New Orleans Pelicans: Is Brandon Ingram a Lock for Most Improved Player?

It seems like the Charlotte Hornets have been stuck in ninth seed purgatory for about a hundred years and not much changed this year, as Charlotte was tenth in the Eastern Conference when play was suspended.

The only difference this year is that the Hornets finally have some young talent to build around in forwards Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington, as well as one of the league’s most improved players, point guard Devonte’ Graham.

Graham has emerged from nowhere to become one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference and it turns out all he needed was a chance.

Graham inherited the point guard position when the Hornets let star Kemba Walker leave in free agency, but he was hardly considered the point guard of the future.

Graham averaged just 4.7 points and 2.6 assists in his rookie season for the Hornets, which included just 46 total games and three starts.

After averaging just 14.7 minutes per game in his first season, Graham finally got his opportunity and he ran with it. He was averaging 35.1 minutes per game prior to suspension of play and he was making the most of them.

Graham raised his scoring average to 18.2 a game from 4.7 and his assists from 2.6 per game to 7.5, huge leaps in those categories.

But it’s Graham’s 3-point shooting that has really changed his impact. Graham shot just 28.1 percent from long-range on a paltry 2.6 attempts per game in his first season in the NBA.

This season Graham raised those numbers to 37.3 percent shooting on a staggering 9.3 attempts per game, which is good for fifth in the league.

Graham is one of those players who just needed minutes and confidence. There finally appears to be a future in Charlotte that does not involve the battle for the ninth seed.