Charlotte Hornets: Top-five things to look forward to in 2017-18

Believe it or not, the NBA season tips off in about a month. 30 teams will all begin their journey towards a championship. The Charlotte Hornets are just one of those teams. Here are the top five things to look forward to during their bid for a title.

1. Kemba Walker’s (hopeful) continued ascension.

Last year was a career year for the point guard out of Connecticut. Making the All-Star game and averaging just over 23 points a game, Kemba Walker made quite a name for himself. Yet, at only 27 years old, he can still show considerable improvement. Many would say that Kemba is a top-10 point guard in the league.

Many (including yours truly) also think he could easily be a top-five point guard. Though the team may not need to rely on him as much given their offseason additions, there’s no doubt Kemba’s name could be there with the likes of John Wall or Chris Paul.

2. Dwight Howard’s resurgence.

The Hornets garnered big headlines when they traded for Dwight Howard earlier this year. Although he may be entering his 14th season, the big man looks to prove he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. His physical play and rebounding would be a huge boon to a team that was in the middle of the pack in total rebounds per game last season. Being reunited with head coach Steve Clifford could also help Howard get back to his All-Star caliber of play. Howard had his best years in Orlando while Clifford was an assistant. Perhaps the coach could revitalize the veteran center.

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The weeks before season tip-off in the NBA are always exciting. Every team feels as though they have a shot at success. With key offseason additions, Hornets fans are certainly buzzing with anticipation.

3. The possible impact of Malik Monk

It was somewhat surprising when Malik Monk fell to the Hornets with the 11th pick in the draft. Many had him going much earlier, even in the top 5. Though an ankle injury has sidelined him throughout the summer (and possibly longer), a healthy Monk could definitely aid a Hornets team that shot just 35.1% from 3 last year, good for 18th in the league. Here’s hoping the guard out of Kentucky can be ready for the season opener.

4. Which player will finally be the Robin to Kemba’s Batman?

Kemba Walker is undisputedly the leader of this team. Countless are the times he has put the squad on his back and carried them to a win. For a while now, though, fans have been wondering who will be his second in command. For the past two seasons, Nicolas Batum often has been the second option behind Kemba. In two seasons with the Hornets, Batum has averaged 15 points a game. That’s not bad, but it’s clear the team needs more.

The Hornets averaged 104.9 points a game last year. That puts them at 16th in the league. While not terrible, only Walker and Batum were the players averaging over 15 a game for the Hornets. If Kemba for some reason is having an off night, the Hornets need a reliable second option. There’s no reason Nic can’t be that option, of course, but he needs to be more consistent. Then again, who’s to say it can’t be someone else? Perhaps Dwight Howard could be a 20 and 10 guy again? Or maybe Cody Zeller could see a marked improvement? In any case, Kemba will need help if the Hornets want to achieve any success.

5. MKG

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has spent five seasons with the Hornets. He’s been a fine player, fulfilling a sort of jack-of-all-trades kind of role. Yet, many feel as if he hasn’t earned the lived up to being picked second overall in the 2012 draft. At only 23, he’s still young and has tons of upside, but one has to wonder how long the Hornets will wait. He has all the athleticism in the world and has a good IQ, but he’ll need to work on his shooting to really contribute. Could this finally be the year? Fans certainly hope so.

Next: A look back at Johnson's legacy

There’s a lot of anticipation around the Queen City for this upcoming season. Hornets fans definitely seem optimistic. Can the team live up to expectations? It’ll be a long battle, but I personally feel the Hornets are up to the task.