December 7, 2007

For another national perspective on the Hornets, we caught up with Sports Illustrated NBA writer Jack McCallum, who attended Wednesday’s game at the New Orleans Arena against the Detroit Pistons. McCallum has spent 25 years writing for the nation’s most well-respected sports magazine. During the 2005-06 NBA season, he was given an exclusive insider’s look at the Phoenix Suns, which resulted in his critically-acclaimed book, “Seven Seconds or Less.”

Hornets.com: Welcome to New Orleans, Jack. So what brings you to the Big Easy for the Pistons-Hornets game?
McCallum: I’m actually working on a story on Chris Paul and Deron Williams, as the new point guards who came into the league together. I’m going to be comparing and contrasting them. This was a good game to come to see (Paul), because he’s going against Chauncey Billups.

Sports Illustrated writer Jack McCallum was in New Orleans to work on an upcoming article about rising Western Conference point guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

Hornets.com: We’re going to put you on the spot, then. Who’s the better player, Chris Paul or Deron Williams?
McCallum: [pause] Honestly, not to bail out on this one, but that’s what I’m trying to figure out. They both have their strengths. This is not me saying this, but the consensus seems to be, after talking to a lot people around the league, that Deron’s size is something people really like. Every single person says that. But I like to watch little guys do some of the stuff Chris Paul does, so I’m not committing to that.

Hornets.com: Are you surprised by the Hornets’ start of 12-6?
McCallum: Yes, a little bit. It’s so tough in the Western Conference. It would be so nice to see somebody who’s not quite expected (to be an elite team) to emerge. And the Hornets are as good as anyone in that group (of potential surprises). I’m a little bit surprised, but it’s been a little bit overwhelmed nationally by the way the Magic have started in Orlando.

Hornets.com: How high do you think the Hornets can finish in the West?
McCallum: I think once you get past San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix and Utah, it’s difficult to predict. For as strong as the West is every year, you can’t quite figure out who’s going to finish 5-6-7-8. Teams like the Clippers are up and down every year, the Lakers go up and down. I don’t see any reason (New Orleans) couldn’t finish fifth of sixth in the West.

Hornets.com: Do you expect Chris Paul to be in the All-Star Game in February?
McCallum: Well, in the West at guard you have Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Baron Davis, and a few (big names). So getting voted in is going to be difficult. He’ll have to be added by the coaches as a reserve. All things being equal, if he plays very well, I think the coaches will probably add him if it doesn’t seem too ridiculous. But in the West it’s very hard to make the team.

Hornets.com: Do you think it’s possible that if there are three or four candidates with similar qualifications in the Western Conference and Paul is among the group, that the West coaches might pick him because the All-Star Game is being played here this season?
McCallum: They not only could do that, they SHOULD do that. I would have no problem with that. It’s not like you’d be putting a bum out there. [grins] I think if that scenario happens, it would be the right thing to do (to pick Paul).

Hornets.com: I said during the summer that the Morris Peterson signing was one of the most underrated moves of the NBA offseason. Around the league, not many people talked about it, but the Hornets have had a weakness at that position in recent seasons. Would you agree that his signing could be one we look back on and say it was maybe more important that we realized?
McCallum: Definitely. I think Paul needed a shooter at that position and also needed a bigger guard. Mo’s not unbelievable defensively, but he’s got some size (at 6-foot-7). And I think he’s a pretty good complement to Chris Paul. But you’re right about him. He’s always been one of those guys who slip under the radar, even though on every team he’s a starter. You get him to be a starter, even though he’s kind of a mid-level attention guy.

Hornets.com: What is your assessment of Peja Stojakovic and the fact that he’s played in every game? Some people speculated that his career might be in decline, but so far he’s returned to his status as one of the NBA’s best shooters.
McCallum: I was one of those people who thought that about him. I was surprised and glad to see him come back, because I thought that. I didn’t write him off, but I thought maybe he would become of those guys who is a spot player (off the bench). I don’t think he’s that type of player, though. He’s a starter and you’ve got to get him minutes. He’s a volume shooter. I don’t think he’ll ever be a sixth man. He needs to get his 20 shots up. I’m really glad that he is back.

Hornets.com: What is your opinion of Byron Scott as a head coach? You talk to many sources around the league. What kinds of things do people say about Scott?
McCallum: I think he is one of the most overlooked coaches. When he was with the Nets, they were extremely bad and only won about 25 games the year before they made the NBA Finals, then they went there two years in a row under Scott. I think when you have a great, great point guard like Scott did with Jason Kidd, sometimes the coach gets overlooked, because sometimes you think “Well, they’re just going to get the ball to Jason.” Byron did a great job in those two years with the Nets and has done a good job down here.