Buzz City Beat is Swarm and Sting’s one stop for the best articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.
Bleacher Report ranked Jeremy Lamb as one of the top breakout players in the NBA so far this season. Although, he was only in the honorable mention category because it’s unclear if he can keep up this level of production once Nic Batum comes back. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the Charlotte Hornets‘ jersey patch, Jeremy Lamb’s arrival and Nicolas Batum‘s imminent return.
Hornets sign jersey patch deal with LendingTree (CharlotteObserver.com)
"The Hornets will announce Monday that they have signed a three-year advertising deal with LendingTree, the Charlotte-based online marketplace that matches borrowers with lenders. As part of the deal, Hornets jerseys will have a 2.5-inch LendingTree patch on their left sides, opposite the Jordan Brand Jumpman logo."
LendingTree’s deal with the Hornets is expected to be worth around $5-7 million per year. Compare that to the Golden State Warriors who are getting $20 million annually from their sponsor, Rakuten. One good thing is that the sponsor patch won’t appear on jerseys that fans purchase.
ESPN’s Darren Rovell shared a picture of what the jersey patch will look like on the teal uniforms. Looking at other team’s jersey patches around the league, the Hornets’ LendingTree patch isn’t horrible and actually blends in nicely with their uniforms. With the deal, Charlotte became the 19th NBA team with a jersey sponsor patch.
Jeremy Lamb has finally arrived… Maybe (FanSided.com)
"Sometimes players are late bloomers. Sometimes they’re products of their situations, and need to be put in the right one in order to prosper. Lamb could be either, or he might be both. Whatever the case, he’s looked his best since his UConn days, where he was a proficient scorer and knock-down shooter."
After five somewhat subpar seasons in the league, the 6’5 swingman has arrived. Lamb’s emergence can be attributed to a combination of his hard work over the summer and an unforeseen opportunity that arose once Nic Batum went down. If he keeps this up, an argument could be made that Jeremy deserves a starting role in the NBA, whether it be with Charlotte or another team.
Paul Centropani brings up an interesting point that Lamb’s problem may be because of perception and that his sleepy demeanor may deter some fans. Regardless, Jeremy is playing the best basketball of his NBA career and has arguably been Charlotte’s second best player behind only Kemba Walker so far this season. Although his minutes and role will be reduced once Nicolas returns, hopefully, he can continue to make a positive impact and be an effective sixth man off of the bench.
Nicolas Batum to return vs Cavs (CharlotteObserver.com)
"For the first time since tearing a ligament in his left elbow Oct. 4, Batum went full-court 5-on-5 scrimmage in practice. All went well, and if there is no setback, shooting guard Batum should play in Wednesday’s nationally televised home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers."
Next: Dwayne Bacon is an ideal rookie
Nic has been targeting a November 15th return against the Cleveland Cavaliers for some time now and with the date fast approaching, his potential come back is looking more and more likely. Going through full-contact practice with no setbacks is a promising sign. It will be interesting to see how well Batum plays in his first game back and going forward this season because even though he is healthy enough to play, the ligament in his elbow is still torn.