NBA Countdown: No. 10 New Orleans Hornets

[duncan228]

NBA Countdown: No. 10 New Orleans Hornets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-nbacountdownnoneworl&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews

Leading into the Oct. 27 season openers, Sporting News will preview each of the NBA teams, counting backward from its Sept. 25 Power Poll. For more great NBA content, order your copy of our Pro Basketball yearbook, or pick one up at a newsstand today.

By Fran Blinebury
Sporting News Yearbooks

The Hornets know exactly what it sounds like on the day after Mardi Gras.

Empty.

The Hornets know exactly how it feels when the floats stop rolling though the French Quarter, the last of the beads have been thrown and the buzz wears off.

Painful.

That was a nice 56-win party—and No. 2 overall seed in the playoffs—New Orleans had in 2007-08.

But now all that’s left is one whopping hangover.

It all seems like a distant, faded memory, as the follow-up season in 2008-09 ended in uninspired disappointment with a 49-33 record, the No. 7 seed in the West and a first-round 4-1 wipeout at the hands of the Nuggets.

The foundation of All-Stars Chris Paul and David West is a good place to start, but it cannot be the finished product.

Even back in the glory days of two seasons ago, the Hornets were walking on a tightrope, with little depth on their roster and no margin for error. Now each step they take seems more unsteady than an over-imbibed tourist weaving down Bourbon Street.

“We’ve got to get healthy, but outside of that, we’ve really got to bring some guys in here that can take the load off Chris,” West said. “He’s a great player that’s going to put up great numbers. But he has to know that on some nights he can be able to rely on a second, third and fourth guy to carry the load. There (were) times (last) season when I felt we were outgunned and overmatched.”

An emaciated roster was in jeopardy of getting even thinner as financial problems inhibited significant summer free-agent additions. But the Hornets made a splash with a surprising summer trade, sending center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor.

Okafor’s numbers are better than Chandler’s, as he’s averaged a double-double in each of his first five NBA campaigns. And he’s missed only one game over the last two seasons. However, Bobcats coach Larry Brown questioned Okafor’s passion at the end of last season.

The Hornets pulled off another late offseason trade, sending Antonio Daniels to Minnesota for forward Darius Songaila and guard Bobby Brown. The team hopes Brown or rookie Darren Collison from UCLA can provide an adequate sub off the bench for Paul.

But there are still plenty of holes to fill and problems to solve. A return of his back problems and a constant air of uncertainty plagued Peja Stojakovic—who still has almost $30 million remaining on the last two years of his contract—last season.

James Posey was supposed to be a significant coup as a free agent after signing with New Orleans a year ago, but his hustle, defense and 3-point shooting seem more helpful on a team that is closer to the top than the often-scuffling bunch New Orleans has become.

As long as Paul is on the court, the Hornets are a threat to put on a show and grab a victory on any given night. But in order to come close to matching the buzz of two seasons ago, New Orleans needs Okafor to immediately contribute, replacing Chandler as the recipient of the lob-pass dunks from Paul that can wear defenses out and break them down consistently, especially in the playoffs.

Fast Facts
2008-09 record: 49-33
Last playoff: 2009 (lost in conference quarterfinal)
Coach: Byron Scott

Burning question
Will a lack of depth kill this team again?

The answer likely depends on a couple of rookies. Thanks to injuries and age, the Hornets have some dead wood on their roster—Peja Stojakovic's injury struggles have rendered him a role player while Morris Peterson can't move like he used to. And the team has never really had a quality young backup for point guard Chris Paul. Those problems are opportunities for rookie point guard Darren Collison, who had an excellent career at UCLA, and shooting guard Marcus Thornton, an undersized scorer off the bench. If those two come through, the Hornets depth won't be an issue.
— Sean Deveney

View from the other bench
(an opponent breaks down the Hornets)

"Most teams would kill to have the 1-2 combination of Chris Paul and David West to use for the foundation of the franchise. But it looks like money problems are forcing the team to cut corners and not add the right kind of pieces around them that can take the team to the next level.

"That big contract they gave to Peja Stojakovic is really coming around to bite them now as he continues to break down and wear out. With their lack of depth all through the lineup, you can beat these guys by letting Paul and West get theirs and figure that on most nights they won't combine for 80 points."

Rookie to watch: G Darren Collison

UCLA's Collison, a solid point guard in terms of distributing the ball, could be just what the doctor ordered as a backup to Chris Paul.

Inside the numbers

20-6: The Hornets' record when their bench outscored the opponent's reserves in 2008-09.
22.9: Points per game by New Orleans' bench last season, the fewest of any team since 2005-06.
248: Number of David West's field goals assisted by Chris Paul—38 more than the next highest total between any two players in the league.

Additions: Ike Diogu, F (Sacramento), Emeka Okafor, F/C (trade, Charlotte), Bobby Brown, G (trade, Minnesota), Darius Songaila, F (trade, Minnesota)

Subtractions: Tyson Chandler, F/C (trade, Charlotte), Rasual Butler, G/F (trade, L.A. Clippers), Antonio Daniels, G (trade, Minnesota)

[Allanon]

Missing Peja really screwed the Hornets last year.

If Peja comes back to form this year, they'll be fighting for that crowded 3-5 spot.

[iggypop123]

if peja comes back? BRhornet is already getting drunk for pejas usual 1-10 night

[duncan228]

The Baseline Sees All: New Orleans Hornets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-thebaselineseesallne&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews

Elsewhere in our web of basketball knowledge, you'll find comprehensive team previews by experts intimately acquainted with what makes these NBA teams tick, where they've been and what might be next for them. So why another set of previews? Because sometimes, it's worth listening to your crazy uncle about that broken leg before you take a second trip to the doctor's office.

It's all broad strokes when you talk about the Hornets. Two years ago, they were a hair shy of finishing first in the West. In the playoffs, Chris Paul made the world realize why he'd been touted as an MVP candidate all season. Then, in 2008-09, they regressed, making the postseason but convincing no one. Tyson Chandler struggled with injuries, so much so that he was nearly shipped off to OKC—and then couldn't be when he failed a physical. David West, too, was never quite whole. Peja Stojakovic, him too. So get everyone healthy and rejuvenated and it's off to the races, right?

That would be plum awesome if the human body, and Father Time, and Mother Morale, worked like this. Here's the reality of the situation: In one season, the Hornets went from a Cinderella story on the verge of legitimacy to a broken-down heap of a squad with an absolute diamond—one that might get restless and bolt when he gets wise to all the hopelessness around him. So the Hornets went out and found a taker for Chandler, and they got back the Bobcats' Emeka Okafor in return. They drafted a backup for Paul in the form of Darren Collison, whatever that meant. And they can now call on moderately versatile forward Darius Songalia thanks to a trade.

Now, more broad strokes. Some might bemoan the loss of Chandler, however unreliable he may have become, for what he meant to the team. That would be me; his alley-oop connection with Paul was the offense's most reliable play, and Chandler's bounding, elastic style meshed perfectly with Chris Paul's game. Now, the league's top PG finds himself with the less frenetic, but rock-solid and better boarding, Emeka Okafor, a guy who hasn't been injured much after entering the league with that cloud over his head. David West's an All-Star at the PF position who also plays hard and inside, even if his go-to move is some variation on the short jumper.

That's the core; Byron Scott never has a bench, but in NOLA, his Big Three have been responsible for a disproportionate amount of production and, more importantly, they’re the source of team identity. I imagine a more conservative team, still running, but also getting more methodical. You can spin that as "mature" if you want; it certainly will apply to shooters Peja, James Posey, and Mo Peterson. It remains to be seen how wide-open they'll end up with this new look, and in their diminished states.

Most Likely Breakout: I don't expect this to happen, but it really needs to. And it's only a letdown to those who haven't come to grips with Scott's aversion to playing rookies, or over-sensitivity to them, which somehow haunts them even once they're no longer rookies. So consider this a plea: FREE JULIAN WRIGHT! Wright is a strikingly versatile player who has the kind of athleticism Paul could use around him. He also possesses a high basketball IQ, even meddlesomely so, and enjoys doing the little things at both ends. I know Scott had a really bad experience with J.R. Smith, whom he effectively buried after a strong rookie campaign. But why must Wright, and the rest of the Hornets, pay the price?

Most Likely Letdown: James Posey came aboard riding high as the New Robert Horry, that long, tough, skilled forward who played a key role in championship runs for Miami and Boston. When it matters, Posey makes plays with his length, toughness, defensive acumen and 3-point shooting. Some might worry if he's just plain getting old. But the real problem here might be that the Hornets need him too much, too soon. They wanted Posey to help put their team over the top, not get them to the Promised Land once they'd gotten into the elite class of the league. It's a mixed metaphor, and a fine distinction, and yet it shows how precarious the value of someone like Posey can be. He looked great stepping up on a team that was already stacked, and he just needed an extra jolt at a crucial moment. Expecting him to be a key piece from Day One on, that might just be too much to expect.

Blog Superstar: Not to keep jocking Julian Wright, but he also happens to be one of the more credible sports/music crossover stories no one knows about. His beats are surprisingly legit (http://www.myspace.com/midiusick), and the team should really do a feature where, each week, he does a track with a different teammate.

Signature Game: It'll be nice to watch this new configuration find its footing, but really, the ultimate test of these Hornets will be how they fare in their first postseason contest. Maybe this is an exaggeration, but this team feels a lot more "built for the playoffs" than past versions. The question is, if the Hornets have become more conventional, is there still enough to distinguish them come May?

Why Else You Should Care: Chris Paul. Tied with Dwyane Wade for most likely to single-handedly make a game worth watching.

[BRHornet45]

if peja comes back? BRhornet is already getting drunk for pejas usual 1-10 night

LMAO such truth son ... although I am hopeful this year with Peja coming off of the bench with limited minutes that he will at least contribute some. We are still a 50+win team, but nowhere near the top 3 in the West as of right now.

[redzero]

LMAO such truth son ... although I am hopeful this year with Peja coming off of the bench with limited minutes that he will at least contribute some. We are still a 50+win team, but nowhere near the top 3 in the West as of right now.

Peja went 6-9 and scored 16 points, BR. No need to slash his tires or kidnap his wife.