Charlotte Hornets: Round-Table Discussion

As the preseason heats up, more questions continue to arise as old ones are answered. We at Swarm and Sting try to answer some tough questions as well engage readers. The last few days have mostly been centered on MKG’s injury, the adjustments to the lineups, and Lin/Charlotte’s International Games. However, the MKG injury has been done to death. So this discussion will be centered on the aftermath of the injury, and probable outcomes. To get a few different outlooks, I’ve enlisted the help of my fellow Swarm and Sting writers Jerry (@JR_Steph23) and Joseph (@JosephFCalamore) who agreed to answer a few questions. Initially, I’d like to say thank you to the guys for helping, and I hope you enjoy our thoughts. First, I’ll write the question, followed by the senior writer Jerry, then the coolest Noob writer Joseph, then myself. Now let’s get right to it:

Q: What do you think the MKG injury does to the starting 5?

Sep 25, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during media day at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry: “I believe that it moves Batum to the Small Forward position that he is familiar with from his time in Portland. I think Jeremy Lamb will get the start at Shooting Guard for the team instead of coming off the bench. He will have to prove that he deserves that spot, but to begin the season, I could see him starting and likely keeping it all season with his play. The rest of the starting line-up will remain the same with Kemba Walker at Point Guard, Al Jefferson at Center, and likely Cody Zeller or Marvin Williams at the Power Forward spot”.

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Joseph: “I think the MKG injury definitely makes the starting 5 more offense oriented. It may not be to Coach Steve Clifford’s liking, but this team is going to have to become better offensively. Even if it means we take a step back defensively, which we’re going to do with MKG out anyways. I think Lamb gets the starting Shooting Guard spot, so this starting 5 is going to be able to shoot from top to bottom as Walker, Batum, Kaminsky, and Jefferson all have good jump shots. I think this team goes from being a Grizzlies type of team to a more Oklahoma City type team.

Deshawn: “I see that we all have one thing in common, and that’s Batum as the Small Forward and Jeremy Lamb as the Shooting Guard. I know that Lamb isn’t as seasoned as most 4-year guards in the league, but his talent and potential makes him the best candidate to compete for the starting position. Additionally, Batum in the SF position eases the pain of losing MKG. Batum is also a plus defender who was supposed to help defend the wing, however his presence alone will still spread the floor and improve the team in a number of ways. Batum’s presence adds a dynamic 2-way player, and with the insertion of Lamb, adds another shooter as well as an underrated defender. Don’t hate me MKG fans, because I love MKG as much as anybody, but I actually see an improvement to the starting 5.

Q: Speaking of Jeremy Lamb, Do you think he has what it takes to continuously start over the rest of the players at Shooting Guard? What does he bring more than the others?

Sep 25, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb (3) during media day at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry: “I believe that Lamb can keep that starting Shooting Guard position over the other players because he gives them perimeter shooting with an underrated defensive ability. He can also handle the ball better than Troy Daniels, and I believe he is better than P.J. Hairston”.

Joseph: “That’s a hard question. Lamb has shown that he has the potential to continually start at the Shooting Guard position, but we just don’t have any evidence that he can. What he has going for him is that he’s very lanky, which will help him with his defense, and which will probably make him more valuable to Coach Clifford. He is also a pretty good, not great, athlete. He also has a relationship already developed with Kemba. As long as his shot stays steady, he has more talent overall than any of his competitors for the Shooting Guard spot. Although, if Lamb’s shot isn’t hitting with regularity, then I expect Troy Daniels to snatch up the starting spot in his place”.

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Deshawn: “Talent, potential, lack of competition… Those are my top reasons why he is in the best position to succeed. I see the Hornets quietly developing him into a more than a decent 2-way guard. If his shot can continuously fall as well as improve on defense, then he’s not only a starter, but a future Hornet as well. Dude sports a 7-foot wingspan as well as an outside shooting stroke, and comparing what he brings to P.J. and Troy doesn’t seem fair. He’s a great ball handler, a smart and active defender, an above average PnR player, good passer, athletic, and constant outside threat. No other Shooting Guard on the roster can bring that”.

Q: Where do you think Batum will get most of his minutes?

Jerry: “I could see him getting a lot of his minutes at Small Forward, but he is more of a combo wing this year. He will play with the ball in his hands a lot, create for himself and others. So he could be somewhat of a Point Forward for the team this year”.

Joseph: “Definitely Small Forward. We have the least depth there”.

Deshawn: “All agreed, Small Forward”.

Q: Who handles backup Small Forward duties?

Sep 25, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard P.J. Hairston (19) during media day at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry: “I could see P.J. Hairston getting the backup Small Forward role for the team.”

Joseph: “P.J. Hairston. It’s make or break for him this year. I see him having a pretty long career in the league. On the other hand, if he can’t make any difference this year, I think he’s out of the league within 3 years”.

Deshawn: ”P.J. Hairston. He hasn’t proven to be a difference maker to me, but I do like the defense he showed against Miami. If he can replicate that, then that just may be his place on this team”.

Q: Do you expect Kaminsky to play with the other starters sooner than later, or has Zeller or Marvin played well enough to hold on for longer?

Jerry: “I think that Kaminsky’s best spot for this team is coming off of the bench to add a scoring punch. Zeller fits the best with the starters because of his versatility on both sides of the ball. He is arguably the best rim protector that the team has right now, and the starting unit definitely needs that”.

Joseph: “The thing with Kaminsky is that he obviously has talent, but I’m not sure if he can come straight in and help this team go to the playoffs as a starter. I also feel as though if we are to go with Zeller from the beginning, he will have a big breakout year. What I fear is that Jordan will want his prized pick (Kaminsky) to be shown off from the beginning, which I don’t think is the best thing for his development. Another fear is that in hopes of a sure thing, Clifford starts the veteran Williams, who is best as the backup. I think the smartest thing to do is start Zeller, let him breakout, and then flip him for another prospect that shows more potential and fits a bigger need. So overall, I believe Kaminsky has the talent to start from the very beginning, but that the smart thing to do for the team and his development is to let Zeller start, and then bring in Kaminsky after we flip Zeller later in the season”.

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Deshawn: “I actually think he might start eventually, just not right now. I think his main competition is Zeller, but that he’ll eventually overcome it and start. Marvin and Zeller have actually played good ball so far, and it’s interesting to see that what they all can contribute. Marvin has seemed to fill the hole so far, but I really think Zeller is going to get the first opportunity over Frank. I see Zeller and Marvin to start, then Zeller and Kaminsky, and finally Kaminsky and Zeller”.

Q: Thoughts of a Kaminsky/Zeller duo?

Jerry: “Maybe in the future, but for now the only way that could happen would be with Kaminsky off of the bench for Jefferson, and Zeller stays in the Game. But it would be interesting if they both develop enough, maybe we could see that down the line.

Joseph: “No, but it’s not because of lack of talent. I just don’t think either will ever be able to play Center in the NBA. Both are really Power Forwards in today’s league. In small ball line-ups yes, but you really need a rim protector nowadays, and neither of them are that”.

Deshawn: “During this season? Maybe only because of injuries, but that would have to be middle to end of the season. After this season? Only if Big Al doesn’t resign”.

Q: Last question for the guys, should everyone write off this season or is there still a legitimate playoff push?

Jerry: “There is obviously less hope for the team to make a huge playoff push, but I still believe that this team can compete for a playoff spot, even if it is a 7 or 8 seed. The team has players that can compete and win”.

Joseph: “That’s the billion dollar question heading into this year. As a fan, I have to say there is still a legitimate chance we make the playoffs. We still have a great starting lineup to be in the Eastern Conference. On top of that, we have one of the deeper benches around the league, with our worse player probably being undrafted rookie Aaron Harrison. As a basketball analyst, I still agree with the points I made about our chances to make the playoffs, yet I know that without MKG we have no true shot to win big. Even if by any chance we were to make the playoffs, we don’t have any true hopes of winning a series when there. At that rate, I would rather just have a better draft pick and get a player that could chance this franchise’s fortunes. It’s really hard to say it because there are a lot of interesting things that could happen, but as of right now, I’d say this is going to be a season to ultimately write off”.

Deshawn: “Absolutely not! MKG will be missed, but this season will be heavily influenced by the play of Batum, Walker, Jefferson, and Lin. I admit that we would’ve been dominant with MKG AND Batum on the wings, but Batum is dynamic in his own right, and I really believe Lin will play his best ball. And woe to all that tries to deny Lin a playoff appearance during his best chance at redemption. All the players will have to step up in his absence for sure, but the 4 players I listed will try to carry this team to at least a lower seed. And barring injuries, they should be able to manage atleast between a 35 to 45 win season. I got hope for my Hornets people”.

The Bonus question: I’ll take this one. Q: Without a D-League to call its own, what will happen to the guys that they want to keep? Where will they send them to play? (@lemonbar4948)

Deshawn: “Good question. The good thing is that we won’t have to worry about this next season. The Wasps, Bees or Flying Whatevers will be in the Carolinas very soon. But anywho, the only options they would have would be to either put them on another D-League team or to let them go, but the only player/players I could assume they’d think about keeping would be obviously Aaron Harrison and maybe Sam Thompson. Everyone else feels like they’re just camp bodies. Another thought is that because of the injury to MKG, if they may qualify for another roster spot courtesy of the DPE (Disabled Player Exception). But back on subject, those seem to be the only two options. Thanks for reading this long article. Hope you enjoyed our answers. As always, drop comments below and I’ll be sure to check them out. Find us on Twitter for more. See you later

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