Buzz City Beat is Swarm and Sting’s one stop for the latest news and stories from around the web about the Charlotte Hornets.
The Greensboro Swarm acquired Roscoe Smith as part of a three-team trade that sent Archie Goodwin to the Northern Arizona Suns. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at where the Charlotte Hornets sit in the Week 12 NBA power rankings, Dwayne Bacon being assigned back to the G-League and if the team should blow it up.
Charlotte moves up in Week 12 power rankings (USAtoday.com)
"The Hornets, who committed just three turnovers in Tuesday’s win over Sacramento, lead the league in ball security with 500 turnovers through 38 games."
The Hornets came in at No. 21 this week after being No. 25 in Week 11. They moved up four spots which ties them with the Miami Heat for the biggest jump in the rankings this week. Charlotte went 2-0 this past week with two road victories over the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kemba Walker and company will look to continue their rise in the power rankings and get into the top-20 for the first time since Week 2. With eight of their next nine games coming at home, there’s a good chance that the Hornets can string together a few wins a move up even more in the rankings over the next couple weeks.
Dwayne Bacon assigned to the Greensboro Swarm (NBA.com)
"Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has assigned rookie Dwayne Bacon to the Greensboro Swarm, the team’s NBA G League affiliate."
For the second time this season, Bacon has been assigned to the Swarm. He’s averaging 38.5 points per game, 8.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two previous games with Greensboro this season. The Hornets’ rookie will probably look to get plenty of shots up while in the G-League. That will not only get his confidence up but also give him some momentum going forward.
Dwayne will probably play in the Swarm’s next two games which are set to take place during the G-League showcase in Ontario, Canada. The second of those games which are against the Texas Legends can be viewed on ESPNU. The second round pick has already put up 45 points in one G-League game earlier this season so we’ll see if he can have another big game in his second stint with the Greensboro Swarm.
Should the Hornets blow it up? (SirCharlesInCharge.com)
"It’s still early and there is no reason the Charlotte Hornets should look to blow it up and trade Kemba Walker. However, with so much money tied into next season, Charlotte needs to find a way to get rid of some of those contracts and find cheaper players who can help improve the team’s offense and outside shooting."
Next: California road trip could be a turning point for Charlotte
I agree with this conclusion. Charlotte’s got a superstar in Kemba and a decent team that could, at the very least, contend for a spot in the playoffs for the next couple seasons. They will need to shed some of their larger contracts in order to get under the luxury tax for next season but their best bet for this year is to make some trades at the deadline to add offense. This is also the most realistic path for the Hornets as they want to avoid a rebuild at all costs.