The Charlotte Hornets are looking to improve from last season’s first round playoff exit. The experience and leadership ability of point guard Kemba Walker, along with a few roster changes provide reason for optimism.
Last season was a major improvement from the previous season’s 33-49 record. The Hornets went 48-34 and lost Game 7 to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Walker had a near All-Star worthy season and forward Nic Batum proved himself to be the team’s reliable second option.
With preseason coming to an end and the season beginning on Wednesday, the Hornets 15-man roster has been finalized. Fans will notice some key additions to the team.
First on the list on new additions is center Roy Hibbert. The big man is a two-time All-Star, and made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2014. Hibbert has the potential to be a huge key for a team whose only other options at center are Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller. Though Hibbert has struggled in recent seasons with the Pacers and Lakers, the hope is that he will be able to get back to his All-Star self and be extremely effective on defense.
“Offense will come,” Hibbert told The Charlotte Observer. “But defense was the biggest thing we talked about when I signed here. Coach watched a lot of film of me from last year and the year before. He knows what I can do: clog up the lane as much as possible [defensively] and help the offense.”
Next, there is the 3-point sharpshooter Marco Belinelli. The Hornets received him on draft day in exchange for the 22nd over pick. Belinelli, along with Marvin Williams and Walker, should help the Hornets keep their 3-point percentage up.
With the loss of Jeremy Lin to the Brooklyn Nets, one of the most important new additions to the roster is point guard Ramon Sessions. Fans will recognize the name because Sessions was a member of the Bobcats from 2012-14. He is expected to provide solid point guard play when Walker needs a rest.
The health of forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been a concern over the past few seasons. It appears that every time MKG gets healthy, he gets hurt again soon after. He tore his labrum only seven games after returning from his first shoulder surgery, causing him to miss the rest of the season. Now that he is healthy, he is expected to have a big impact. Last season, during his seven games before injury, he averaged 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range.
Stretch-forward Frank Kaminsky will be looking to improve in his sophomore season. The Wisconsin star had a solid rookie year averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. While his numbers weren’t too bad for a rookie, Kaminsky may be looking to improve his 3-point efficiency, as he only shot 33 percent from beyond the arc.
Another big man looking to improve is Cody Zeller. He has gotten better with each season he has been in the league and with more work he can really make a name for himself in this league. In 2014, Zeller played in the All-Star Rising Stars game. In 2015, the 7-footer averaged 8.7 points and almost one block per game.
Although the East is beginning to look stronger with teams such as the Knicks and Celtics on the rise, the Bulls additions of Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside-led roster and of course, the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, the Hornets still aspire to remain a middle-of-the-pack team or better and look to make it out of the first round of the playoffs.
