Welcome to Buzz City Beat, a daily roundup of the latest and greatest news and stories from around the web about the Charlotte Hornets.
Carmelo Anthony looks destined to leave new York with Houston being the most likely destination. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the Charlotte Hornets getting love in early power rankings, how Dwayne Bacon is exceeding expectations and what Malik Monk brings to the team.
Hornets’ move up in power rankings (CBSsports.com)
"This one may boggle the mind, considering their 2017 finish, lack of upgrades and teams behind them. But most close regular-season games are considered coin-flips by coaches, players and execs, and Charlotte was 0-9 in 3-point games last season. They are better than their record showed. A small bounce-back puts them in the weak East playoff picture."
Charlotte comes in at No. 13 in Matt Moore’s early power rankings. That’s six spots above where they were last ranked. The Hornets are only behind four Eastern Conference team with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards ahead of them.
Expect the team to rebound and make a return to the postseason next year. I think that there’s a good chance that Charlotte could challenge for a top-four seed and possibly a second round playoff appearance. If the Hornets’ roster can avoid major injuries, they should be in good shape for the 2017-18 season.
Dwayne Bacon is exceeding expectations (FanRagSports.com)
"Buzz City’s second-round pickup unleashed a smooth arsenal of shot-creating maneuverability in Orlando. Though he’s not a top-shelf athlete, has has a superb feel for changing speeds, changing directions and using his body to find creases to score."
Bacon was one of the major surprises of the Orlando Pro Summer League and experts have taken notice. The Florida State product has outplayed a number of first round picks with his outstanding performances. Even though expectations for second round players aren’t usually very high, it’s safe to say that the Hornets’ pick has already exceeded them.
Scott Howard-Cooper even ranked Dwayne as the ninth-best first year player in his rookie ladder. He was the only second round pick from the 2017 NBA Draft listed. Bacon’s ability to create his own show offensively could help him break into Charlotte’s rotation.
What Malik Monk brings to Charlotte (iSportsWeb.com)
"There isn’t one player on the Hornets’ roster that possesses all the qualities Monk brings to the table. His energy and scoring will be exactly what the team needs off the bench and he could prove to be a major contributor this year."
Next: Four possible veteran minimum big men
While Monk’s athleticism and scoring ability stand out, I think his shooting will be his biggest asset during his rookie year for the Hornets. Going back to his scoring, that is going to be a welcome addition as he could help take some of the scoring load of off Kemba Walker. Malik probably won’t average 20+ points per game but consistently putting up around 12-15 points would be huge.