Charlotte Hornets: Who helped themselves in preseason and who didn’t
Hurt: Nicolas Batum
You can safely say that preseason was a bit of a disaster for Nicolas Batum. He played in the first two games, but sat out the remaining three due to soreness in his achilles. Shutting him down was the right call, but his play in those two games left a lot to be desired while other players stepped up in a big way.
Batum averaged just 1.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15.5 minutes, shooting 25 percent from the floor. I know, two games is such a small sample size, but he continued to lack aggressiveness and the youngsters really shined out there.
Related Story. Nicolas Batum's 2019-20 Expectations. light
The achilles injury isn’t a major issue and he should be ready to go for the season opener on Wednesday, but it’s going to be very interesting to see if he’s a starter to begin the year. While he was out, the team decided to move PJ Washington into the starting unit.
Putting the highest paid player on the roster would be quite uncomfortable, but at this point, the fans are waiting for it. He’s a very good player, but he’s declined over the years and the team is now solely focused on developing the young talent on the roster.
Batum’s play in the preseason didn’t do him any favors. His role during the 2019-20 season will be something to keep a close eye on.