Swarm and Sting
Fansided

What Would the Charlotte Hornets’ Small Ball “Death Lineup” Look Like?

By Jerry Stephens

Mar 21, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) gets a congratulations from guard forward Nicolas Batum (5) and guard Kemba Walker (15) after scoring in the closing seconds of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) gets a congratulations from guard forward Nicolas Batum (5) and guard Kemba Walker (15) after scoring in the closing seconds of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Could the Charlotte Hornets create some success by having their own version of the Golden State Warriors’ “Death Lineup” this season?

The Golden State Warriors have somewhat changed the NBA with their unstoppable three-point shooting and small ball lineups. They showcased their “Death Lineup” last season when their best small ball unit would dominate opposing teams on a nightly basis. Could the Charlotte Hornets create their own version of the “Death Lineup” this season?

The Hornets followed the Warriors’ mold somewhat last year as they actively set out to become a better outside shooting team. They also added players with diverse skill sets who could fit into multiple positions. The versatility in Charlotte’s roster allows them to potentially have a “death lineup” for this season.

Obviously the Hornets’ version of small ball would not be anywhere close to as dominate as Golden State’s but it could be effective in small doses. If Steve Clifford were to implement a small ball lineup against certain teams, he would be able to exploit match-ups. Charlotte’s use of a two-guard set with Jeremy Lin and Kemba Walker last season was a version of small ball and it was one of their more effective lineup choices.

More from Swarm and Sting

The Golden State Warriors’ “Death Lineup” consisted of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green. The versatility of each player allowed the team to have one of the best small ball lineups that the league has ever seen.

Point Guard: Kemba Walker

Kemba Walker would play the Stephen Curry role for the Hornets’ small ball lineup. He is the quick point guard who can score and create open shots for his teammates. While he is nowhere near the shooter that Steph is, Walker has had a significant improvement in his three-point shooting ability.

The 26-year old played more minutes at point guard during the 2015-16 season than any other player in the league. There is no other choice at point guard for Charlotte in their “death lineup” as Kemba is one of the deadliest scorers at his position.

Shooting Guard: Marco Belinelli

I’m torn between Belinelli and Jeremy Lamb here. Both have the ability to shoot the ball but they are also below average defenders. Lamb has the edge in athleticism, but Marco’s the veteran who is a more consistent shooter. The Italian’s ability to shoot the ball from deep gives him the nod over Lamb in this situation.

Belinelli played 68.4% of his minutes at shooting guard last season for the Sacramento Kings so he is the perfect fit for this spot. He is the knockdown shooter for this small ball lineup as he has shot 37.9% from the three-point line for his career. Even after a down season with the dysfunctional Kings, Marco could be the Klay Thompson type player with this unit who specializes in outside shooting.

Small Forward: Nicolas Batum

The “death lineup” is comprised of the team’s best players so why wouldn’t Nic Batum be apart of it? His ability to defend, score, and be a playmaker gives this unit an extra edge. The Frenchman doubles as a secondary ball handler next to Kemba. Batum is a career 36% three-point shooter adding to the outside shooting trend of this small ball lineup.

Nic played 89.1% of his minutes at small forward last year but he will be more of a shooting guard this season. For small ball, he is the perfect fit for small forward and the Andre Iguodala role. The 6’8 swingman is vital for this “death lineup” to work. His length gives this small ball look more size on the perimeter.

Power Forward: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

With MKG coming back this season after his injuries last year, he’s the perfect fit for this lineup. The 6’7 forward has always been more of an undersized power forward rather than a small forward throughout his career. With his lack of shooting ability and above average rebounding, Kidd-Gilchrist is better suited as a small ball power forward.

More from Hornets News

Michael’s perimeter defense and speed would allow him to have the upper hand on bigger opponents. MKG’s outside shot has improved over his career and now entering his fifth season in the NBA, Kidd-Gilchrist is looking to have a career season from behind the arc.

Center: Marvin Williams

Although Marvin Williams didn’t play a single minute at center last season, he is the perfect fit for the Draymond Green role in this lineup. (No he won’t be kicking people below the belt.) The 30-year old had a breakout season for the Hornets as he reinvented his game. Marvin became a threat from the perimeter and also had career highs in rebounding and blocks per game.

Williams is a bit undersized at the power forward position but he was able to hold his own defensively against bigger opponents. He should be able to do the same in this lineup as he can take advantage of the opposition with his agility and athleticism. For this small ball lineup to work, he will need to become even better at rebounding and interior defense.

Next: Lamb Preparing to be More Consistent and Play 82 Games

It will be interesting to see if head coach Steve Clifford utilizes this lineup for the Charlotte Hornets this season. Although it is unlikely that we would see the “death lineup” in big minutes, the team may use a variation of this small ball unit this year. I doubt that Clifford would play Williams at center but we could see this lineup with Frank Kaminsky instead as he can spread the floor as well.

Home/Hornets News