NBA Draft 2012: Does Anthony Davis Make Hornets Playoff Contenders Next Season?

The short answer is, "Yes."

This is in the absence of a lot of information, and it's under the assumption that New Orleans signs Eric Gordon next season. If they match his qualifying offer, I like this New Orleans Hornets team as currently constructed.

Monty Williams is an underrated coach, mired in the obscurity of a 2011 season that tanked. Emeka Okafor is a quality big man, as is Chris Kaman, should they choose to bring him back. 

But the main factor is that shiny, new draft pick. If you believe in Anthony Davis—and yes, I believe in Anthony Davis—the playoffs have to be a possibility. Rookies often struggle to help their teams because they come into the league as defensive liabilities. Suffice it to say that AD is far from a defensive liability. 

Davis blocked 4.7 shots per game as a college freshman, but what impressed was how he accomplished this. The lanky big man managed to reject all these offerings while only fouling 2.0 times per game.

This is indicative of the deft intelligence with which AD D's up and of how he should be a quick study at the next level. The numbers compare favorably to Tim Duncan's college freshman line of 3.75 blocks, 2.4 fouls, so I would expect Davis to have the instant defensive impact of a young Timmy. 

It goes beyond the numbers, though. Anthony Davis manages defensive space unlike any college player I've ever seen. He's the rare talent who can block a three-point shot, cut off a driving point guard and crush a low-post player. Since he can do all of that in the same game, I don't expect the game to be the same from the moment he arrives. 

Perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe he'll flop at the next level and remind us of Anthony Randolph on a bad night. It could be so, but if I am to believe my own optimism, then I believe the Hornets to be playoff contenders.