What the Hornets got from this Season


   It’s over. The Hornets season ends on a postseason loss to the Lakers. A season that was filled with ups and downs, and arguably the most drama in the NBA. I, personally, was never a die-hard NBA fan, until this season.

   For any doubters, for anyone who thinks that this season was not a success, for anyone who believes that we took a step backwards, I hope there aren’t many of you out there, because your wrong.

   The Hornets morphed their team. Starting with the trade sending Morris Peterson to Oklahoma City, ending with the controversial trade that gave the Kings our hometown boy, Marcus Thorton, for Carl Landry. Think about our roster in 07-08 for a second. The only two remaining people from that team are Chris Paul and David West. Even the coach and the general manager are gone.

   But through multiple trades that got us solid players and expiring contracts, we have slowly developed our team into a playoff contender. Our new head coach, Monty Williams, integrated a strong defensive mindset that made us one of the best defensive teams in the league.

   We may not have won as many games as the Spurs, we may not have gotten a blockbuster trade like the Knicks, we may not have had a first round upset like the Grizzlies are about to accomplish (knock on wood), but we made progress.

   Coach Monty came into this season with no experience as a head coach whatsoever. I’m sure he has learned many things this season and will be even better prepared for the next.

   Chris Paul was playing hurt. It was obvious. He was not 100%. With another season to recover, he may not be at 100%, but he’ll surely be closer.

   Emeka Okafor looked better than ever this season, owning the paint almost as good as anyone in the league. Hopefully, he continues to improve.

   David West played, perhaps, the best defense of his career and looked as efficient as ever. The torn ACL may be a blessing in disguise, too. I’m not sure if we get him back for next season if he doesn’t get hurt. Get better soon.

   Quincy Pondexter now has a year of experience under his belt. With hard work and dedication he could turn into a solid role player.

   I’m more excited for next season than ever. The Hornets should be one of the most active team in free agency, considering we have the second most free agents in the league. We should be able to add considerable pieces to our team to take the next step forward.

   No one in the sports world expects Chris Paul to stay, but I’m staying optimistic. If we can bring in some solid players over the summer, I think our future is brighter than ever. Thanks Hornets for a great season.


4 responses to “What the Hornets got from this Season”

  1. Great article Hordan! I too am optimistic for next season and for CP3 staying.

    We could be potentially scary (scary good) next season with all those likely improvements with main guys, D-Wests return and some solid free agent pickups. It seems fairly evident that the city of New Orleans means the world to CP3. He’d love to stay IF he can win here, it up to the front office to make that a possibility.

  2. Dude.

    Good job, Hordan. Well written, well thought-out, well-researched.

    And, most importantly, I agree with many things you say. This, in my view, is a major lift . . .

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