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Swarm and Sting Round Table Discussion: Charlotte Hornets’ Season Preview

By Jerry Stephens

Jan 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; A ball lays on the court during a timeout in the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the Jazz in two overtimes 124-119. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; A ball lays on the court during a timeout in the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the Jazz in two overtimes 124-119. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 29, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets mascot Hugo the Hornet waives the banner before the tipoff of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets mascot Hugo the Hornet waives the banner before the tipoff of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

5. What are you most looking forward to this season?

Jerry Stephens:

I am most looking forward to the Charlotte Hornets winning their first ever Southeast Division title this season. I think that they have a legit shot with the Miami Heat regressing, the Orlando Magic not getting much better, the Atlanta Hawks losing Al Horford, and the Washington Wizards not getting better from the team that they had last year. Since the division realignment in 2004, the Hornets have never won a divisional title. This is their season to do just that and raise a banner withe 2016-17 SOUTHEAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS on it.

Gabriel Davis:

I am looking forward to seeing the huge new scoreboard in person! I also look forward to whatever interesting things Rich Cho will pull out of his hat during the trade deadline. The man can wheel and deal, and if the Hornets need a piece, he will try his darndest to acquire it.

Daniel Purcell:

I am looking forward to this team starting to gel.  I think the defensive potential of Nic, MKG, and Hibbert is very exciting.  I am extremely intrigued with whether or not they will give teams the fits I am expecting.  

Rhett Koonce:

I am most looking forward to the revenge games against the Miami Heat. Losing to the Heat in the first round of the playoffs last year left a bad taste in my mouth. I hope our boys have every Heat game circled on their calendars. The Southeast division is wide open and ripe for the taking. Hopefully the Hornets will rise to the top and become the new team to beat in their division. But first, they must knock off the reigning champs. Win it for Purple-Shirt Guy!

Russ Heltman:

I am most looking forward to the Warrior games and how well these Hornets stack up with the superteam out west, I don’t see it going very well.

Laieke Abebe:

I’m looking forward to actually seeing the Hornets play on national television this season. They’ll be playing against the Warriors and Spurs on the ESPN networks and both teams are certain to be title contenders once again. It’ll be a great litmus test for how much farther the Hornets need to go as a team.

Young Kim:

I’m definitely looking forward to the Hornets’ best players in Kemba and Batum. Each had breakout seasons last year, and I am optimistic that they will only continue to improve. Batum was hindered by injuries and the constant shift in positions he had to go through due to injuries to MKG and the acquisition of Courtney Lee. With his position firmly entrenched at shooting guard, I think Batum can average even more assists than last year and be the primary playmaker in Charlotte’s offense. I expect Kemba to capitalize on his stellar season last year. I would like to see an uptick in his scoring and continued improvement in his scoring efficiency. Almost an All-Star last season, Kemba finally taking that leap would be awesome to see.

Deshawn White:

The two things I’m most interested in seeing are the team playing with a true center in Roy Hibbert and Belinelli, Lamb and Kaminsky leading the second unit. All four players are capable of contributing every night, and they all have something to prove after last year. I’m thinking that Lamb, Hibbert, and Kaminsky improve the most.

Next: Five Waived Players the Hornets Should Sign

But I’m sure that EVERYONE will undoubtedly think that the return of MKG and the continued cohesion of Batum and Kemba are the biggest things to look for, but my gut feeling is that those three will continue to play at a high level. You can already see that they are already comfortable together, so it’ll be more interesting to see the bench improve after having such solid reservists last year.

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