Final Regular Season Grades for Every Charlotte Hornets Player
In a weak Eastern Conference, few expected the Charlotte Hornets to be watching the NBA playoffs from their couches this April. This season was supposed to be different. The buzz was supposed to be back.
What happened? Too many round pegs were squeezed into square holes. The result was a maddening 33-49 campaign that now leaves the front office with a jumbled mishmash of players that don't fit together; nor do they fit with the current regime.
By grading each player, we can examine who is worth keeping in town and who is worth shipping elsewhere.
Charlotte's awful season puts it at a crossroads: The Hornets can either tear things down and do a mini rebuild, or they can try to recreate what they had in 2013-14 by adding a few pieces and continuing to push for a top-four seed in the East.
When evaluating players and handing out letter grades, we will be looking at a number of aspects including overall impact, value to the team, level of production and whether or not they met expectations.
There will be no sugarcoating any of these player grades. Charlotte had a brutal season, and the tough questions have to be answered.
Bismack Biyombo
1 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 4.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 54.3 percent shooting
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Bismack Biyombo posted another great defensive season with a rating of 99 on that end of the floor. With Al Jefferson's ability as a rim protector waning, Biyombo filled a vital role for Charlotte this year.
Defensive acumen aside, Biz continues to be invisible on offense. He has never shown more than brief glimpses of respectability. His rate of attempted jumpers has declined during each of his four seasons in the NBA, indicating an unwillingness to expand his game.
The big man is also heading into restricted free agency. With Biyombo a ripe 22 years of age, a desperate team could break the bank gambling on his potential. Charlotte has to be smart about his eventual price tag and shouldn't go beyond roughly $6 million a year for him.
The old adage is that it takes a big man four years to develop. After four seasons, Biyombo's production level has improved minimally and his skill set has stayed the same. He may deserve another year or two of development given his age, but it is what it is at this point. Biyombo is a good defensive center and rebounder with almost no offensive ability outside of finishing at the rim.
General Manager Rich Cho recently told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer his thoughts on Biyombo.
“I thought Biz was up-and-down a little bit. He definitely improved. There were spurts when he was really good, like before he got injured. And then after the injury it took him a while to get back.”
Expectations for Biyombo's future have to be tempered at this point. He just might not be the Serge Ibaka 2.0 he was drafted to be. Because of that, Charlotte absolutely cannot overpay him this offseason.
Final Grade: C+
Troy Daniels
2 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 7.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 45.8 percent shooting
Daniels came over in the Mo Williams trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves before the deadline in exchange for Gary Neal. He only appeared in 11 games, with minimal impact.
The one weapon Daniels possesses is his long-range shooting, but frankly we just haven't seen enough of it yet. However, he lit it up in his brief stint with the Hornets, canning 17-of-36 from deep, good for 47.2 percent. During the final game of the year, he ripped off 24 points and six threes against the Toronto Raptors in a loss.
It almost makes you wonder why Steve Clifford waited until the last four games when the season was all but over to actually give him playing time, huh? As the league's worst three-point shooting team at 31.8 percent, it could have used a guy like Daniels in the rotation much earlier.
Grade: B+
P.J. Hairston
3 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 5.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 32.3 percent shooting
Look at that shooting percentage. Just look at it.
Hairston wasn't supposed to light the world on fire right away, but he certainly was supposed to provide at least a little relief for this squad which is devoid of capable three-point shooting. His inexcusable shot selection landed him in the dog house, and he was never able to make a sizable impact other than the occasional outlier game.
One thing that suggests the issue might be fixable is Hairston's horrendous play in garbage time. He shot even worse at a 24.1 percent clip when the Hornets were either up or down by more than 10 points. This represented a hefty amount of his playing time, so it is possible he played down to his role.
Regardless, Hairston has to do much better. He was looked at as a steal with the 26th pick in last year's draft, and he has every chance to be the shooting guard of Charlotte's future. He must get back to the basics and gain not only his own confidence back, but the trust of his coaches.
Final Grade: D
Gerald Henderson
4 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 43.7 percent shooting
Gerald Henderson began this campaign as somewhat of an afterthought given the presence of Lance Stephenson, P.J. Hairston and Gary Neal. Jeff Taylor was also back in the thick of things.
All four fell flat on their faces.
If it weren't for Henderson, who knows how many more games Charlotte would have lost? He filled in every crack where Charlotte was splitting, morphing into a pseudo-point guard when Kemba Walker went down. Hendo posted an uncharacteristic 4.7 assists a game in February.
Henderson has a player option of $6 million for 2015-16. He has stated his desire to remain in Charlotte to the Observer (h/t CBS), but also that he would like a long-term deal. Of course, there is still that massive league-wide spike in salary-cap room coming in 2016-17, so Henderson could always take the option and hope to cash in big-time in two years.
On the court, the Hornets still very much need their veteran shooting guard. His numbers were eerily identical to his career stats this season, which was just what the doctor ordered for Charlotte.
Final Grade: B
Al Jefferson
5 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 48.1 percent shooting
Al Jefferson's days as an elite big man may be dwindling.
He was at his absolute best toward the end of last year when leading the Bobcats to a playoff berth, but the plantar fasciitis he endured in the 2013-14 postseason appeared to take a notch out of his ability level.
Jefferson still put up good numbers, but he was never himself. His defensive effectiveness disappeared, and his efficiency sunk. He was actually 12th on his own team in points per shot, which is a recipe for disaster if that is your main offensive option.
Last year, revolving around Jefferson's post game helped this young team flourish. This year, it had the adverse effect. It stunted its growth and ultimately crushed its postseason chances due to Jefferson's dip in production.
Jefferson appears ready to opt into the final year of his deal at $13.5 million, citing "unfinished business," according to Bonnell.
If Big Al comes back, he has to be better. These were his lowest numbers since 2006-07 with the Boston Celtics. Clifford is hindering the growth of his squad by leaning on an aging big man so much. It hurts Walker. It hurts Stephenson. Now, it even hurts Jefferson.
Final Grade: B-
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
6 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 10.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 46.5 percent shooting
In his third season, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist made big improvements, so much so that Rich Cho deemed him the team's biggest bright spot.
He still can't shoot the lights out (he attempted zero threes this season), but his mid-range game improvement was night and day at 43 percent compared to 28 percent last season.
To see how much he means, look no further than this stat: Charlotte was 6-21 in games MKG missed this year, as opposed to 27-28 with him on the floor.
It is also a welcome sight that the soft-spoken forward is showing more confidence. With no fear of embarrassing himself at the free-throw line, his rebuilt jumper eliminated his hesitance to attack the rim. This also allowed him to operate more freely on the defensive end, where we all know his capabilities.
In fact, he is confident enough now to make claims about being "the best defender this league has seen," according to Bonnell.
Cho added that MKG should work to add a corner three-point shot to his arsenal. This would be another huge step in his development. Couple that with some more fast-break play, and suddenly you have a legitimate offensive threat on your hands.
There was no questioning his value to the team this year. He took that next step in his development to further cement his status as a foundational piece of Charlotte's future.
Final Grade: A-
Jason Maxiell
7 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 42.2 percent shooting
Every team needs a veteran presence to keep the troops in order, and there's no better guy to do that than Jason Maxiell.
Unfortunately, his impact in the locker room is not enough to justify his play at this point. He was never a huge presence, but his field-goal percentage has steadily gone down just about every season since 2008-09.
The man can still lock down on defense but is a liability on offense for a squad that simply has too many guys like that. It is unlikely Charlotte brings him back next year given his unrestricted free agency.
You would have liked to see more of Maxiell's impact, not only in his own production, but also in youngsters such as Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh and Biyombo. This team could have used more out of him.
Final Grade: C
Brian Roberts
8 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 6.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 38.9 percent shooting
Brian Roberts has the unique distinction of being the only player to play for the New Orleans Hornets and also for these re-branded Charlotte Hornets.
That's about where the compliments end for him.
This season was not kind to Roberts. He inked a two-year, $5.5 million deal last offseason to provide a calming veteran presence at point guard behind the often enigmatic Kemba Walker. He proceeded to turn in the worst year of his brief career.
His three-point percentage dipped for the third consecutive campaign down to 32.1 percent, and he made little to no impact distributing the rock. He didn't crack six assists in a game all year and was so invisible it forced Cho's hand to go out and bring in Mo Williams to light a fire.
If Roberts is on the roster next year, don't expect to see him contribute much.
Final Grade: D
Lance Stephenson
9 of 15
2013-14 Stats: 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 37.6 percent shooting
Oh, boy. How bad was Lance Stephenson this year? Is having the worst three-point shooting season off all time bad?
"I have to come in and figure out how to be a better shooter," Stephenson told Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. "Being a good shooter will help my overall game. When people sag off of me, it's harder for me to be successful."
"Born Ready" was not ready for his change of scenery at all following his three-year, $27 million deal this past offseason. The other facets of his game were never really in question.. He still hit the glass, hustled on defense and distributed the rock.
His shot was just something out of a horror movie.
Trading Stephenson would be selling low. Cho sounds fully committed to this relationship and wants Lance to do better. He and Walker were supposed to be the NBA's new swaggy backcourt duo, but the matchup never gained traction. Each took big steps back, and each will have to put in a hard-working offseason to get this team where it needs to be.
Final Grade: D
Jeff Taylor
10 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 39.5 percent shooting
Jeff Taylor's season got off to an inauspicious start following a 24-game ban due to domestic violence charges. Upon his return, it was difficult to tell if he was even there.
Taylor was glued to the bench until April, when the season was out of hand. He showed promise as a rookie two seasons ago, but has not improved one bit since. His value to this team is in question. His shooting is erratic, and he offers little in terms of peripherals.
Don't be surprised if his days in teal and purple are done. He is an unrestricted free agent as well.
Final Grade: D
Noah Vonleh
11 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 3.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.4 blocks, 39.5 percent shooting
We had a feeling Vonleh would play very little as a rookie. The 19-year-old, No. 9 overall selection saw just 259 total minutes over the course of 25 games, scoring just 83 total points.
Vonleh likely would have benefited from an entire season in the D-League, but one can only hope picking the brains of Al Jefferson and assistant coach Patrick Ewing far exceeded what he would have learned down there.
Fans never got an extended look at him until April. Just 109 of his minutes came before the season's final month, so it was smart for Clifford to get his young big man some burn before the offseason. For the most part, Vonleh held his own. He displayed an adequate inside-out game and even posted a double-double against the Detroit Pistons' vaunted front line.
The jury is still out on Vonleh just because of the incredibly small sample size we were given. Because of that, he gets a decent grade.
Final Grade: B-
Kemba Walker
12 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 38.5 percent shooting
Charlotte's point guard has some work to do this offseason.
This is the only man on the roster guaranteed after next season. Charlotte thought that highly of him to invest in his future before anybody else's with a four-year, $48 million extension. He rewarded them by taking a massive step back.
Walker absolutely has to improve if this team is going to win. Inefficient scorers who shoot as much as he does without distributing the ball are pure basketball Kryptonite. His shooting is at Ricky Rubio levels, and he doesn't have the passing, defense or rebounding to atone for it.
Launching 4.5 threes a night while only converting 30 percent of them is a death sentence for this team. Walker was unable to work the pick-and-roll with Jefferson quite like last year, and it hurt his growth.
Most of all, consistency continues to plague Walker more than anything. Winning players bring it every night, and that has not been the case. He didn't crack 20 points once in November, shooting 36.6 percent in the process, but he posted six straight contests of over 28 points in early January. He followed that up by getting injured and shooting 35.1 percent in the second half of the season.
This is the only player Charlotte has invested its future in. It is time for that investment to start paying off.
Final Grade: C
Marvin Williams
13 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 42.4 percent shooting.
If you had to pick one player in the entire NBA and predict his stats before the season, Marvin Williams might be the easiest guy to project.
Give or take a couple of points, Williams was right on par with his career averages this year. He was given the unfortunate role of replacing Josh McRoberts, a guy who had a massive impact on last year's Bobcats squad. That situation was doomed from the start.
Instead, Williams did a better job of replacing Anthony Tolliver. He gave the Hornets what they expected, and that is outside shooting, solid rebounding and some defense. Williams canned a career-high 95 threes and posted a solid defensive rating of 103, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
If you are swinging for the fences as a general manager, Marvin Williams is not your guy. He is more of a bunt single, but at least it gets you on base. He'll have a spot on this team next year, but ideally in a lesser role.
Final Grade: B-
Mo Williams
14 of 15
2014-15 Stats (With Charlotte): 17.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 39.0 percent shooting
Mo Williams turned back the clock this year, and it was a lot of fun to watch his renaissance campaign.
His efficiency numbers were slightly less than ideal because of the role he was forced into. Charlotte brought him over when Walker was out, and he immediately began chucking. The vet knew how awful his Hornets were from long range, so it was a welcome sight for him to launch 6.6 threes a night.
There were nights when the 32-year-old was the only player who showed up. It was a shame he couldn't help guide them to the postseason, since now he will be a free agent.
Whether he returns or not, Williams did everything he could to rally this team around him, but the fire wasn't there. He crushed 28 threes during his first eight games in Charlotte, not to mention getting his teammates involved. It just wasn't enough, but through no fault of his own.
Williams was everything Charlotte could've dreamed of and then some. He provided outside shooting and passing unlike anyone else on the roster and even uncharacteristically bought into the defensive philosophies, posting his lowest defensive rating since 2008-09.
This team was wildly disappointing, but Williams is exempt from that label.
Final Grade: A
Cody Zeller
15 of 15
2014-15 Stats: 7.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 46.1 percent shooting
Cody Zeller had another up-and-down year but was very much on the way up before missing 19 of the team's final 20 games with a shoulder injury.
He has since undergone surgery to repair a multitude of problems and is facing three months of rehab.
Before going down, Zeller had posted six consecutive games of double-digit scoring, finally turning a corner after another quiet start. His numbers did improve across the board thanks to improved mid-range shooting and better shot selection.
The Big Handsome had 84.8 percent of his buckets come off assists in 2014-15, a huge spike from just 65.1 last season. That just goes to show how much more effective he can be if the point guards on this roster step it up.
Zeller is still just 22, but he showed encouraging signs in his sophomore campaign. He was much more confident with his decision-making, knowing when to let it fly and when to kick it out. The next step is just expanding upon what he has built. He must continue to work on his post game and become automatic from 15 feet. Convincing his teammates to run in transition with him won't hurt, either.
It was a shame to see him go down with an injury over the last quarter of the season right when he was getting hot. Hopefully he gets that shoulder ready to go for a big third year in the league.
Final Grade: B
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