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Buzz City Beat: Assessing the Charlotte Hornets’ Deals, Interview With Cody Zeller

By Jerry Stephens

Feb 23, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) dunks the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) dunks the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports /
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Buzz City Beat is your one stop for the latest and greatest news and stories from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.

The Charlotte Hornets dropped their fifth straight game as they blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead to the Detroit Pistons in their last outing. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the deals the team made before the trade deadline, an interview with Cody Zeller and where they go from here.

Assessing Charlotte’s Deals

“The Charlotte Hornets didn’t make any deals on the day of the trade deadline but they were involved in a couple deals before. No deal that truly moves the needle was made but here’s my thoughts on the moves.” (IsportsWeb.com)

With only two trades made before the trade deadline, one for Miles Plumlee and one for a second round pick, this year was more about the deals the team didn’t make. Neither of the moves they move was enough to make them a contender but by not panicking or giving up their first round pick, the Hornets kept their future somewhat intact. Of course, there will always be criticism and maybe Charlotte should’ve done more to either create cap space going forward or go for it this season but they chose to do neither.

The one problem most fans have is that the trade for Plumlee could be seen as a loss for the Hornets because of his unfavorable contract that they took on.

More from Swarm and Sting

Interview With Cody Zeller

“Eventually I think it could be good for me, but right now what our team needs is for me to be rolling hard to the rim,” Zeller said. “But I think throughout the game there’s times where I can space the corner or get a trail 3 or whatever it is just to mix it up.” (HoopsHabit.com)

Max Seng of Hoops Habit and formerly of Swarm and Sting, got the opportunity to talk with Cody Zeller. They covered a few topics including the big man’s current quad contusion injury and how it’s progressing. The quote above was Zeller talking about him adding a three-point shot to his game.

There were a number of other things discussed during the interview. Seng talked about Cody being in the right place at the right time, a winning mentality, Charlotte becoming home and a simple kid from Indiana.

Where do the Hornets Go From Here?

“The option that is becoming more attractive as the season drags on, is to tank. This years draft appears to be deep, with promising prospects at every position. More importantly, Charlotte could use some offensive firepower, and there is no shortage of it among the 2017 draft class.” (CLTure.com)

Next: Hornets to Sign Johnny O'Bryant III to 10-Day Deal

Tanking wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Charlotte Hornets’ future but it would be a hard pill to swallow not only for the fans but also for the players and the coaching staff. If they continue to play hard but lose games, which is possible, then it really wouldn’t be tanking. Ultimately, the team won’t likely get past the first round of the playoffs if they do make it so a better pick in the lottery might be the best that they can hope for.

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