Charlotte Hornets: Judging the Power Tower
The Charlotte Hornets may have secured their most important free agents, but is that enough to stay in the Eastern playoff race.
The Charlotte Hornets are probably breathing a sigh of relief that the free agency season is just about over. They brought back Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams, and Brian Roberts (surprise!). They added Roy Hibbert, Ramon Sessions, and Marco Belinelli. They lost Courtney Lee, Al Jefferson, and Jeremy Lin.
The bigger picture is how did the Hornets do in maintaining their road to success? That cannot be determined by simply looking at the Hornets alone. The Hornets are hoping that their off season will allow them to keep pace. Losing Lee, Lin, and Jefferson will raise the expectations of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Hibbert, and Sessions.
The teams around the Hornets also have to be taken into consideration. The Hornets were the sixth seed in the East, tied with the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics. Then there are teams outside of the playoffs that made big moves as well. Did the Hornets do enough to stay in the playoff picture?
More from Charlotte Hornets
- Charlotte Hornets: Return would have provided valuable experience
- Charlotte Hornets: Regrading the 2010 NBA Draft
- Charlotte Hornets win what could be final game of the season
- Charlotte Hornets: Tank now or buzz towards the playoffs?
- Charlotte Hornets travel to face Pistons with focus on the future
Let’s look at the East.
Cleveland Cavs
Losses – Timofey Mozgov, Matt Dellavedova
Additions – Mike Dunleavy
The World Champs held to the status quo except for the loss of role players like Mozgov and Dellavedova. Their star four remained high paid and intact. They brought Richard Jefferson back. J.R. Smith is not back yet, but that seems likely. Nothing happened to lower their position on the totem pole.
Cleveland and Toronto were the two division winners and both teams did nothing to jeopardize their spots. For Toronto, DeRozan came back. I have never been terribly thrilled by Toronto, but they just win.
Boston Celtics
Key Move – Adding Al Horford
One has to assume that the Celtics got a net positive on a team that was already a playoff team. That should give them a little separation ahead of the Hornets. So that is three teams that should be ahead of the Hornets.
Atlanta Hawks
Key losses – Al Horford, Jeff Teague
Additions – Dwight Howard, Taurean Prince, DeAndre Bembry
The Hawks had a head scratching off season. They kept Kent Bazemore, but replaced Horford with Howard. Howard has to be a question mark at this point, though he might be a defensive improvement over Horford. The Hawks shipped off Jeff Teague with the intention of promoting Dennis Schroder. Like the Hornets, it seems like the Hawks have either stayed level or taken a small step backward.
Live Feed
FanSided
Miami Heat
Key losses – Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson
Miami received a reality check when Wade took off for Chicago to get paid. Despite having retained Hassan Whiteside, the Heat have to build again. They have Goran Dragic, but Chris Bosh is a question mark as to his return to health. It looks like we get a definite idea of what Justise Winslow is worth this season. Definitely looks like a step back.
Chicago Bulls
Key losses – Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol
Key additions – Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Robin Lopez
The Bulls just missed the playoffs last year. This time their roster underwent a facelift. Their Thibodeaux defensive rosters with bigs is gone. Now they have a lot of power placed in the back court. Can they all play together? This was supposed to be Jimmy Butler’s team, but it looks like Rondo will have the first say. This roster will do more of what coach Fred Hoiberg wants to do.
Indiana Pacers
Key losses – Ian Mahinmi, George Hill
Key additions – Al Jefferson, Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young
The Pacers did well to acquire some good pieces to add around Paul George. They gave him a point guard, a versatile power forward, and an escape valve in the post. The Pacers were the seventh seed last season, but they look like they have made a step forward.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons appear to have stayed put. Another year of playing together should improve the team this upcoming season.
New York Knicks
Key losses – Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant
Key additions – Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings
More from Old North Banter
- Carolina Panthers: Secondary battles to watch in training camp 2020
- Carolina Panthers: 2020 training camp kicks off on Tuesday
- NC Colleges Provide Coronavirus Results from Athletic Departments
- Court alleges Zion’s Stepfather received $400k
- UNC Football gets Commitment from Top Cornerback
The Knicks look like a completely different roster from last year. Now it is a bunch of veterans who all should want to win. Can they mesh? Can they play the triangle? Lee and Noah are well designed for the system and also good defenders. The issue is Rose and his ability to adapt and pass the ball to Carmelo at the right the time.
The Wizards could also be heard from in the East if everybody gets healthy. That then gives us more teams. With the Heat and the Hawks falling behind Charlotte, the Hornets should remain a playoff team but they are not sitting as comfortably as last season. The Knicks and the Bulls are poised to jump into the playoff race.
Next: Hornets to Make Run at Curry in 2017
The Hornets are likely in those last three seed spots again for the playoffs. The Pacers could overtake them and the Bulls and Knicks will be wild cards. My feeling is that the Hornets will take a step back to the seventh seed next season.