Kobe’s challenge for each Charlotte Hornets’ player

The Bench

Michael Carter-Williams: Be 2nd on the Team in Assists

This may be one of the easier challenges I’m giving a player. Being the main distributor for the second team, there’s no reason he shouldn’t at least be Top-three on the team in assists. Basically, I’m challenging him to average more assists than Kemba Walker.

Kemba is a good passer, but he’s never going to be the guy that averages around double-digit assists. Also, there’s really no other guy in the second unit that is known as a good passer.

This could open the door for MCW to rack up assists easily with the shooters he will be surrounded by. That pick and roll with Cody Zeller might even give us some highlights passes, too.

Malik Monk: All-Rookie First Team

I was almost tempted to challenge Monk to be Rookie of Year. However, with this star studded rookie class making the first team will be challenging enough.

Monk already comes in as the most polished shooter in the class, but we didn’t get to see him at all during Summer League. Also, there will be several other rookies starting right away that could put him at a disadvantage.

I still think Monk is one of the more NBA ready prospects. His scoring style will translate directly into today’s NBA. He’s going to make an All-Rookie team and prove the Hornets were lucky he fell to them.

Jeremy Lamb: Use Your Athleticism to Become a Good Defender

Jeremy Lamb’s challenge is kind of unique. There’s no real statistical achievement to aim towards. He just simply needs to develop his defensive game.

He’s always been a good scorer, but his tendency to be one-dimensional has been one of the things hindering his progress from getting an expanded role on a team. It’s not as if he’s not capable of at least becoming an above average defender. He has phenomenal athleticism and just needs to figure out how to translate that on the defensive side of the ball.

At the very least, he can use that athletic ability to show more effort and hustle. As I’ve said before, defense is more about hustle than anything. Nobody is asking him to become MKG, just not a complete liability defensively.

Frank Kaminsky:  Lead the Team in Scoring Behind Kemba Walker

I’m sure some of you about passed out until you saw the “behind Kemba Walker” part. No, nobody on the team is going to be passing Kemba up in the scoring column.

Last season, Frank was third in scoring behind Kemba and Nic. This season, he will not only be competing with Nic but Malik and Dwight as well. All four of these guys will average double-digits for, whichever one scores the most will depend on a lot of things.

Frank may end up benefiting from Monk is just a rookie and not entirely accustomed to the NBA yet. If he can find a way to get into the starting lineup, I’m willing to bet that he will end up second in scoring on the team.

Cody Zeller: Be a Finalist for Sixth Man of the Year

Just because Cody Zeller is likely being moved to a bench role, doesn’t mean he will have to regress. Clifford already said that Cody and Dwight may be used together some so it’s unlikely his minutes will drastically drop either.

If Cody is able to maintain his 10.3 PPG and 6.5 RPG averages he could surely be in the running for the award.  His impact even stretches beyond those averages. There’s a reason the team was 3-17 without him last season.

There aren’t going to be very many sixth men out there that have that kind of value to their team.  Cody is a high character guy and a hard worker. I highly doubt he would let Dwight’s presence crush his spirits as a player. Cody will be just as good, if not better than he was last season. An arguably top-12 center as a sixth Man? Yeah, I like his chances to be a finalist.

Treveon Graham:  Break Into the Regular Rotation

Treveon didn’t get to play all that much in his rookie season. When he did, he impressed with his defense and surprising ability to shoot the deep ball (albeit at a low clip). Summer League was also big for him to show how much he’s improved in the offseason.

Even with those performances, breaking into the rotation will be difficult. MKG, Jeremy Lamb, and the newly drafted Dwayne Bacon will be competition for him. Clifford seems to love Treveon. If Jeremy starts slacking any, he won’t hesitate to put Treveon in there, especially for defensive purposes.

Making it in the NBA is obviously tough. When you’re a hard worker like Treveon you at least give yourself the best chance possible of getting to play.

Johnny O’Bryant: Show that the Denver Game Wasn’t a Fluke

The Hornets signed J.O.B. to a 10-day contract last season when the team was riddled with injuries. In one of his first games with the team, he was astounding.

He was the difference maker in Charlotte’s 112-102 win over the Denver Nuggets. His 15 points and six boards proved he has the talent to be in the NBA. It also helped earn him a multi-year contract with the team. Now it’s time to prove he wasn’t a one game wonder.

Given that he’s the team’s 5th big man, he won’t get too much playing time. It’s inevitable, though, that one of the other guys will need a rest or have a minor injury at some point throughout the season. When that happens, J.O.B. will need to show he’s reliable to depend on as an emergency big man.

Dwayne Bacon: Turn Low-Percentage Two’s Into High-Percentage Three’s

Perhaps the least effective shot in the NBA is the contested, long two. It’s nearly as far back as a three so it isn’t always shot at a high percentage, but it grants fewer points than the deep ball.

The mid-range game is very important in today’s league and is somewhat of a lost art. Dwayne Bacon is a mid-range specialist. However, some of the mid-range shots he takes could be changed to help evolve his game.

Instead of a fade away two just a foot or two inside the arc, find a way to take a three instead. Whether it be by learning an effective step back from Kemba, or give and go’s with teammates, just find a way. If Bacon can add a consistent three point shot along with his mid-range accuracy, he has a chance to be in the league a long time.

Julyan Stone: Dont Miss a Step if MCW Goes Down

This could be a tough challenge for a guy that hasn’t played in the league since the 2013-2014 season. For the Hornets to bring him back from overseas after a few years, they must’ve seen something to be optimistic about.  

One thing could be his height. At 6 foot 6, he’s the same height as MCW and taller than the average point guard. He’s 28-years old and played plenty of basketball in his life, he will know how to use that to his advantage.

It’s entirely possible if MCW happens to get injured that Clifford may try out Monk as a point guard. Having too many options is always a good problem to have.

Next: Who will be the Hornets most improved player?

Thanks to Kobe, this was a unqiue way to show goals and accomplishments each player should aim for. These are clearly challenges that will push each player to their limit. If several of the guys can get their challenges done, I foresee a successful season for the Hornets as a whole.