Rebranded as the Hornets, momentum is building in Charlotte

A combination of high profile and under the radar moves have put Charlotte in a position to contend in the East. 

Hear that sound coming from Charlotte? That would be BUZZ.

Last season ended in a a playoff sweep, but that doesn't tell the whole story. First, just finishing over .500 and making the playoffs for a team this historically terrible is a feat in and of itself. Second, if the Bobcats drew ANY other team in the first round, they would have taken at least one game. If Al Jefferson doesn't get plantar facitis in the first quarter of the first game of the Heat series, the Bobcats would have taken one game. What's more, they basically did this with defense, team basketball and only two players who can score.

The Charlotte Hornets have since rebranded, and re-entered the league with a flurry of off-season moves and are poised to be contenders in the Eastern Conference. As you can tell we are excited about the Hornets returning to Charlotte. The artist formerly known as the Bobcats henceforth will reclaim it's birth right, hopefully ascending to the Iron Throne.

We've already done this, but how freaking sweet are these?

Further, I've said it before, but this is the exact moment I became a Hornets fan for life.

Draft: Best player available, asset collection

To recap the Hornets selected Noah Vonleh when he fell to the 9th pick in the draft. Our reaction was mixed to this pick, and we almost came to blows over the proper use of statistics. We worry about things like at Hammertime Sports. The Hornets then ended up with PJ Hairston, who we agree that when he plays will probably be a good basketball player for the Hornets.

These two first round picks are the highest profile moves made during the draft, but the biggest off season move happened behind the scenes, with the firing of Rod Higgins as general manager and replacing him with Rich Cho. Cho has made a few very savvy other moves during the draft and otherwise that went largely unnoticed, but still ultimately ended up helping the team

1. The Hornets originally owned the 24th pick in the draft (dates way back to the Gerald Wallace trade). They used this pick to draft Shabazz Napier who they immediately traded to the Heat, who had hopes that such a move would entice LeBron to resign (oops.) Trading this pick netted the 26th and 55th picks this year plus a future second round selection for the Hornets. Odds are they were going to select Hairston at 24, so why not pick up some assets and do so anyway two picks later?
2. The Hornets also began the draft with the 45th overall pick, they used this selection on NAME DOESN'T MATTER. 

Whoever we picked was traded to Cleveland, along with Brendan Haywood for nothing. Why make this kind of move? Haywood didn't play a single game in two years for the Bobcats and was still owed $2 million next season. Cleveland basically agreed to take on this $2 million in exchange for the 45th pick.

          3. Remember that 55th pick we traded for? Yeah we picked another guy named... Highlights below.

I'm having way too much fun with this

Just as you would take your crops to market, your oddly knitted sweaters to ETSY or your perverted original Disney movie covers to EBay, we straight up sold this guy as well to the OKC Thunder. 

Featuring the um. "Tower" erected in the middle of the castle.

Uncomfortable with the idea of selling another person? THIS IS THE NBA BABY. Anyway if you're keeping score at home, the Hornets wanted Hairston, swapped picks for him and sold their consolation for cash. Build for now, build for the future.

Free Agency: all part of the plan? 

The Hornets swung and missed on Gordon Hayward, offering a max contract to a restricted free agent that was eventually matched by his original team, the Utah Jazz. Honestly this is not that bad a thing, as they were going to have to pay Hayward $16 million a year for his services. This is a lot of money for a guy who is only OK at a lot of things on the court. Journey with me down the rabbit hole for a second though, I believe just MAKING the max offer to Hayward helped the Hornets in a couple ways even if they didn't actually sign him.

 

You know I love my conspiracy theories, even more so I love Lex Luthor-ian kind of thinking. I.E. "You fell exactly into my trap, Mwaa Ha Ha." kind of thing. This is obscure but I also loved the Legend of Zelda trade sequence, where start with one thing and get another thing and another thing...until eventually you land a sweet ass boomerang. This is one of my crowning achievements as a child. 

All that to say this: more savvy moves by Rich Cho. 

Maybe Cho knew Hayward was going to receive a match from Utah, there were certainly enough reports out there that stated as such. Maybe we made a max offer in hopes that the Jazz Flutes would match it, thereby wrecking their salary cap space enough that they would have no money to re-sign Marvin Williams, who we snagged and will likely start the year at power forward for us. Williams, a UNC product, is labeled a bust because he was drafted ahead of Chris Paul, and he's not going to come here and suddenly become THAT guy, but he has carved out a decent NBA career as a stretch 4. This signing also provides an umbrella under which the last two lottery picks Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh can develop with less pressure.

And once reunited with 2005 national championship teammate Sean May, Williams will...no wait. Move along, nothing to see here. 

Further, making such a large offer to Hayward showed the Hornets are making a push for the playoffs, and are willing to spend money in free agency. This type of thinking had to catch the attention of a certain mercurial, but vastly talented Lance Stephenson.

LAAAAANCE

The Hornets, with cap space and a starting position in tow, eventually signed Lance for 3 years and $27 million. Again if you're keeping score at home, the Hornets offered Hayward $16 million a season, and get similar production (not to mention a higher ceiling) out of Lance for $9 million a season. Using my superior mathematical brain, I realized $9 million is less than $16 million.

Which pile of money is bigger? Go on. You can do it. 

Is Lance a character risk? Sure. He does weird stuff like blowing in LeBron's ear, or trying, not so sneakily trying to infiltrate the other team's huddle. On a serious note he also has some particularly nasty domestic violence arrests in his background.

Just talk about your game plans like you can't see me. Wait a second. Maybe I'm invisible right now.

But Lance also scored 14 ppg last year as the third option on the Pacers, grabbed almost 8 rebounds per game, the highest number for a guard in the league, and dished out over 4 assists per game as well. This guy can shoot, rebound, defend and create for himself and others.

LAAAANCE!

Mostly Lance gives the Hornets a sorely needed third scorer, and for a guy looking to become a star, a young playoff team with some already established players is the perfect launching platform. For better or for worse Lance is also a tough, gritty, "Swagger" kind of guy. Charlotte might be a lot of things next year, soft is not going to be one of them. Not to mention this move weakens a team in the Eastern Conference.

Pictured: Signing Lance Stephenson. Ok I'll stop. 

Another sneaky good move by the Hornets was signing back up PG Brian Roberts away from the New Orleans Pelicans. Heady young point guard, can dish and knock down the 3.

If you can find Brian Roberts highlights on Youtube, you can truly find anything.

Right now the starting lineup looks like: PG Kemba Walker, SG Lance Stephenson, SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrest, PF Marvin Williams and C Al Jefferson. For the first time in their recent history, the Hornets also will have depth and talent on the bench with guards Gerald Henderson, PJ Hairston, Gary Neal and Roberts, along with young developing forwards Zeller and Vonleh. Dare I say the future looks bright?

Besides no matter what happens the Hornets will be interesting this season. Best case? Eastern Conference finals. Worst case? PJ Hairston and Lance start wearing women's clothing and robbing banks in Charlotte, get arrested and average 60 ppg in the North Carolina Prison League. This could be a TV show. And we could call it, are you ready for this?

Prison Guards.

 I can honestly picture either scenario. Either way this shakes out, it's going to be must see TV. Tune in with us this fall for more Hornets coverage!

-Joel