Expectations for the 2019 Charlotte Hornets
As I sit in my basement at eight in the morning to type this article, I look outside. With clouds covering the morning sky in Salisbury, NC rain is pouring and the scene seems a little darker than what I’m used to at this point in the day. Some could say today’s weather is symbolic for how the this year’s season will go for the Charlotte Hornets. For much of the league the NBA regular season tips-off today. The Charlotte Hornets must wait one more day until they face the Chicago Bulls to open their season at the Spectrum Center.
Expectations for the Charlotte Hornets are not high. After getting rid of Kemba Walker in the worst way possible, the Charlotte Hornets don’t have that one star they can turn to to get them points, or any kind of consistent production on the floor. The Charlotte Hornets had two years to figure out what they wanted to do with Kemba Walker. The Hornets made it clear that they wanted to keep Kemba and thus never traded him. After failing to put other productive players around him, the Hornets lowballed Kemba when it came time to extend his contract. Kemba moved on to Boston and in return the Charlotte Hornets acquired “Scary” Terry Rozier on a three-year, $58 million contract.
I honestly don’t know what to expect with this team. I think it’s safe to say this team will not be fighting for a playoff spot come springtime, but I also don’t think this squad will be as bad as people project them to be.
Yesterday Charlotte Hornets General Manager, Mitch Kupchak, said the Hornets will not be major players in free agency. The Hornets plan to build the future of their team through draft picks and trades. Kupchak also stated that the success of this year will not be measured in wins and losses but rather measured by the progression of the younger players. That seems to be a story for this year’s squad- Youth.
Things to Look Forward to:
- Terry Rozier: “I don’t want to be compared to Kemba.” That’s what Rozier said at Hornets Media Day when asked how he plans to lead this team. Kemba has been in the city of Charlotte for a long time. Whether you’re a casual NBA fan, die-hard Hornets fan or just a Charlotte resident, it was tough watching Kemba leave. It’s tougher to replace a player like Kemba, but that’s what Terry Rozier is trying to do. Rozier will get his first shot at getting significant minutes on a team that can be considered “his.” He averages close to eight points a game in his career, that will need to increase as he is stepping into a new role as a team’s number one point guard.
- Dwayne Bacon: Everybody loves Bacon. Bacon is a young player that hustles on every play and brings energy to the court. He’s moved between the Charlotte Hornets and their G-League team, Greensboro Swarm, and is always eager to get better. At Hornets Media Day Bacon praised the G-League saying how he loves being able to play and get better there if he doesn’t have the opportunity to touch the court in the NBA. He had a good run to finish last season and I expect him to be one of the leaders on this young and new Hornets team.
- Miles Bridges: Bridges may be my favorite player to watch on this Hornets squad. As a rookie he made it to the dunk contest and he has proved that he can play with the big boys in the NBA. He brings electricity to the floor. At any moment you can expect a hammering dunk that will ignite his fellow teammates and get the crowd to erupt. Miles Bridges is huge in swinging the momentum to his team’s side of the ball. Expect him to be a major contributor for the Hornets this season.
- Malik Monk: “With the eleventh pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select Malik Monk, Guard, Kentucky.” When I heard those words I was ecstatic. Monk was the player I wanted the Hornets to pick in that year’s draft. I thought he would be a great counterpart to the mighty Kemba Walker and in a way, I was wrong. Monk has shown glimpses of stardom but his inconsistent play makes it hard to decide whether or not he can be a problem for other team’s in the league, or for the Charlotte Hornets. From 2017 to 2018 his average jumped from seven points a game to nine points a game. He hasn’t started a game in his two seasons in the Association but I expect that to change this year. Monk has a lot to prove this season. The Hornets have until Halloween to decide whether or not to pick up the fourth-year, $5.3 million option on Malik Monk’s contract.
- P.J. Washington: Not the ideal draft pick for Charlotte, but the rookie has shown out in the preseason. Washington started the team’s final three preseason games with multiples players battling injury. He shot nearly 50% from the floor and shown he can be reliable on defense. Kupchak expects Washington to be in the rotation and see anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes a night. You may see Washington go to the G-League some, which I will not be opposed to because I believe the Swarm has helped Dwayne Bacon and Malik Monk work on their game and build their confidence.
If you put this year’s Hornets team on a spectrum ranging from 2011 (Charlotte Bobcats, 7-59 ) to 2018 (39-43) I think the Hornets would lean closer to the 2018 side. Although they lost their two main scorers in Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb, you can expect the Hornets to score roughly the same amount of points this year. I do expect the Hornets to falter in close late-game situations like they have done in the past, but I don’t believe this team will be last in the Association like ESPN predicts them to be. I’m optimistic, I can see the Hornets defying the odds and winning 30 games this year.
Twitter/ Instagram: @MackieGallagher
