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Well, this team doesn't look much, if any, better than last year's team.
Although Byron Scott will coach defense, something Dantoni wasn't interested in.
Nash, while it would be awesome for him to stay healthy, and play limited minutes and just be a great shooter, has already had some pain and missed time in the preseason. Can't expect much from him.
Lin, while also not a world beater, will be a capable Point Guard, and is a better scorer than Kendall Marshall overall.
Kobe, well... it he can stay healthy, how Kobe can he be?
Wes Johnson is intriguing at Small Forward. I know he's been labeled a "bust" because of how high he was drafted...but he's not horrible at basketball. If you look at him as just a contributor, he's fine.
Jordan Hill will give you everything he has every night. (although that's significantly less than the best post players)
Carlos Boozer is on an expiring contract, and hasn't looked right for about a year.
That's probably your starting 5. You can flip/flop Nash/Lin.
It will be interesting to see how Randle and Ed Davis will fit into the post rotation. They both have more upside than the two starting ahead of them. I really like the Ed Davis pickup. But I'm always biased toward liking NC guys. For this reason, I don't like Ryan Kelly. Robert Sacre is simply there to celebrate on the bench...or play when everyone else gets hurt.
Nick Young is hurt, so Wayne Ellington is going to have to be the bench "shooter". Again I am biased towards UNC players, but I'm hoping the best for him. Xavier Henry is Xavier Henry. He'll have some games where he'll look like a starter, and some games that he doesn't look like he belongs on the court.
Clarkson and Price are both listed as PG's. Price was brought in as insurance, because Nash WILL get injured again. I watched a bit of the summer league games, and Clarkson spent a lot of time at the 2 guard.
I think you will see this look alot. With Nash and Lin, or Nash/Lin/Price and Clarkson.
If I had to do the depth chart:
PG- Nash, Lin, Price, Clarkson
SG- Bryant, Ellington, Henry, Clarkson
SF- Johnson, Young, Henry, Ellington
PF- Boozer, Randle, Kelly
C - Hill, Davis, Sacre
This is NOT a good team. However, a pretty good group of workers. Coach Scott will have to be patient, and he has no choice but to emphasize defense, because Kobe is the only offensive player that is scary, other than Nick Young. Problem with that is...Nash, Lin, Ellington, Young are NOT good perimeter defenders, and who knows what Kobe can bring on that end?
Alot of expiring contracts on this team: Boozer, Nash, and Lin are the big ones. That leaves alot of cap space for next year. I can see a trade or two by Mitch during the season... involving any and all of those guys.
It will probably be another wait and see season. The West is loaded again, and really can't see them making the playoffs. However, depending on how the trades shake out, and how Clarkson and especially Randle progress... there could be hope for the future.
B Scott made the Hornets very tough with Chris Paul, David West, and to be honest just hard work on the defensive end. A decent trade, and a few tweaks, and they could be better in a hurry. But Kobe's salary is still weighing them down, and it may take until he's done to actually contend.
Although Byron Scott will coach defense, something Dantoni wasn't interested in.
Nash, while it would be awesome for him to stay healthy, and play limited minutes and just be a great shooter, has already had some pain and missed time in the preseason. Can't expect much from him.
Lin, while also not a world beater, will be a capable Point Guard, and is a better scorer than Kendall Marshall overall.
Kobe, well... it he can stay healthy, how Kobe can he be?
Wes Johnson is intriguing at Small Forward. I know he's been labeled a "bust" because of how high he was drafted...but he's not horrible at basketball. If you look at him as just a contributor, he's fine.
Jordan Hill will give you everything he has every night. (although that's significantly less than the best post players)
Carlos Boozer is on an expiring contract, and hasn't looked right for about a year.
That's probably your starting 5. You can flip/flop Nash/Lin.
It will be interesting to see how Randle and Ed Davis will fit into the post rotation. They both have more upside than the two starting ahead of them. I really like the Ed Davis pickup. But I'm always biased toward liking NC guys. For this reason, I don't like Ryan Kelly. Robert Sacre is simply there to celebrate on the bench...or play when everyone else gets hurt.
Nick Young is hurt, so Wayne Ellington is going to have to be the bench "shooter". Again I am biased towards UNC players, but I'm hoping the best for him. Xavier Henry is Xavier Henry. He'll have some games where he'll look like a starter, and some games that he doesn't look like he belongs on the court.
Clarkson and Price are both listed as PG's. Price was brought in as insurance, because Nash WILL get injured again. I watched a bit of the summer league games, and Clarkson spent a lot of time at the 2 guard.
I think you will see this look alot. With Nash and Lin, or Nash/Lin/Price and Clarkson.
If I had to do the depth chart:
PG- Nash, Lin, Price, Clarkson
SG- Bryant, Ellington, Henry, Clarkson
SF- Johnson, Young, Henry, Ellington
PF- Boozer, Randle, Kelly
C - Hill, Davis, Sacre
This is NOT a good team. However, a pretty good group of workers. Coach Scott will have to be patient, and he has no choice but to emphasize defense, because Kobe is the only offensive player that is scary, other than Nick Young. Problem with that is...Nash, Lin, Ellington, Young are NOT good perimeter defenders, and who knows what Kobe can bring on that end?
Alot of expiring contracts on this team: Boozer, Nash, and Lin are the big ones. That leaves alot of cap space for next year. I can see a trade or two by Mitch during the season... involving any and all of those guys.
It will probably be another wait and see season. The West is loaded again, and really can't see them making the playoffs. However, depending on how the trades shake out, and how Clarkson and especially Randle progress... there could be hope for the future.
B Scott made the Hornets very tough with Chris Paul, David West, and to be honest just hard work on the defensive end. A decent trade, and a few tweaks, and they could be better in a hurry. But Kobe's salary is still weighing them down, and it may take until he's done to actually contend.
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