Hornets Roundtable Discussion: State of the Team

The contributors of Swarm and Sting, Joseph Calamore, Jerry Stephens, Connor Penegar and Deshawn White discuss the issues plaguing the Hornets.

1. Do you think that the answer to the Hornets current problems is currently on the roster, or do you believe that the team needs to look elsewhere in the league?
2. Do you believe that Al Jefferson will return to the team next year? And if not, what is the Hornets greatest need for the offseason?
3. Will the Hornets make the playoffs?
4. How do you view P.J. Hairston’s current season? Do you think it is a fluke or is he actually making real progress?

Joseph Calamore
1. No. I believe the biggest problem for the Hornets is currently a lack of post defense. This team needs a defensive anchor in the post more than anything else right now. The less opposing wing players can drive into the paint for easy twos, the more they will have to stay out on the wing where Batum can lock them up on defense. When it comes to potential trade targets, I see Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez or Sacramento Kings center Kosta Koufus as the most likely if the Hornets were to look at the market.

2. Another no for me. I think it will be more the Hornets realizing they must look in another direction rather than keep on going with Big Al as the franchise starting center. At this point in his career, Jefferson is too injury prone and less effective when playing at a higher tempo on offense. The greatest need with Jefferson gone would be a defensive minded center. This is where I would be looking at free agency, and in particular a specific center named Hassan Whiteside. Miami will most likely not be able to afford to keep him, and he’s exactly the type of rim protector Charlotte needs. With cap space to build around, look for the Hornets to go hard after Whiteside if Jefferson is out this summer.

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3. At this point in the season, there’s just too many variables to give a definitive answer. If MKG is to come back by March, along with Jefferson by February, I can see the team making the playoffs, even in the more competitive Eastern conference. Although, if either of them are to come back later than expected, or not at all, this could be a season ultimately lost through injuries.

4. I think P.J. Hairston is showing real promise this season. It took a terrible rookie year to serve as a wake up call, but Hairston is finally coming around to show just how good of an NBA player he could be. He’s not going to be the best option at the starting shooting guard spot going forward, but he is definitely showing the ability to be a key rotation piece for seasons to come.

Jerry Stephens

1.If the answer means a player that can help this team make the playoffs then yes. I think Michael Kidd-Gilchirst and Al Jefferson can be the answers for the Charlotte Hornets when they are healthy. This team was clearly better with Big Al in the line-up and with the addition of MKG back into the rotation, it could vastly improve the team’s chemistry and defense.

2.I don’t think that Al Jefferson will be back with the team next year. He is a great player and he may still be able to contribute for a few more years but with his recent injury history, there is no way that the Charlotte Hornets can count on him going forward. The team must make a move in the off-season to after a young center. They need an athletic rim protector that can rebound. They don’t need another Jefferson, they need a big like Hassan Whiteside.

3. As much as I want to say yes, I just can’t see them making the playoffs this year without some kind of trade or stroke of luck where injuries don’t affect them for the rest of the year. This team had a great start but they can not win on the road and they are dealing with too many injuries to key players like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Al Jefferson. They could make the playoffs but I just can’t see that happening this year.

4. I think that P.J. Hairston has made significant progress for the Charlotte Hornets. He has improved his individual defense and his outside shot. Now I am not saying that he will be a star or even a solid starter but he has improved this season. He has proven that he can be a valuable role player for team going forward if that’s what they want from him once MKG returns.

Connor Penegar

1. Also, I don’t believe that the answer to the Hornets problem is currently on the roster. I see this squad’s biggest issue to be the lack of post defending. We all know that this team can score pretty well, and can put the ball in the hoop a lot. This year, I think that the loss of Bismack Biyombo is more important than was expected. Most Hornets fans thought that the loss of Biz was pretty bad, but it wasn’t crucial to the team’s success. Now, the loss of Biz is seen as extremely important to the team. I agree that the team should go after Hassan Whiteside this offseason. He is a local guy, being from Gastonia, and I think he’d like to return home. Whiteside is a Biz on steroids, and he can score, rebound, and protect the rim really well. I see the Hornets not waiting for the offseason to get a rim protector this season. I think Charlotte might make a switch with the Nets for both Bogan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez. The team has been interested in Lopez in the past and recently have shown interest in Bogdanovic.

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2. Big Al is most surely gone after this season. Throughout his entire career, Al has only stayed at teams for three years, and this is currently his third year in the Queen City. I personally really like Al, and think he could help this team in the future, but he is probably going to leave. In the past few weeks, we have seen the importance of Al on the team. He gives Charlotte a low post offensive scoring threat, and the team needed to have some of his easy baskets in various games. I see the Hornets and Al parting based on mutual consent, so that the Hornets can go after Whiteside in free agency.

3. I still believe that the Hornets will make the playoffs. Call me a homer, but I still see this current stretch to be only a blip on the Hornets radar. This team is still supremely talented, as we have seen in the past. People forget, but they were at one time the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, before this crappy vein of form. The first thing that this team needs to do is protect their home floor. Time Warner Cable Arena has become a fortress for the Hornets, and in the future, they need to make sure that they win in Charlotte. The upcoming schedule for the Hornets is somewhat favorable, playing the Pelicans, Bucks and Jazz in a row. Of course, this is what we said about the Hornets fixtures against the Suns and the Nuggets, in which they both lost. I see them recovering soon, so that they can compete in the difficult Eastern Conference this spring.

4. In drafting Hairston, I thought that the Hornets made a mistake. I was concerned with PJ’s character and decision-making following his fight with a then high school basketball player and hanging out with Josh Gordon at a supermarket. In his first year, Hairston didn’t really play very often, and I thought that he wasn’t an NBA-caliber player. Going into this season, I thought that Hairston wouldn’t play much and would get a little bit of playing time. When I heard that PJ would be starting for the team early in the season, I thought it would be just a placeholder for either Jeremy Lin or Jeremy Lamb to start. What has pleasantly surprised me with PJ is his development as a defender. He usually guards the opposing team’s best players on a nightly basis. He plays very good defense, and he has been a pretty good replacement for the injured MKG. Hairston still needs to work on his offensive game and three-point shot. Although he’s a good three-point shooter, the Hornets need him to become more consistent and make open threes. I have belief in PJ that he can improve his game and contribute to the team in the future.

Deshawn White
1. I’m on both sides actually. I know we need more talent on the team, but we have so many good players doing too much or out of position. We have no defensive post game, defense isn’t strong, too many turnovers, and constantly get beaten on the boards. When MKG returns, it may change, but until then, we’re still searching.

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2.Nope, he’s gone in my opinion. Not that he’s bad, but he’s just not that good anymore. He’s in his down years with injuries taking more time off his career. I can see the Hornets making a push for a more talented post player in free agency. We have the shooters, though they need more time to develop or get comfortable here, but we have no defensive identity without MKG. We need security down low so that no one can provide on a nightly basis.

3.At this rate, no, but the injuries do have a big part in it. And, we’re still a very young team. That and the point about players in wrong positions or doing too much. Kemba is pushing for an All-Star appearance, Nic is trying to facilitate. Also, Jeremy Lin is gassing himself by trying to be the missing piece, and Cody is trying to hold it down for Al and getting a few highlights along the way. However, Jeremy Lamb is finally getting the chance to develop. Lamb is not getting nearly enough credit for how he is developing. With more weight, better defensive concepts and a more polished attacking game, he’ll be a tough assignment and a great player.

4. PJ is probably a misunderstood guy that wants to play here, but I’m still not completely sold. He’s shown improvement in a couple of facets, but it shouldn’t warrant him guarding the best offensive player every night. That’s a tough challenge for anyone, and we can’t pretend that he’s MKG or even an adequate stopgap. He shouldn’t be starting at all for any team with his experience. I’m still leaning towards Batum back at 3 with Lamb or Lin as my starter at 2, but I understand that some things don’t fit. So my last thought? PJ is a Carolina man, and that’ll be great for him when he’s representing the Greensboro Swarm.