Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Can’t Have Another Down Season, Zeller a Top-15 Center?
Buzz City Beat is Swarm and Sting’s one stop for the best articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.
The NBA playoffs are set to get underway while the offseason has already begun for the Charlotte Hornets as they missed out on postseason play this year. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the team not being able to afford another down season, Cody Zeller possibly a top-15 center and five moments that defined the 2016-17 campaign.
Hornets Can’t Afford Another Down Season (TheCharlottePost.com)
"The Charlotte Hornets can’t afford another failed season. A year after tying for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and pushing Miami to the seventh in the playoffs’ first round, they missed the postseason by five games at 36-46. Underachievement was an understatement from players to the front office."
No one on the Hornets can afford another disappointing season next year. Rich Cho and Steve Clifford will be on the hot seat. Their jobs are on the line next season and if the team fails to make the playoffs, their time in Charlotte is likely up. After the down year many of the players had, they need to bounce back if they want to stick with the team long-term.
Everybody’s job is at stake heading into next season. It will be “do or die” for not only GM and coach but also for a number of players. Michael Jordan will clean house if results aren’t there. That pressure will either make or break them next year.
Cody Zeller a Top-15 Center? (BleacherReport.com)
"If you’re looking for the master of doing the little things at this position, you’ve found him. Cody Zeller’s per-game numbers don’t scream that he should be considered a top-15 center, but it’s not hard to find justification."
Cody might not put up the numbers that other big men do but he does the little things that help his team win games on a nightly basis. He isn’t a great interior defender, rebounder or post-up player but despite that, Zeller still manages to find ways to put Charlotte in the best possible position. Nothing speaks more to that than their record with and without him this past season.
They were 33-29 in games where he played compared to only 3-17 in games that Cody missed. He has also become one of the best pick-and-roll big men in the league. You can’t just look at his stats because they will understate what Zeller actually does for the Hornets and how important he actually is. Charlotte brings out the best in him and vice versa.
Five Season Defining Moments for Charlotte (GastonGazette.com)
"injuries and poor defense and some infrequent bad luck ganged up to knock the Hornets from last year’s 48-34 playoff team to a 36-46 team that lost its last five games of the season. That losing streak began with a damaging 118-111 loss at playoff-bound Washington on April 4, and it’s one of five season-changing moments this year for the team."
Next: Season Grades: Kemba Walker
Only one of these five games was a victory and that speaks to the Hornets’ disappointing season. All of the four losses were matches where Charlotte not only led but actually gave up double-digit leads late in games. After a strong start to the year, the losses began to pile up for the team until they were eventually eliminated from playoff contention.