Marvin Williams’ Turnaround Could Save His Future With the Charlotte Hornets
After a poor first half to the year, many had written off Marvin Williams‘ future with the Charlotte Hornets but his play post All-Star Break could save him.
The Charlotte Hornets were banking on Marvin Williams to follow up his career year last season with a similar one in the 2016-17 campaign. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite happen as he struggled for the better part of the first half of the season. While he wasn’t terrible, the veteran power forward was also failing to live up to the contract that the team had signed him to, thus making his future in the Queen City unclear.
Luckily for both him and the Hornets, Williams turned things around after the All-Star Break. Prior to the break, the 30-year old was struggling. He wasn’t having the same impact that he has last season. As a result, Charlotte struggled as well. Not that it was only his fault but his play wasn’t moving the needle enough in the right direction.
Marvin was the team’s second priority, after Nicolas Batum, in free agency ahead of key contributors like Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee and Al Jefferson. He signed a huge four-year, $54.5 million deal that would keep him with the Hornets long-term. It’s clear that Steve Clifford was the first coach that had brought out the best in Williams during his NBA career but he had to prove that the breakout season at age 29 wasn’t just a fluke.
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He didn’t do a great job of that out of the gates as he looked more like the “bust” that was drafted 2nd overall in 2005 than the veteran coming off of the best year of his career. Jason Concepcion even wrote an article for The Ringer describing players who performed in contract seasons only to regress the following year. He dubbed that list of players as “The Marvin Williams All-Stars.” (Ouch.)
Despite his early struggles, Coach Clifford still rode with 6’9 forward as he started all 65 games that he was healthy enough to play in. That trust eventually paid off as Marvin started to find his confidence. Post All-Star Break, Williams has been playing like a man on fire.
In many games before the All-Star Game, the 11-year veteran was invisible and hardly a difference maker. He struggled to make an impact and was barely one of the Hornets’ top-four players on most nights. Since the break, he has arguably been Charlotte’s second best player behind Kemba Walker as the team has been trying to make a late push towards the playoffs. A quick look at the numbers will show just how much better he’s been.
Stats Before and After the All-Star Break:
Before: 50 Games, 28.4 MPG, 11.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.5 BPG, 40.7% FG/ 34.5% 3P/ 84.3% FT
After: 15 Games, 35.9 MPG, 13.2 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 BPG, 50.7% FG/ 33.3% 3P/ 88.4% FT
(NBA.com)
Not only is Marvin averaging more points, rebounds, assists and blocks per game but he is almost doubling each of those averages, aside from points. He is nearly averaging two times the rebounds, assists and blocks. After only recording a disappointing three double-double in the first 50 games of the season, Williams has pulled down five in his last 15 games since the All-Star Break.
His three-point shooting has waned a bit but he is shooting 10% (Yes. A whole 10%) better from the field which is astonishing. For whatever reason (scheme changes, increased minutes, more confidence), Marvin has been on a tear as of late. There were talks about possible trades or finding a way to cut ties with Williams’ contract earlier in the season but after his play down the stretch, he very may well have secured his future in Charlotte.
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The Hornets’ defensive leader is turning back the clock and playing like the forward that helped lead the team into the postseason last year. While Marvin’s efforts may be a little too late to push Charlotte into the playoffs this time around, he is closing out the season on a high note. And that should bode well for him keeping his starting spot next year while also building confidence.