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Hornets Roundtable: Offseason Moves

By Joseph Ochoa

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: PJ Washington poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 12th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: PJ Washington poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 12th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Breaking Down the Hornets’ Offseason Moves

The Charlotte Hornets have transitioned to a rebuild that doesn’t feel like a rebuild (and not in a good way) after another season when the team failed to reach the postseason for the third straight season. The season had been so full of hope and ended heartbreakingly, as the Hornets were bounced from the postseason on the last night of the season.

What’s worse, the team’s only bonafide superstar, Kemba Walker, was allowed to walk away from the team without signing a long term deal. Walker will be returning to the northeast and will play for the Boston Celtics for the next four seasons.

The team let the majority of its key players walk, including Frank Kaminsky and Jeremy Lamb. Tony Parker also retired.

One bright spot was the drafting of PJ Washington, a sophomore out of Kentucky, who we already have some insight on here at Old North Banter. Today, we are going to take a long look at some of the things we liked and didn’t like that the Hornets did.

Hornets’ Best Move: Tony Parker Retiring

Granted, this is a move that was decided upon by Parker and not the Hornets, but we’ll give it to them, they had a brutal offseason.

Parker retired after spending one season with the Hornets, primarily playing off the bench to backup to Walker.

Parker was on the back end of his career and didn’t seem right that he left the San Antonio Spurs to play with the Hornets. With Parker and Walker gone, the younger talent on the roster will get time to get reps and develop with the first time.

Hornets’ Worst Move: Letting Walker Leave For Nothing

This one is a no brainer, the Hornets had plenty of opportunities to get rid of Walker and get a haul of assets for the former UConn hero, instead, the Hornets let Walker leave the team for essentially Terry Rozier, who I’ve said is an underwhelming consolation prize in Walker sweepstakes.

That’s not to say that Rozier is a terrible player, he’s decent, but the fact the Hornets could have set themselves up for a future that could have players to put around Rozier to set him up for success.

Instead, the team is stuck with him and Nicolas Batum as the team’s highest two players on the roster. Not what you want from a team you expect to be competing for a playoff space.

Hornets’ Breakout Player for 2019-2020: Malik Monk

This is it for Monk, If he can’t break out with the team’s two best players no longer on the roster, Walker and Lamb, then it will probably never happen for Monk, at least not with Charlotte.

Monk came out of Kentucky as an elite scorer and many in Charlotte felt they were getting a steal with Monk falling to the bottom of the Lottery.

Unfortunately, Monk has never been able to break into the NBA as a consistent scorer, but with Walker out of the picture, that could change. Walker had a usage rate well over 30 percent, so its entirely possible Monk and possible Miles Bridges could both break out this season.

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