New Orleans Hornets' Ascent and the 2008 Draft

The most coveted positions for NBA front offices: center and point guard.  In the last decade only two championships were won without Hall of Fame centers.  Both of these championships were won by the Pistons, who made up for it by having a top-notch defensive center who could neutralize the others.

The point guard position is the most important position in today’s game.  Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Utah, New Orleans, Golden State, and Detroit are all carried by All-Star caliber point guards.  Michael Jordan played for years before he started winning, it’s doubtful Magic Johnson could have ever led a team to a losing record because a point guard LEADS a team. 

This is why the rise of the New Orleans Hornets should come as no surprise.  Fluke, they are not, and NBA fans should expect to fill their sting for quite some time.  The Hornets are entering an era will they will be in the best shape of their franchise’s history by having a Hall of Fame point guard, Chris Paul, and an All-Star caliber center, Tyson Chandler, for the primes of their careers. 

Paul is the leader, on-floor coach, leading the league in assist and steals while scoring over 20ppg a game.  Chandler not only made the Olympic squad but also is leading the league in offensive rebounds and is second in field goal-percentage.   He is in his sixth season having come straight out of high school.   Paul ends his rookie contract 3-year period in the off-season. 

Having the best point guard and  a quality 7’1” center for the entirety of their primes is quite a building block, add on a fixture at power forward in David West and you have a trifecta.   David West, a current All-Star who is still improving each year at a tremendous rate epitomizes the Hornets’ lunch pail attitude.  His approach and professionalism are a trademark of the club and fit perfectly with Chris Paul and Coach Byron Scott. 

West, Peja, Paul and others were somewhat of a backlash of the Jamal Mashburn, Baron Davis, and Jamal Majlorie era, where the team was representing everything that was wrong with the NBA. West's ofrfseason approach has him acquiring new skills each year.  Knowing his limitations has helped West; hence, he has mastered the 17-foot jumper making the pick-n-rolls with Paul lethal.

Add Peja Stojakovic.  His health this year has provided a service to CP3 that few players in the world can.  Even if he has missed his past twenty shots, this 6’10” Serbian sharp-shooter can stand one foot off of the sidelines and teams still will not leave him alone for a second to help out on Paul due to his reputation alone.  With his man never abandoning him, it has left CP3 ample room to have a MVP season.

Despite the fact that  Peja is  the perfect fit now, his position will likely fall into the hands of Julian Wright next year.  Wright’s rookie year has been more than promising, and it’s starting to look like they got a top 5 pick. I know, I know John Hollinger and ESPN might not see it this way, but they also don’t see Hornet games. 

His lack of playing time is solely due to leading the most competitive race in its history and playing the same position as Peja.  If more time were allotted then his stats would qualify and the secret would be out. But for now, the organization and its fans are ready for him to become a future all-star. Think of Tyrus Thomas with good handles on the ball and court vision.    

J. Wright’s probable break into next year’s starting lineup will be a plus.  It would allow Peja to remain a force come playoff time for the entirety of his contract’s three remaining years.

Before free agency signings, here’s what the roster looks like this off-season:

PG  Chris Paul,                          Jonnero Pargo (1yr)               Mike James(2 yrs)

SF  Peja Stojovich (3yrs)           Morris Peterson (3yrs)

SF Julian Wright,                       Rasual Butler(3yrs)

PF David West (4yrs)               Melvin Ely(1 yr)          

C-  Tyson Chandler (3yrs)         Hilton Armstrong(2 yrs)

This leaves the Hornets playing two small forwards.  It somewhat works because Julian Wright plays like a point forward and can really put the ball on the ground, penetrate, and find the open man.  Peja also can play the shooting gurad spot.  In this scenario, Wright guards the better of the opponent’s offensive wings.

Morris Peterson and Rasual Butler have been disappointing, but Peterson still figures into next year’s equation in a reserve role.

Bonzi Wells will be tempting to resign.  He was smart to join the Hornets during a contract year, but if the hornets get a shooting guard that can play in this draft; expect

them to be smarter and not be the next victim of Bonzi’s potential.

Chris Anderson’s passion off the bench will,  most probably be rewarded by a lesser contract.  Bowen will probably be brought back also if the team drafts a guard; if not they will let him go and give his minutes to the pick.

As the Hornets prepare for the draft few things are obvious.  One, they’ll be picking in the 25-30 range.  And two, they’ll have to be cognizant of the fact that they possess no second round choice; hence, making this pick even more important.  Why?  It’s time to resign CP3, and the Hornets need someone contributing while playing under a rookie contract. 

Only three players come off the books in the off-season; Bonzi Wells, Chris Anderson, and Ryan Bowen. 

Since Scott has arrived, the Hornerts have lacked a true shooting guard.  It has also been a trademark of the Byron Scott era to employ a two-headed point guard attack.

Darrel Armstrong, Speedy Claxton, Jonnero Pargo, and Mike James have all played this role and had success. 

The downfall has been on the defensive end where they can’t contest the taller shooting guards of the Western Conference.  Pargo and James have been used in this role recently, but they exemplify the problem.

1        The Hornets need a shooting guard

2        The traps are coming further and further down-court trying to get the ball out of Paul’s hands before his pick-n-roll with David West.  This double-teaming will come to mid-court and beyond trying rid Paul of the ball. 

3        Once he passes it, it’s a 4 on 3 situation; and a SG with point guard skills

          Could exploit the situation by being able to shoot if open,

           If not putting it on the ground and penetrating until someone else does open

           up.

4        Pargo and James can’t pull this position off on the defensive end.

5        This means a combo guard makes more sense than ever.

Two players who could very well do this in this year’s draft, and should be around the Hornets' range are:

Lester Hudson 6’3” PG-SG  (UT-Martin) 

25.7 points per game (3^rd in nation) while taking an avg. of 10 three-pointers a game (3^rd also) while maintaining nearly a 40% avg!  He’s number 1 in the nation in steals and is arguabally the best rebounding guard in the nation.  The talent he played against was inferior, yet he has the speed, length, speeed, athleticism, and serious enough range  to make the transition.  (he also lit every big name school he played like a freaggin Christmas tree)

Kyle Weaver 6’5 ½” PG-SG (Washington St.)

Another combo guard that fills out the stat sheet is this man.  Although his shooting is suspect, his basketball IQ is high as well as his intensity and his athletic ability to play lock-down defense.  These skills combined with his ability to find the open man could make him the Hornet’s man.

See also: Mario Chambers 6’2” Kansas/ Rob Mckiver 6’3” Houston

If the Hornets scouts don’t get the same view from here then perhaps they’ll pick up:

Joey Dorsey 6’9” PF-C (Memphis)

An NBA ready contributor playing for a rookie salary for three to four years would be a plus when resigning the core of the team.  He could automatically make either Bowen or Anderson expendable and could definitely make Melvin Ely expendable the next year.  Ben Wallace’s are no longer free agent steals.

Not much risk.  Not much upside.

The last route the Hornets could take, besides best player available, is to actually draft a

shooting guard.  When one combines their demands on the position with who will be milling around their draft position, the list is short:

Tyler Smith 6’7” Tenn.

Wayne Ellington 6’4” N.C.

Brandon Rush 6’6” Kansas

Sam Young 6’6” Pitt.

Shan Foster 6’6” Vandy.