Ahh basketball season is near, and what a season we are in for. With training camp commencing we can get just that little bit more excited before we realize that the season doesn’t begin for another month!
While that may seem like an eternity away we at Swarm & Sting have you covered for the breakdown of what this season means.
Most headlines will talk about Paul and how his emotional stability is going and if he’s ready to follow the nearly departed Carmelo Anthony. But if you’re really interested in the Hornets you’ll know it’s deeper than that.
The Hornets have a lot of issues heading into camp if they are to become a top-4 team in the west. It’s a difficult task and still a lot to be done, so let’s break down these issues because it’s not just about Paul but the entire organisation.
Let’s jump, massive water slide style!
1. What is this team’s identity?
As simple as it sounds, establishing how a team plays the game is more important than any Chris Paul rumor can be. If this team is going to have any chance of building a winning program they have to establish an identity, not only for themselves but for the rest of the league. I think it’s easy to point in the defensive direction as Coach Monty has been preaching it like the Pope. But last season proved that some of the personnel just wasn’t up to the task on the defensive aspect of the game. If the coaching staff is to maximize the potential of these players (there is potential) then it must be a systematic change in Training camp. Keep a close eye on the first few preseason games to watch the tempo and any distinct difference in how the Hornets play the game of basketball.
Many are hoping for a “run-and-gun” style from the team, which is entirely possible. However I think balance is essential. You can’t always score on the break, as teams like the Suns have been notorious fast-break teams, but overall just woeful defensively. We have to be able to score in the half-court which won’t be a problem with the likes of Chris Paul, Marcus Thornton and David West.
My problem arises from knowing what we are. Where is the balance in this team? Is it a 30 (Fast Break)/70 (Half Court)? Or a 50/50 split? I don’t know, but the team needs to get it right before the season begins, because as you know we have a daunting opening slate of games.
2. Where is the breakout?
This is directly pointed to the team as well as many individuals. This team has a few holes and numerous question marks on players. In terms of individual break-outs the first name that comes to mind is Emeka Okafor. There’s no statistical evidence that he is ascending and is on the verge of breaking out. However he needs to step up as a leader of the team. With this youth movement within the organisation and the roster, Okafor needs to lead by example and put that career-low year behind him (2009-10).
As well we need a bench-threat-breakout. Many have scrutinized the Hornets for their inferior lack of depth, and rightly so. If the injury bug hits the team again (Oh em gee it tots hit us 2 years in a row, lol) we are going to be in trouble in a big way. We need guys like Marco Belinelli to step up, Quincy Pondexter and uhh who else? I’m really concerned about our depth and unless Demps finds a gem in these D-League “All-Stars” then it isn’t looking all that great.
3. Who’s making the roster?
18 players, 15 roster spots. For many of the new partial-Hornet players Training Camp is going to be their battle ground to get a jump-start to their careers. I’ll be tracking players like Joe Alexander and Pops Mensah-Bonsu closely as I see them as great rotation players in the making, though I could be proven wrong.
This does stem from the second issue discussed, because these guys need to realize there is some serious playing time at stake. Not only that, but big-time responsibility too. If any of these partial people..uhh…I mean players, make the roster it will be for their defensive ability and overall training camp impressions.
4. How’s the conditioning going?
This is so big it’s really hard to understand what exactly makes a team so healthy. The past two season the Hornets have seemed to sucome more and more to injuries. Is this an issue of age? Perhaps, however sometimes it comes down to a little bit of luck, a dash of fitness, a pinch of a healthy diet and a sprinkle of a mental preparation that adds up to one healthy Hornets dish.
The NBA season is a marathon, so again having depth that can assist through tough stretches is a must (noticing a trend here?)
Summation
I guess you can pretty much see what I’m getting at here. This season it’s imperative we find our way as a team, and that a solid and consistent 10 man rotation is established that really allows the team to develop and grow. This is no overnight thing that suddenly just happens, but I think lacking a solid, proven bench unit will be a major concern of mine.
With that though I think this team has a lot to show to the league. It’s young, hungry and energized, something the team hasn’t had since 2007. A sense of change is flowing throughout the Hornets team and organisation, but is this change for the better or worst, I have a feeling this has a Barrack Obama slogan all over it.