Will Nicolas Batum give the Hornets enough sting to make it to
the playoffs?
The 2015-2016 Projected Roster
Point Guards: Kemba Walker, Jeremy
Lin, Brian Roberts
Shooting Guards: Michael
Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeremy Lamb, Troy Daniels, PJ Hairston
Small Forwards: Nicolas Batum, Marvin
Williams
Power Forwards: Frank Kaminsky, Cody
Zeller, Tyler Hansbrough
Centers: Al Jefferson, Spencer Hawes,
Jason Washburn
The Optimistic View
Lance Stephenson is no longer with the team. Nothing against Lance.
Yet, everyone very much knows that it just didn't work out. They drafted
National Player of the Year Frank "The Tank" Kaminsky and the guy can
contribute right away. They signed Linsanity Jeremy Lin to be their sixth man.
They also acquired former UConn standout Jeremy Lamb. They were also able to
re-sign 2012 2nd overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (MKG) to a reasonable
contract. Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh were traded away to Portland and in
exchange, they got French star Nic Batum. Of course, the hope is for Nic Batum
and Linsanity to have bounce back seasons. Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson will
be the hands down leaders of the team. MJ, Patrick Ewing, Rich Cho and Steve
Clifford are just all hoping that this time around, it will all work out well
for the Hornets.
The Realistic Expectations
These guys have not played together. Most of the pieces are
relatively new. The Hornets should first work on establishing an identity. What
kind of team will they really be? Then, from there, the players will have an
easier time searching for and eventually finding their niche. To simply put it,
the new pieces have to be integrated properly through whatever they plan on
doing this season. The Hornets can be the type that can really be a very solid
team or can also end up being a struggling team due to lack of identity and
chemistry issues.
Bottomline
The lack of playing experience together should be the main
concern of this team. The faster they gel, the better for them. As long as
Batum, Lin and Kaminsky are going to be put in situations wherein they can
utilize their strengths and support MKG, Al and Kemba then, this team has a
chance of making it back to the playoffs after missing it last year.
Bold Predictions
The Hornets will be the seventh seed in the East if things go
according to how they plan to. They can even go as high as a fifth seed
especially if an identity of the team will be well established early on. Yet,
if chemistry, injuries and a lack of identity haunts them again, then it will
be another buzz kill for the Hornets.
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