Anthony Davis: Why Kentucky Star Will Not Be Enough to Turn New Orleans Around

Anthony Davis is clearly the best prospect in the 2012 NBA Draft, but the New Orleans Hornets will still need to add another impact player to become a competitive team again.

Davis is an elite shot-blocker and an incredible defensive force, but he still has significant strides to make on the offensive end of the floor. 

Davis averaged 14.2 points in his only season with Kentucky, but his 4.7 blocks and 10.2 rebounds were a more important factor for his team.

In the national championship game against Kansas, Davis struggled offensively and put up just six points. He focused his energy on other aspects of the game and recorded 16 rebounds, six blocks and five assists. 

He still lacks a consistent post game and while he will likely develop into a solid scorer, he will not become a dominant offensive player.

He is a fantastic prospect, but his lack of consistency on offense and willingness to fade into the background and do the little things means that he cannot turn the Hornets around on his own. 

His ability to contribute in ways other than scoring is certainly not a negative quality, but it does mean that the Hornets must have other players on the roster willing to shoulder the scoring load.

It is all but certain that the Hornets will draft Davis, but Eric Gordon’s future with the team is still up in the air. Bringing back Gordon is equally important to the team’s future as drafting Davis is.

Gordon will be a free agent on July 1, as noted by ESPN.com. The same article notes that the star shooting guard has enjoyed his time in New Orleans and is not averse to returning to the team. 

Gordon seems too determined to keep all of his options open. Adding Davis might help convince him to stay, but Gordon will not be enough to complete the roster. 

Gordon and Blake Griffin certainly provided entertaining moments with the Los Angeles Clippers, but they failed to win consistently. Gordon and Davis will likely do the same with the current role players on the Hornets.

The third impact player on the Hornets must also be a scorer, and would preferably be a point guard or a small forward in order to complement Gordon.

Davis is a fantastic prospect but simply is not in the same class as LeBron James or Kevin Durant, and will not be able to turn a franchise around by himself.

He will be an excellent addition to the roster, but the Hornets will still be a lottery team if they do not bring back Gordon and add another scorer.