The Charlotte Hornets were supposed to be a playoff team during the 2014-15 NBA season. Instead, they suffered through injuries to stars Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker, as well as defensive ace, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Instead of competing at a high level and making the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference, the Hornets were exposed as an offensively-inept bunch that needed to play elite defense and be 100% healthy in order to compete.
While the latter two points are two the Hornets will gladly live up to for the upcoming 2015-16 NBA season, they have high hopes that their offensive woes could be eradicated this year. With solid new additions and some minor changes, Charlotte could be right back where they were two years ago: in the playoffs.
They just have to let the right players play. Let’s look over their roster and find the perfect starting five and roles for their main rotation to help the Hornets build a winner:
Ideal Starting 5: Kemba Walker (PG), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (SG), Nicolas Batum (SF), Frank Kaminsky (PF) and Al Jefferson (C)
Walker is probably the most inefficient top shelf starting point guard in the league, but he’s a clutch gamer who can ball. He’s also a solid passing point guard and gives you a complete leader at the lead guard spot. He could be a little more consistent and he could be a stronger defender, but the Hornets could do a lot worse.
MKG is a stud defender and a very athletic, reliable slasher and finisher. He improved as a shooter last year but badly needs to add a three-point shot to his game. I’d prefer him to man the shooting guard slot and bring more offense to the table, but it’s hard to know his full potential given how much he was banged up last year. He’s still just 21 years old and the sky appears to be the limit, so if he can drastically improve this summer, Charlotte could be a lot better for it.
Batum is what he is, which is a solid, long defender who can rebound and hit the outside shot. He is not a star player, but he is a very strong role player who knows how to pick his spots. He really is inconsistent but a lot of that can have to do with his health at times. He’s a much more natural fit than Lance Stephenson was a year ago, a she doesn’t need the ball in his hands to kill you.
Frank the Tank has the potential to be a special big man, as he can already hit the NBA three and he’ll be able to rebound and score down low at this level. His toughness and defensive ability are absolutely in question, while he’s a nimble but not explosive big man. I think he’ll be just fine defensively in time, but the Hornets will have to work to help him out as a rookie. I like him starting right away, though, because his offensive game is his best asset and that’s what Charlotte needs the most.
Big Al is still a beast down low and can hit the mid-range jumper in his sleep. He’s also a fairly underrated defender that can clean the glass quite well. Jefferson is aging but he still has the goods to get it done at a high level. With Kaminsky hypothetically taking some pressure off of him and luring that extra defender out, Jefferson could find scoring to be an easier task this year.
Main Rotation: Jeremy Lin (PG), Jeremy Lamb (SG), P.J. Hairston (SF), Marvin Williams (PF), Tyler Hansbrough (PF), Cody Zeller (PF) and Spencer Hawes (C)
Linsanity is a very nice addition as a backup point guard and instant offense off the bench. Charlotte had that last year with Mo Williams and it worked out beautifully. Lin is a minor downgrade, but he can hit outside shots, get to the lane and create. He’s a very strong backup point guard and can also play off the ball at the two spot when needed. Lamb at his best is a decent starter, as he has a nice offensive game and some untapped upside. He’s a streaky shooter and inconsistent performer, overall, however, so hopefully he can just carve out a nice bench role where he comes in and fills it up with some scoring. The same goes for Hairston, who is a very explosive scorer but lacks defensive ability and is just not a polished player yet.
The Hornets have some serious depth and versatility on their bench when it comes to their bigs. Williams is a combo forward who can do pretty much everything, although he may not have a true position. He can start in a pinch, but for the betterment of this team, he’s the first forward off the bench instead. Psycho T is just a tough hustle guy who probably shouldn’t have a big role. I’d rather roll with Zeller’s athleticism and upside, as Zeller just needs to knock shots down consistently and continue to develop. He shouldn’t be given up on just yet. Hawes is a toss up, depending on which version of him shows up. If it’s the Hawes of two years ago, he might even start and give you a nice stretch four. If it’s the Hawes of last year, the Hornets might just want to cut him now.
Overall, Charlotte has a very solid starting five that is going to hit some bumps but has elite defensive potential and should get a boost offensively from Batum and Kaminsky. The bench is pretty strong, too, as it has some shooting/scoring, as well as some very nice depth for the paint. Ultimately, this probably isn’t a playoff team, but they sniffed success just two years ago and if they run this starting five and play their guys in the right spots, they’ll at least have a shot in the East.
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