Al Jefferson is in the final season of his three-year $41 million dollar deal that he signed with the Charlotte Hornets franchise back in 2013. He will be turning 31 years old during this season and is currently 30. He is arguably entering the end of his prime and going towards the decline of his career but his play wouldn’t tell you that. He has started the season in spectacular fashion for his Charlotte Hornets’ team.
Last night against the Dallas Mavericks, he scored 31 points on 15 of 18 shooting from the field and also added nine rebounds to his stat line. He had his best game of the season so far this year and showed us all once again why he is arguably one of the best offensive centers in the game and why he continues to be the best offensive option for the Charlotte Hornets.
Big Al showed all of the NBA that his “old man” game can still be effective in today’s NBA where it is dominated by young, athletic big men. Jefferson’s slow, “boring,” non-athletic post moves and pump fakes that allow him to get the best possible shots on the floor still dominate the game. The Charlotte Hornets still rely on his “old man” game to get wins and compete against teams in this league.
More from Swarm and Sting
- Hornets: Where does Brandon Miller’s ceiling rank among other rookies?
- Charlotte Hornets grade out mostly average in position-by-position ranking
- Hornets News: P.J. Washington makes bold statement on Brandon Miller
- Grade the mock trade: Hornets snag Tyler Herro, flip Gordon Hayward
- Will the Charlotte Hornets be in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery?
In Al Jefferson’s three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets’ organization he has averaged 19.3 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per game. Everyone expected a step back in Jefferson’s game this season because of his age and injury history in the past few years but Big Al changed himself and his game.
Jefferson dropped 20 pounds during the off-season to make himself more durable and lighter when he plays. This will reduce the amount of pressure on his knees and legs going forward and help prevent injuries throughout the course of the season with the Charlotte Hornets. Dropping the 20 pounds also made Big Al more agile and quicker on his feet. It allows Jefferson to be quicker in the post with his moves and also to move his feet on the defensive end of the floor. It makes Jefferson’s cardio better and allows him to play more minutes and games without tiring as easily.
The Charlotte Hornets have made moves this past off-season to change their style of play to be faster and more three-point shooting. This is what the lacked in previous seasons. The unintended result of the improved outside shooting is how much better it makes Al Jefferson.
Jefferson now has more room to work in the post and take his defender one-on-one to the basket. Jefferson isn’t a guy who can usually be stopped by just one post defender because he will usually beat them with his variety of offensive skill and post moves. And if a defense finally decides to double Big Al in the post, he now has shooters on the outside that he can pass it to. Every other player on the court besides Jefferson can shoot the three ball at an above average mark. This has made the Charlotte Hornets an all around team that can be effective from inside the paint and from three.
For the Charlotte Hornets to be successful this season they will need to rely on both Jefferson and their outside shooting. They have a great group of complimentary players around Big Al but he is still the focal point of their offense and their best offensive player. When the Hornets need a basket, they throw the ball into the post to Jefferson. He is the player that can get the best shot on the offensive end of the floor for the Charlotte Hornets.
He might be entering the tail-end of his prime or career for the Charlotte Hornets to some but he has reinvented himself and made is still one of the most potent offensive low post centers in the game today.
His ability to knock down mid-range shots and mix up his offensive arsenal with pump fakes, spin moves, drop steps, and low post hooks are the reasons why he is the most important player on the Charlotte Hornets’ team this season and possibly going forward, depending on how much longer he can be effective. But for this season, he will be the Charlotte Hornets’ best player.
Next: The Reinvented Charlotte Hornets
Sure his game might be “boring” and “slow” to some but his play is methodical and effective. Enjoy his play while you still can appreciate the things that he has done and continues to do in a Charlotte Hornets’ uniform and for the organization.