward? Stanley Johnson could be available, but again, that would leave the small forward crew young with a depth chart of MKG, Stanley Johnson, and PJ Hairston. Wait…I kinda like the way that looks, but I will always worry about MKG and injury because of his ceaseless hustle and crashes to the floor. I shall refer to MKG as Crash 2.0
Power Forward is a position that I am not all that concerned with. I can’t see us drafting yet another power forward with having Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh, and Marvin Williams all on the roster. For me, that’s a pretty solid crew. If we were to draft another PF…nah…I can’t see it. Another reason I can’t see it is because I see Spencer Hawes moonlighting at PF as an option.
Speaking of Spencer Hawes, I have to drift into the center position. Al will be here for 1 more year. Will he be here beyond that? Will the Hornets try to keep him past this season? I suppose so much will depend on how this season goes. The pessimist in me says to trade him for someone else. I’d even say to trade him to move up in the draft to get younger at center. Try to get Willie Cauley-Stein and restructure your ability to score so that the other 4 positions carry the load and the center gets the “clean-up” points. Another part of me hopes that Al returns to form and plays like he did his first year here. Whatever happens with Al, I have 1 certainty that I believe in my heart and soul. The Hornets have to do whatever it takes to keep Bismack Biyombo a Hornet. He’s the rebounding blocker that is the yin to Al’s offensive yang. He’s young, improving, and learning every year. I believe he needs to be given his QO. The Hornets had better pray that some other team doesn’t offer him more than the 4.1 million that is his QO due to the reduced minutes he has played.
So, what do I think will happen? I honestly do not know. Perhaps we package some players and move up. Perhaps we trade back and move some players. It is so hard to speculate what will happen. The Charlotte Hornets are one of the best teams to hold their cards right up to the end. The Lance Stephenson trade leaked and was done within a few hours. Noting else has been leaked that I have seen or heard, so in less than a week, we will all find out what the newest addition to the Charlotte Hornets will be. Also, there is a draft party at Time Warner Cable Arena on the 25th. They will also be unveiling a new “alternate jersey”. I keep hoping for a black jersey or a retro with pinstripes.
Feel free to comment any ideas as to what direction you think the Hornets will go in.
And as always…
Let’s Go Hornets!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
