Swarm and Sting
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Charlotte Hornets: Why shortening the rotation is a bad idea

By Laieke Abebe

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 6: Stephen Silas interim head coach of the Charlotte Hornets during the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 6, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 6: Stephen Silas interim head coach of the Charlotte Hornets during the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 6, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Acting head coach Stephen Silas says that he will shorten the rotation similar to what he did in the Hornets recent loss to the Blazers, but is it a good idea to do that?

If fans were to say the Charlotte Hornets are struggling, that would be way more than an understatement at this point. After yet another heartbreaking loss in the final seconds, this time to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Hornets sit at 13th in the Eastern Conference standings. Many players have missed time due to injury and that also includes head coach Steve Clifford.

This has led to Stephen Silas taking over as the acting head coach for the time being. However, things haven’t changed with the Hornets. They are still inept at closing out games that they have a good chance of winning.

Also, many players have underachieved: some due to injury and some due to a lack of production. Nicolas Batum is one in particular that comes to mind and it seems that the elbow injury is affecting him in some way.

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Something of significance came about when coach Silas mentioned that he would continue to keep the rotation short. In the game against the Blazers, eight players really got a good amount of playing time.

This includes Michael Carter-Williams getting 16 minutes at the backup point guard position. He finished with one point and was a -10 in his time on the floor. This included a horribly missed wide open lay-up that was a difference in the game against Portland (the Hornets lost by two points).

While players like MCW are struggling off the bench, rookies Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon aren’t getting playing time off the bench. It has caused a bit of uproar among Hornets fans that these two continue to get “DNP-CD” written next to their names. In the end, shorten the rotation isn’t good because the team doesn’t get to showcase these two while MCW continues to be the worst backup point guard in basketball.

In the end, if shortening the rotation means that players replace other players in the rotation then it could be a good thing. However, it isn’t good that players that we wanted to draft don’t get a chance to showcase their skills.

Next: Hornets tried to trade for Jimmy Butler

There is nothing to lose by seeing how Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon can impact the team. The team is in a bad way right now and one or both of these players could change how the team plays. It’s just a matter of giving them a chance.

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