Three Offseason Certainties for the Charlotte Hornets
By De White
The Martin Brothers are Here to Stay
Another certainty for the Hornets will be the continuing emergence of North Carolina’s native Martin Twins. By themselves, the Martin twins are good NBA players who excel at different things.
Caleb, an offensive threat who can offer points in a variety of ways, came to the Hornets as an undrafted rookie. While Cody, who has become a defensive threat that has the ability to play tough defense and was the second-round choice for the Hornets in the 2019 NBA draft, has been a pleasant surprise and constantly improves his offensive skillset.
If he could improve his outside shooting, Cody could be a dynamic player who will very quickly fill the two-way lockdown defender role that every team needs. Paired together, both players together have been wonders for a young Charlotte team that has at times struggled to defend and score from time to time.
Showing great athleticism and toughness, the twins are what we all hoped Michael Kidd Gilchrist would develop into, and both players have to drive and discipline to continue to improve and possibly surpass the impact that Kidd-Gilchrist was able to attain.
Charlotte Hornets: Caleb Martin is playing himself into a larger role. light. Related Story
Yet, another player that has played well and shown improvement from the G-League to the association is Jalen McDaniels. Though he still is a work in progress, McDaniels has shown improvement in his decision making, shot selection, and rebounding over the last few weeks.
Regardless of his small frame, the 6’10 forward has used his gift of height and sneaky athleticism to snag rebounds, score transition baskets, and rise above defenders to knock down an improving outside shot.
Though he often plays loose defense and can get caught out of position, it’s to be expected of a young player who spent most of the season with the Greensboro Swarm learning how to play in the NBA.
If he were to add more muscle to his frame, McDaniels could be a top player off the bench or occasionally starting for the Hornets in some capacity. So, expect the return of the Martins and McDaniels, and watch the possible progress of a few of the Hornets’ potential building blocks