Hornets @ Kings GDT

[My Goodness My Guinness]

Mo is 0-10....wut

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Pretty sure this will be a wire to wire win for Sacramento.

[†William Moore†]

Biyombo get owned? 

[cbarrier90]

Admittedly, this is my first season in which I really intently followed the team from beginning to end, and if I've learned anything it's an appreciation for team play and team identity and chemistry over sheer talent. And nothing has made that more obvious than this road trip.

Utah and Sacramento aren't any better talent wise than Charlotte, yet the fact that they understand who they are and play togetherand with effort every night makes them able to handle a team like Charlotte that should have something to play for.

I thought you could simply upgrade the talent and everything would take care of itself, but that's not how it works. It's difficult to put into words just how awful this offseason was for this team and when it's all said and done when you look back on the "impact" the offseason additions and subtractions had on this team they really never had a chance from opening night.

[cbarrier90]

There's absolutely no reason for 1 for 13 Mo Williams to be playing with 20 point scoring Gerald on the bench. I'm one of Clifford's biggest fans but that's inexcusable.

Maybe one day this franchise will compete with the rest of the NBA by emulating what the rest of the NBA is doing. It's mind blowing how far behind we are from the Hawks, and they're the freaking Hawks.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Yep... I'm done with this team.

Sure we're only half a game back but I don't want to get into the playoffs at 36-46.

I'd rather have the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 10th pick in the draft.

[Omega Atrocity]

Missed the game tonight. Sounds like I didn't miss much.

[FuFuLamePoo]

Admittedly, this is my first season in which I really intently followed the team from beginning to end, and if I've learned anything it's an appreciation for team play and team identity and chemistry over sheer talent. And nothing has made that more obvious than this road trip.

Utah and Sacramento aren't any better talent wise than Charlotte, yet the fact that they understand who they are and play togetherand with effort every night makes them able to handle a team like Charlotte that should have something to play for.

I thought you could simply upgrade the talent and everything would take care of itself, but that's not how it works. It's difficult to put into words just how awful this offseason was for this team and when it's all said and done when you look back on the "impact" the offseason additions and subtractions had on this team they really never had a chance from opening night.

BUT CHO IS SUUUUCHHH A GUUUDDDD GM CHOOOO IS GOD!!¡¡

[bLACKpANTHER]

Everyone else lost too. This is turning out like the Panthers season. Even though we stink, everyone else in our conference stinks too. So we might have a chance. We don't deserve it by any means. but the one team that decides to play well for a 4-5 game spurt will probably get in.

[cbarrier90]

Everyone else lost too. This is turning out like the Panthers season. Even though we stink, everyone else in our conference stinks too. So we might have a chance. We don't deserve it by any means. but the one team that decides to play well for a 4-5 game spurt will probably get in.

Yeah, except in this Panthers season, Cason and Avant keep playing while Norman and Philly ride the bench for mistakes they made in the first three weeks of the year

[Wundrbread33]

This year has been a heart breaker. We need a strong offseason from Vonleh, another few months of Price and MKG living together, and most importantly, Clifford to understand that you don't bench players right after they get hot offensively. Some of his rotations are laughable.

[FearTheCats]

Everyone else lost too. This is turning out like the Panthers season. Even though we stink, everyone else in our conference stinks too. So we might have a chance. We don't deserve it by any means. but the one team that decides to play well for a 4-5 game spurt will probably get in.

Heat won.

[cbarrier90]

BUT CHO IS SUUUUCHHH A GUUUDDDD GM CHOOOO IS GOD!!¡¡

 

Here's what's so strange: Take away free agency, and I actually LIKE what Cho is doing. It's the free agent signings that have been both a blessing and a curse for this franchise.

 

This was the roster for the 2011-12 offseason:

 

Walker/Sessions

Henderson/Taylor/Gordon

MKG/Williams

McRoberts/Adrien/Thomas

Biyombo/Mullens/Diop/Haywood

 

Those are really good building blocks in the first unit, and if Cho wanted to keep stockpiling picks to rebuild, McBob and Hendo were really good pieces that could have potentially been flipped for more picks. Even so, the dead weight at the back end of the roster came off the books, leaving us with cap space that was ultimately used on Al Jefferson. But let's say, for instance, that Cho doesn't invest in Al Jefferson and continues to invest in youth while signing veterans to be a good locker room presence and help the young players grow into their professional careers, keeping, of course, the draft picks and trades Cho made in tact:

 

Walker/Ridnour/Pargo

Henderson/CDR/Neal

MKG/Taylor

McRoberts/Zeller/Tolliver/White

Biyombo/Haywood

 

If the 2012 roster with Mike Dunlap (who the players hated so much they got him fired after one year) went 21-61, then this squad, with an improvement from the young players and a better bench and the refreshing defense-first mentality of Steve Clifford, this team could potentially break 30 wins. Admittedly, they wouldn't be a playoff team, but they could make some noise towards the end of the year to build excitement for the next season, much like we're seeing the Jazz and Celtics do this year. So, as more money comes off the books in this offseason, let's assume Cho doesn't invest in Lance Stephenson but makes all the other moves. Keep in mind with the previous team missing the playoffs, he still has the pick that ultimately went to the Bulls to work with, and it's probably a top ten pick to go along with Detroit's:

 

Walker/Mo Williams/Roberts

Henderson/Hairston/Daniels

MKG/Taylor

Zeller/Ma. Williams/Vonleh

Nurkic/Biyombo/Maxiell

 

^Noting that Biz hasn't progressed and an upgrade is needed, perhaps that lottery pick from missing the 2013 playoffs is used to upgrade the center position, and Jusuf Nurkic is a Hornet.

 

With the progression of MKG into one of the premier wing defenders in the NBA, Biz in the role of rim protector, and without Lance destroying the chemistry and Al being out of shape and past his prime, perhaps this would be the team similar to the Bucks with a young core that surprises in a bad Eastern Conference. Maybe being around a less toxic locker room keeps PJ Hairston from having a terrible year.

 

But we'll never know, and because we chased an 8th seed with Al Jefferson and gambled with Lance Stephenson, it looks like we might have to completely hit the reset button once again, and that's assuming Al even opts out and somebody wants Lance's expiring contract.

[JJman Returns]

Even if Al opts back in I believe we can trade him. An expiring contract that belongs to a solid offensive center.

I'd imagine the Lakers, Knicks and possibly even the TrailBlazers ,if they lose Aldridge, would all be interested.