Entering the regular season, Sion James was widely considered the wild card among the Charlotte Hornets' rookies. However, he has earned the trust of the coaching staff, having played key roles in their first two games. It looks like he has already established his role in the rotation, which could have a crucial implication for Josh Green.
At the moment, Green is still sidelined following shoulder surgery during the offseason, and it's unclear when he'll return. Another uncertainty is how much playing time he is going to get, considering that the Hornets have a surplus at the wing positions.
The thing is, Green has been pretty underwhelming so far. He was supposed to be a 3-and-D piece but has yet to show that he can be elite in either area. Sure, he shot 39.1 percent from long distance in his first season in Charlotte. However, he recorded just 4.7 3-point attempts per 36 minutes. On defense, he has been solid, to be fair, although his point-of-attack defense and screen navigation still have a lot of room for improvement.
There's an argument that the Hornets shouldn't have to play Green that much unless he makes a significant leap in the areas he is supposed to excel at in order to help the team. With James faring better than expected in his first two appearances, Charles Lee might not have to feel forced to have Green on the floor as often as he did in the last campaign.
Sion James has been a pleasant surprise for Hornets
Some fans may have thought that James would be a project player despite his age and would have to spend more of his time in the G League. However, he has proven capable of being at least a sturdy perimeter defender. His athleticism remains his biggest strength in that facet, although his instincts and IQ also merit commendation.
There were concerns that the Hornets would have a tough time seeking ways to stop explosive guards or wings from getting to the basket. That worry still lingers, but James could develop into a much-needed perimeter stopper for the squad.
The Duke University product has also shown that he is serviceable on the offensive end. In Charlotte's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, he went 2-2 from 3-point range (4-5 from the field overall) and displayed the ability to drive past defenders and finish at the rim. He can also be a pretty sneaky offensive rebounder because of his hustle and agility.
James is far from being in perfect form, and two games are a small sample size to assess his skills accurately. Still, he has exhibited the potential to fill a void on the Hornets' roster, and Jeff Peterson and his crew deserve praise for finding him in the second round of this year's draft.