Hornets Can't Escape Mediocrity

[davos]

The way I'm looking at things, the worst case scenario is if we finish below .500 but not in the playoffs.  

Roster

Kemba-->Kemba (carry)

Hendo-->Batum (upgrade)

MKG-->MKG (carry)

Frank/Zeller-->Marvin/Zeller/Vonleh (carry/upgrade) (I don't know how we'll use Marvin this year in the rot.)

Fat injured Al-->Healthy lighter Al (upgrade)

 

Bench: (upgrade) 

-Lamb and Lin help big

-Could Hairston, Harrison, or someone surprise us?  

-Hawes and Hans could very well suck or may not

 

Long shot case: we get rid of Al if he doesn't rebound and purge this roster if all goes to crap.  Get someone like Ben Simmons and build from scratch.  

Best case: The improved roster nabs us a 5-8 seed.

Worst case: We finish something like 37-44, miss the playoffs, and end up with like the 12th pick.  

 

Batum is only 26 and was incredibly sought after when he came into the league.  He's proved to live up to that hype at times but as a whole has been somewhat disappointing as of late.  

 

 

[HeatCheck]

Is Miami taking "heat" for passing on the trade too?  No, they aren't, because they took the player that Boston was coveting.  

 

This was a screwup on several parts presumably by MJ.  He wanted a more experienced player after burning out with Vonleh, he won't admit that MKG is limited and won't look at upgrading SF (much like his refusal to address PG), I think he's trying to replicate what McBob brought to the team (again, another refusal to address PG situation and covering it up with McBob like players), and I think he's undervaluing Hawes, who would have provided much of the same as Frank in the first few years IMO. 

That's what I'm saying. The criticism is not so much the trade that they turned down but the fact that they picked Frank.

Like I said, I wanted Winslow too but that's not to say I've got no hope in Frank. I think the reason we selected Frank was because we were guard/wing heavy. We acquired Lamb and Batum and wanted to improve our front court. Frank is a big that can help our offense in a variety of ways. He can stretch the court when paired with Big Al or play down low when paired with someone like Zeller. I was impressed by what I saw from him in SL and can see why we selected him. Having said that, I'm always going to be wary of the Hornets decision making in the draft because of their track record. For what we are trying to achieve, I understand why we went the way we did.

[pantherfan49]

It would honestly surprise me if Frank turns out to be a better player than Hawes is now at any point in his career. And regardless of anything else, when you're a team like us without an amazing player you take whoever you think is best, point blank regardless of any other factors.

right. And most agree Winslow>>>Frank 

[cbarrier90]

This was a screwup on several parts presumably by MJ.  He wanted a more experienced player after burning out with Vonleh, he won't admit that MKG is limited and won't look at upgrading SF (much like his refusal to address PG), I think he's trying to replicate what McBob brought to the team (again, another refusal to address PG situation and covering it up with McBob like players), and I think he's undervaluing Hawes, who would have provided much of the same as Frank in the first few years IMO. 

Counterpoint on MKG: Only 22, and if he can get an offensive game you've got that game changer a team like Charlotte needs.

Also, "unwilling to address PG" is false, since there were rumors flying we might have looked into moving up to get Mudiay.

[TheRed]

right. And most agree Winslow>>>Frank

This complaining about Winslow is getting beyond petty at this point.

[pantherfan49]

Counterpoint on MKG: Only 22, and if he can get an offensive game you've got that game changer a team like Charlotte needs.

Also, "unwilling to address PG" is false, since there were rumors flying we might have looked into moving up to get Mudiay.

yeah. But he's gonna get a stupid contract soon for an incomplete player. Winslow could have been his replacement and we could have let MKG walk  I don't see MKG ever developing the offensive game, though I've got mad props for what he does on defense  

 

Given MKGs injury history and some expectation that the Hornets will play small ball this year, the minutes would have been there for both MKG and Winslow. 

 

I'll shut up about Winslow now. He's not a hornet. I hope Frank beasts it out in the league and he just might. 

[SOJA]

tl;dr version: hornets have been really unlucky and are doomed for mediocrity in the EAST unless we get a superstar or completely clean house

 

 

[Omega Atrocity]

yeah. But he's gonna get a stupid contract soon for an incomplete player. Winslow could have been his replacement and we could have let MKG walk  I don't see MKG ever developing the offensive game, though I've got mad props for what he does on defense  

 

Given MKGs injury history and some expectation that the Hornets will play small ball this year, the minutes would have been there for both MKG and Winslow. 

 

I'll shut up about Winslow now. He's not a hornet. I hope Frank beasts it out in the league and he just might. 

Have you seen the contracts that were handed out this year? If we get him for under $18 million per I'll be fine after seeing Enes Kanter get what he got.

[pantherphan96]

But that's not the argument. The argument is that the Hornets are crazy for not taking that trade. Are they only crazy because they didn't take Winslow? So if Boston offered all those pics and the Hornets took Winslow then it would have been the right move? That's BS.

They are crazy because they took Kaminsky instead of the trade. The other teams in the 5-10 slot took Hezonja (arguably the best foreign prospect), Cauley-Stein, Mudiay, Stanley Johnson, and Winslow. Time will tell if its the right move or not, but people couldn't believe that Winslow was falling that far past the top 5, considering how great a march madness tournament he had.

[RoaringRiot]

So Winslow is that much obviously better than the trade and Frank is that much obviously worse than the trade? I'm not buying that. I wanted Winslow as much as anybody but I would take Frank over that trade. 

[pantherphan96]

So Winslow is that much obviously better than the trade and Frank is that much obviously worse than the trade? I'm not buying that. I wanted Winslow as much as anybody but I would take Frank over that trade. 

its rejecting the trade to take Frank over Winslow. that is why the hornets are being ridiculed. 

and really? you wanted frank over 4 first round picks and 2 second round picks?

[HeatCheck]

its rejecting the trade to take Frank over Winslow. that is why the hornets are being ridiculed. 

and really? you wanted frank over 4 first round picks and 2 second round picks?

Here's my question to you: would you have selected Winslow or taken the trade?

[pantherfan49]

Here's my question to you: would you have selected Winslow or taken the trade?

Take Winslow all day long.

[pantherphan96]

Here's my question to you: would you have selected Winslow or taken the trade?

thats a tough call. hard to pass up taking winslow. but 4 first round picks are a lot to pass up too. The Hornets should have taken Winslow since they said that they had not scouted players in the 15-20 range, which is where 2 of the picks in the trade were offered.