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Know Your New Orleans Pelicans Opponent: Charlotte Hornets Q&A

By Matt Cianfrone

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As we head towards the start of the 2015-16 season, New Orleans Pelicans fans are mostly concerned with the way the Pelicans are adjusting to a new system. While that is the most important question for the Pelicans right now, there are also 29 other teams in the NBA with questions and the answers to some will directly impact the Pelicans. With that in mind we decided to go around the league and do Q&A sessions with a blogger for each team in the league. Today we are joined by someone who is an Editor for At the Hive, the SB Nation Charlotte Hornets blog, a writer at The Friendly Bounce and Hardwood Paroxysm and someone who pops up here every now and then, Chris Barnewall, to talk Charlotte Hornets.

1. Much like the Pelicans rely on Anthony Davis or Omer Asik to prop up defenses, the Hornets relied on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. How many wins does his injury cost the Hornets?

Chris: It’s hard to put a specific number of wins on one player, especially since they’re going to play without him all season giving them time to adjust, but I think 10 is a fair number. I originally had the Hornets making the playoffs before MKG’s injury, and a huge part of that was due to his ability to anchor a top 10 defense. Without him however a drop off is definitely expected. It’s also worth noting that the Hornets record with MKG over the last two seasons is significantly better compared to without him.

2. The Hornets were one of the few teams in the league last year to make less threes than the Pelicans. They seemed to have focused on adding shooters this summer. Who makes more three this year, the Pelicans or Hornets?

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Chris: Man this is a hard one. The Pelicans brought back the entire team from last year, and quite frankly they just don’t have many 3-point shooters. The Hornets on the other hand added a ton of shooters, and have showcased during the preseason that they plan on bombing from deep at an insane rate. Give me the Hornets in a close one, but I’m far from confident about that pick.

3. Which player that was hurt last season makes a bigger impact this year, Nicolas Batum or Jrue Holiday?

Chris: Nicolas Batum easily. He won’t be on a minutes restriction, and his second half numbers last year was at an almost All-star Level. Holiday just can’t stay healthy. Now if we want to put this in a vacuum then the answer should be Holiday. He’s the more likely second option on the roster, and what he does defensively would take a huge load off Asik and Davis. Although you have to wonder how much impact Holiday can have at this point with the team making Tyreke Evans the de facto point guard.

4. Who wins a footrace, Omer Asik or Al Jefferson?

Chris: Al Jefferson. Omer Asik’s gonna trip and fall and we both know it.

5. What are the expectations for the Hornets this season? What would you consider a successful season?

Chris: The expectations were to make the playoffs, and I guess those haven’t changed, but the chances of them reaching that are just so unlikely. To me, a successful season is to find themselves in the playoff race come late March/Early April. Have a season where you can say “You know if we had MKG then we could have been something.”, and use that case to re-sign Batum in the offseason.

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