Preview Magazines (Athlon Sports)
October 22, 2007
As part of Hornets.com’s preview of the 2007-08 season, we’re taking a closer look at what several of the major publications are writing about the team. We continue with highlights from the CBSSports.com magazine preview of the 2007-08 Hornets:
ATHLON SPORTS
On the Hornets’ full-time return to New Orleans:
What the new season brings is a new beginning on all fronts, thanks to the perseverance of the team’s ownership and front office, its persistence in chasing a free agent (Morris Peterson) that slipped from its grasp several years ago, and the pride of going back to a city that had enthusiastically embraced the return of professional basketball nearly a quarter century after its first team had been cruelly spirited away.
The way the stars have aligned this offseason, the team might be able to author the basketball version of the feel-good story the city’s other professional sports team, the Saints, did upon their return to New Orleans a year ago.
On the Hornets’ outlook for 2007-08:
The team’s aspirations don’t have to hinge on the health of Peja Stojakovic this season now that Morris Peterson is in the fold. If Peja is slow to recover from the back surgery that sidelined him for all but 13 games last year, the Hornets should be strong and deep enough now to make up for the nearly 18 points per game that Stojakovic provided last year. Like Stojakovic, Peterson isn’t afraid to take a money shot. New Orleans will be stronger in the middle with Tyson Chandler, who has matured into one of the league’s up-and-coming young centers. And with Chris Paul healthy and running the show, the team’s full-time return to New Orleans could be magical.
On local investor Gary Chouest:
There weren’t only on-court acquisitions for the Hornets in the offseason. Majority owner George Shinn brought in a local investor as a partner, selling 25 percent of the team to Gary Chouest of Galliano, La., a Hornets season ticket holder who owns Edison Chouest Offshore, a company that operates the largest independently owned fleet of seismic and research vessels in the world. “(Shinn) can run the basketball team as long as he doesn’t try to run my business,” Chouest said.
On Chris Paul:
The Hornets possess one of the league’s top five point guards in Paul, who’s entering his third season and has improved each of his first two years. Paul’s court vision and ability to knock down shots on a consistent basis, not to mention his bulldog competitive spirit, make him the unquestioned leader of this team. With more tools surrounding him, Paul should help the Hornets make a serious run at the postseason.
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Peterson’s addition as a defense-stretcher that the Hornets have so desperately needed the past several seasons should give Paul yet another outlet for his on-target assists, and take some of the pressure off Rasual Butler, the team’s best off-the-bench scoring threat the last two seasons. Peterson is a career 37.1 percent three-point shooter, filling a need for New Orleans. “There are things every year that I can get better at,” Peterson says, “but I feel like I can get the job done. I feel like I can go out there and check some of the best players in the NBA.”
On David West:
After Chris Paul, the sensational young point guard, West is the face of the Hornets franchise, the most familiar to New Orleans fans. In the two years away from the Crescent City, West has blossomed into a reliable mid-range shooter who is capable of putting up double-doubles every night.
On Julian Wright:
The Hornets say they got lucky when Julian Wright, who was rated sixth on the team’s draft board, was still around when New Orleans’ number came up at 13 overall. Coach Byron Scott called Wright’s availability “a gift.” Wright, 6-8, 225 pounds, has good speed and passing ability and should fit well into Scott’s up-tempo offense. He can play either forward spot and will aid with depth.
Athlon Sports’ prediction: Playoff berth in Western Conference, fourth place in Southwest Division.
Hornets.com says:
According to the points system Athlon uses to rank teams, it’s unclear exactly where the magazine expects New Orleans to finish in the West, but the magazine does list the Hornets as one of the conference’s eight postseason qualifiers. Athlon does not include Golden State in the West playoff field, but gives the Hornets, Lakers and Nuggets the same 34 “points.” On its 1 to 10 scale, Athlon assigns a 7 to New Orleans in coaching and intangibles. The Hornets netted a 5 in scoring, defense, rebounding and athleticism.
Rookie Dance Fever at Open Practice
October 16, 2007
Last season, veteran Hornets players indoctrinated Hilton Armstrong, Cedric Simmons and Marcus Vinicius into the NBA with several humorous pranks, including filling the then-rookies’ vehicles with buttered popcorn. The vets also occasionally booted basketballs into the stands after team shootarounds, then made the trio retrieve them – even if that meant tracking down a ball in the upper deck of a road arena.
Those rookie hazing incidents seemed like child’s play compared to what Adam Haluska, Trey Johnson and Julian Wright were asked to do during Sunday’s Open Practice at the Alario Center. With 11-year pro guard Bobby Jackson serving as the master of ceremonies, Haluska, Johnson and Wright danced individually in front of approximately 300 fans to the hip-hop song “Soulja Boy.”
While introducing Haluska prior to Haluska hitting the “dance floor,” Jackson mentioned Haluska’s Iowa roots and told the rookie to “go out there and do a square dance for us.” Haluska passed on Jackson’s square-dance suggestion, but proceeded to break out a litany of unique dance moves, including “The Lawnmower” and “The Fisherman.” The 6-foot-5 reserve guard pretended to cast for a fish and “caught” Wright, then reeled in Wright, who played along by acting as though he had been hooked by Haluska’s imaginary line.
Meanwhile, Johnson appeared to pull off a savvy veteran move by starting to dance, then pretending he couldn’t hear the music – even though “Soulja Boy” was clearly audible from a greater distance away from the speakers than from where Johnson was standing – to reduce the amount of time Johnson had to dance.
The last of the three to bust a move, Wright appeared to be the most prepared. The 6-foot-8 forward included a “Superman flying” move each time the song’s lyrics mentioned the superhero, and seemed to genuinely enjoy showing Hornets fans his dancing skills.
Other notes from Hornets Open Practice:
-The team allowed fans to write down questions to ask either a player, Byron Scott or Jeff Bower. One fan asked Bower, “Why did you do the Cedric Simmons trade?” Bower’s response: “We felt good about the strength of our frontline,” and mentioned the presence of Tyson Chandler, David West, Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely and Ryan Bowen on the roster. The GM also said the Hornets’ salary-cap situation and the allocation of minutes were factored into the decision to deal the 2006 first-round pick to Cleveland.
-A fan asked Chandler, who spent five years as a member of the Chicago Bulls, a simple question: “Which city has better food, Chicago or New Orleans?” Chandler quickly responded: “N’awlins!”
-Scott provided a short introduction to fans of each of his 15 players. When introducing Peja Stojakovic, the head coach said now that the forward has returned to the court, there may finally be some drama during Scott’s head-to-head shooting games against players. “When he gets his (conditioning) back,” Scott said, half-jokingly, “he’ll probably be able to outshoot me.”
-When Scott introduced Pargo, he mentioned that the 6-foot reserve guard likes to rib Scott about the high-cut shorts NBA players wore during Scott’s playing days, before baggy shorts became popular. After Scott talked about his increased expectations for Pargo this season, Pargo waved to fans, stood up with a big grin on his face and the bottom of his practice shorts pulled up to 1980s length.
Preview Magazines: CBS Sports.com
October 9, 2007
As part of Hornets.com’s preview of the 2007-08 season, we’re taking a closer look at what several of the major publications are writing about the team. We continue with highlights from the CBSSports.com magazine preview of the 2007-08 Hornets:
CBS SPORTS.COM
On the Hornets’ full-time return to New Orleans:
It’s going to be a big season for the Hornets. First of all they’re moving back to their home arena in New Orleans after spending the most of the past two seasons in Oklahoma City. Second, they’re going to be hosting the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. In many ways all eyes will be on the Hornets as the 2007-08 season commences, and one of the challenges they will face is concentrating on basketball in such an emotionally charged environment.
On the Hornets’ season-ruining injuries in 2006-07:
Few teams were bitten by the injury bug as severely as the Hornets were last season. It started with key free-agent acquisition Peja Stojakovic, who missed all but 13 games with a back injury, but went on to include David West, sixth man Bobby Jackson and even sophomore phenom Chris Paul. Everyone’s healthy heading into the 2007-08 season and that has to be a load off of head coach Byron Scott’s mind.
On Chris Paul:
He is, quite simply, one of the two best young point guards in the game (Utah’s Deron Williams, who entered the league along with Paul in 2005, is the other). Paul followed his Rookie of the Year season with improvements across the board, averaging 17.3 points and 8.9 assists while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and converting 81.8 percent of his 357 free throws.
On Morris Peterson:
His addition was seen as a coup by the Hornets’ front office. Peterson was one of the Raptors’ top offensive threats before their youth movement started eating into his playing time, reducing him to 8.9 points per game after averaging double-digit points the previous two seasons. The Hornets will have plenty of playing time for Peterson and expect that he’ll return to a double-digit scoring threat.
On Peja Stojakovic:
Expect him to be back with a vengeance in 2007-08. He was extremely frustrated to have to sit out for so long last season and can’t wait to finally join his new team and see just how good they can be with him on the perimeter raining threes.
On Julian Wright:
Losing Desmond Mason to the Bucks in the offseason will hurt, but how much it hurts will depend on the play of first-round draft pick Julian Wright. Wright brings toughness and rebounding, as well as the ability to take advantage of smaller players with his size or bigger players with his ballhandling and quickness. Wright needs to work on his jumper, but with Stojakovic and Paul around him that won’t be as important as it might have been somewhere else.
On assistant coach Charlie Parker joining Byron Scott’s staff:
Don’t overlook the fact that Scott added longtime NBA assistant coach Charlie Parker to his staff. Parker spent a decade with the Mavericks, during which time he was in charge of developing guards like Brad Davis, Steve Nash, Jason Terry and Devin Harris. Under Parker’s tutelage, Paul should take a giant leap forward in his evolution toward becoming one of the NBA’s top point guards.
CBSSports.com’s prediction: Ninth place in Western Conference, fourth place in Southwest Division.
Hornets.com says:
CBS Sports gives the Los Angeles Lakers (predicted record: 41-41) a narrow edge over New Orleans (40-42) in the race for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. The magazine projects Golden State to finish seventh at 42-40.
Frankly, I don’t see the Hornets finishing with a sub-.500 record this season, barring a stream of injuries similar to 2006-07 (knock on wood). Forty wins would represent only a one-game improvement over the Hornets’ 39-43 record last season. I agree that from an objective standpoint, it’s reasonable to predict Golden State to finish ahead of New Orleans, especially after the Warriors’ fantastic 2007 postseason run. But I think the Hornets will be a better team than the Lakers, who did virtually nothing to improve their roster this summer to appease Kobe Bryant. Among the West’s playoff-contending teams, not making any moves means you’re getting worse.
Hornets Media Day
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com
October 2, 2007
Peja Stojakovic stood at one end of the New Orleans Arena basketball floor, answering every conceivable variation of the question “So, how is your back?” At the other end of the hardwood, Hilton Armstrong mugged for the team’s official NBA photographer, while pretending he was throwing down an emphatic dunk. Meanwhile, Morris Peterson was mere inches away from having to back away from a “promise” that he’d retire from basketball.
It was all part of Monday’s Hornets Media Day extravaganza, an annual event in which players are run through interviews with an extensive array of New Orleans TV, radio and print outlets.
As Media Day was coming to a close, Peterson started heaving up shots from halfcourt, occasionally touching a piece of the rim. After I picked up a basketball and started walking toward the halfcourt line, an incredulous-looking Mo Pete spotted me and said, “You think YOU can make one from here? If you make one, I will retire from basketball.”
On yours truly’s first try from the center circle, my attempt rattled both sides of the rim before crawling out, causing the Hornets’ biggest free-agent acquisition’s heart to skip a beat. I gathered up another basketball for a second shot, but Mo immediately stepped in to set me straight. “No, the offer of me retiring was only good on your first try!” Peterson said good-naturedly, laughing. “I’m not leaving that on the table again.”
Don’t worry Hornets fans, I’m pretty sure Mo Pete was joking about hanging up his sneakers, and if he HAD made good on his word and called it quits as a result of my halfcourt shooting, I’m pretty sure I would’ve been out of a job on the spot. The Hornets are definitely going to need the 6-foot-8 perimeter marksman’s shooting prowess – even if the team website writer is more accurate from 50 feet than he is (just kidding, Mo Pete).
The Peterson-vowing-to-retire incident was just one part of a fun-filled Media Day, in which Hornets.com got to talk to just about everyone on the team. We’ll have extensive coverage and player interviews throughout the preseason, but for now, here are a few brief notes from Monday’s proceedings:
October 1, 2007
As part of Hornets.com’s preview of the 2007-08 season, over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at what several of the major publications are writing about the team. We continue with highlights from the Sporting News magazine preview of the 2007-08 Hornets:
SPORTING NEWS
On the Hornets’ full-time return to New Orleans:
Maybe the first order of business should be holding one of those traditional New Orleans jazz funerals, where the musicians dance down Bourbon Street, to symbolically bury the memories of last season. There were injuries everywhere. In all, the Hornets’ starters missed 133 games because of ailments, but in a strange way, it has given the team reason for optimism. New Orleans did miss the playoffs for the third straight season. But despite all of the physical misfortune, the Hornets’ 39 wins didn’t miss Coach Byron Scott’s personal preseason projection of 47 by too much.
On adversity helping the Hornets in the future:
Where the Hornets used to be young, soft and inexperienced, there is a belief that the bumps and bruises they’ve suffered are part of the learning process. “I think you’ll see a more experienced team,” Jeff Bower says. “We’re a team that has a year’s familiarity under its belt, a year of shared experiences – good and bad – that collectively they’ll be able to draw on.”
On Tyson Chandler:
Always possessing the physical traits since he was a top draft pick by Chicago in 2001, the questions were always about his commitment and desire. But Chandler answered virtually all of those queries last season, as he became a solid inside scorer, rebounder and shot-blocking force, and was a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
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If Stojakovic’s rehab from back surgery has been successful and he can play the entire season, the Hornets will get a significant bump. One of the biggest holes in their lineup has been a lack of a wing shooter and Peja is the best sniper the franchise has had since Glen Rice.
On Julian Wright:
He doesn’t do one thing exceptionally well, but is very, very good at many things. His run-all-day athleticism and speed should fit nicely into an up-tempo offense. Wright’s speed and passing ability are expected to be a nice fit Byron Scott’s offense. His game has been compared to that of versatile forward Boris Diaw. “He has skills that can be used in so many ways,” Jeff Bower said. “He’s able to take a defensive rebound and turn it into a transition opportunity with his ballhandling and his ability to make plays. He can go into the post. That’s something you’ll see more of as he gets comfortable with his offensive game.”
On scouting the Hornets (an opponent discusses New Orleans):
So much of what went wrong for them last year had to do with Peja Stojakovic missing almost the entire season. If he’s healthy and back, then he solidifies their lineup. But you have to remember that his shooting percentage had already dropped dramatically in the last two full seasons he’s played. Chris Paul is a perennial All-Star candidate at the point and can break down any opponent and get to the hole. David West has steadily become solid and Tyson Chandler took a big step forward to reclaiming his potential a year ago.
On the Hornets’ outlook for 2007-08:
The Hornets will be looking at a lineup that packs plenty of offensive punch and has Chris Paul to step down hard on the accelerator. “What I’ve been looking for is athleticism,” Byron Scott said. “We’re going to try to get better offensively as far as getting up and down the floor.” First things first. Keeping them all healthy and on the floor would make for a nice Hornets homecoming – and maybe even a playoff berth.
Sporting News' prediction: Ninth place in Western Conference, fourth place in Southwest Division.
Hornets.com says:
Based on Sporting News’ 1-100 rating system, the Hornets (83 points) are picked to finish just behind the Los Angeles Lakers (seventh, 85 points) and Golden State (eighth, 84 points). This assessment seems to be in line with the general consensus around the league that the Lakers, Warriors and Hornets will likely vie for the last two spots in the Western Conference playoffs (most analysts agree that six teams – Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Utah, Houston and Denver – are locks to qualify barring something unforeseen). I don’t necessarily understand why anyone is ranking the Lakers ahead of Golden State. L.A. did virtually nothing to improve its roster this summer, while Golden State is coming off an incredible second-half run in 2006-07 and stunning playoff upset over Dallas. Sure, a lot of people jumped off the Warriors’ bandwagon after their five-game defeat to Utah in the West semifinals, but Golden State easily could have won both Games 1 and 2 in Salt Lake City. That series was much closer than a five-game result indicated.
September 24, 2007
When the calendar flips to the month of September, most sports fans are focused on the opening weeks of college football and the NFL, as well as the pennant races in Major League Baseball. For avid NBA fans, one of the best aspects of this month comes when numerous national media entities begin publishing their season preview magazines. As part of Hornets.com’s preview of the 2007-08 season, over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at what several of the major publications are writing about the team. We begin with highlights from the Lindy’s Pro Basketball preview of the 2007-08 Hornets:
LINDY’S PRO BASKETBALL
On the Hornets’ full-time return to New Orleans:
It’s a big season for the Big Easy. The beloved Hornets are back. New Orleans will host the 2008 All-Star Weekend. Maybe, it will be the site of some playoff basketball games, too.
The Crescent City has its basketball team back full-time, two years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Fittingly, as New Orleans tries to regain stability, the Hornets are looking forward to doing the same. For the last two years, they have played home games in four different arenas.
“We’re looking forward to playing 41 games at home, in front of fans that are passionate about us and interested in helping us get some wins,” said general manager Jeff Bower. “It gives us an opportunity to get back in the New Orleans community and get ourselves established as being another piece in the recovery efforts.”
On the Hornets’ motivation this season:
They’ve proven the last two seasons to be hungry and driven. Expect them to be more so this season. These players and this coaching staff want to get to the playoffs, not only for themselves but for the citizens of New Orleans, who have their team back on a full-time basis. That stability also should help the Hornets.
On the Hornets’ widespread injuries in 2006-07:
The Hornets easily could sit around and ponder “what if” with regards to last season when the old joke about the team photo being an X-Ray was apropos. No team was hit with more injuries to main players than the Hornets last year. Their top three scorers missed 117 (games).
Remarkably, the Hornets, who haven’t been in the postseason since 2004, were in the playoff race until the 80th game of the season. They finished three games out of the last spot, which was a tribute to coach Byron Scott, the development of Chris Paul, David West’s continued improvement and the emergence of Tyson Chandler.
On the Hornets’ 2007 offseason:
The Hornets weren’t very active in the offseason. They didn’t have to be. Most of their work was done last summer when Jeff Bower added Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler as cornerstones.
On Tyson Chandler:
He finally played like a No. 2 pick overall pick last year, quieting his critics as he finished second in the NBA in rebounding (12.4) and first in offensive boards (4.4). Chandler will be expected to repeat his performance and continue to improve his offensive game. He upped his scoring average from 5.3 the year before as a Bull to 9.5 with the Hornets.
On Chris Paul:
Chris Paul will someday own the Hornets’ franchise record for assists the way he’s racked them up his first two seasons. Paul continues to get better and make everyone better, and he’s feeling better after having surgery to repair a stress reaction in his left foot after the season. Like his coach, it’s a big year for Paul. He has to show he can lead a team to the postseason.
On Morris Peterson:
Everyone is happy in New Orleans (about Peterson’s signing), particularly Stojakovic. Now he can play his more natural small forward position. Peterson is a good shooter and an underrated defender. He should help stretch the defense and make the Hornets a difficult team to guard on the perimeter.
Lindy’s prediction: Eighth place in Western Conference, fourth place in Southwest Division.
Hornets.com says:
Lindy’s provides an optimistic view of the Hornets’ hopes for 2007-08, including projecting a return to the postseason. The magazine gives New Orleans a slight edge over Golden State for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth, while listing the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver as the No. 6 and 7 seeds, just in front of the Hornets. Although the West is extraordinarily competitive and loaded with top-flight teams, from a short-term standpoint, the conference appears to be less deep due to significant injuries (Elton Brand) and rebuilding efforts that are still in the relatively early stages (Seattle, Minnesota, Memphis, Portland).
September 10, 2007
We’re more than a month away from the official tip-off of the Hornets’ 2007-08 season (Oct. 31 vs. Sacramento in New Orleans Arena), but with the majority of the roster set, let’s briefly examine one key question for each of the team’s 13 players who are currently under contract.
Tell us your opinion on these questions or any subject related to the Hornets’ upcoming season by sending an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
Chris Paul
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PROJECTED STARTERS
Chris Paul | Point GuardHow much will he improve his perimeter accuracy in his third NBA season?
Paul’s lightning-quick first step and deft ballhandling skills enable him to penetrate defenses at will, but opponents have sometimes left him open at the three-point arc, daring him to shoot. That strategy was a predictable tactic after Paul shot just 28.2 percent from three-point range as a rookie, but he upped his rate to 35.0 percent last season. If he can approach around 38 percent from that distance this season, look out.
Morris Peterson | Shooting Guard
Will he prove that his reduced role during his final season with Toronto was a fluke?
The Hornets’ key free-agent acquisition, who turned 30 last month, played the fewest minutes (1,515) and made the fewest starts (12) of his career in a single season in 2006-07, largely due to the emergence of Raptors free-agent additions such as Anthony Parker and Jorge Garbajosa. Mo Pete will be attempting to replicate his career-best 2005-06 campaign, when he averaged 16.8 points and shot 39.5 percent on three-point tries.
Peja Stojakovic | Small Forward
How much better can he make the Hornets in 2007-08?
Even with all of the Hornets’ injury absences of other players, including Paul and David West, they still finished only three games out of eighth place in the Western Conference. I don’t think there is any doubt that if Peja had played close to a full season in 2006-07, New Orleans would have made the playoffs. The nine-year veteran probably made more clutch late-game perimeter shots in the 13 games he appeared than anyone else on the roster did all season. He has worked through the summer to maintain his rehabilitation and will be ready to go when the season begins.
David West | Power Forward
Is he poised to move into the next tier of power forwards?
As the Hornets’ leading scorer two years running knows all too well, the Western Conference is loaded with talent at the four position, including Dirk Nowitzki, Elton Brand, Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer. As West described last season, “every night, especially in the West, you’ve got someone to deal with at my position.” Mercifully, that list of formidable four-men shortened somewhat this summer, when Kevin Garnett and Zach Randolph were traded to Eastern Conference teams. I’m interested to see how the four-year veteran performs if he’s healthy all season, especially after he averaged 30.8 points in the club’s final five games of 2006-07.
Tyson Chandler | Center
Was his breakout 2006-07 a one-time occurrence or how he’ll play throughout the rest of his NBA career?
Well-respected TNT reporter David Aldridge expressed a touch of the skepticism that always comes with the territory when a veteran NBA player improves as significantly as Chandler did in 2006-07. Aldridge: “I don’t make a decision about (a player’s career) off of one year. He had a great year last season, and showed signs of being a great rebounder in this league. If that’s something he can continue to be comfortable with as a role, then he’s a big-time player.” In other words, observers like Aldridge will be watching closely to see how the 7-foot-1 center follows up his stunning performance of last season.
RESERVES
Hilton ArmstrongHow much improvement can he make now that he’ll likely be given every opportunity to be the first frontcourt player off the bench?
Armstrong’s chances to contribute as a rookie were limited primarily by two things: his inexperience and the presence of reserve veteran big man Marc Jackson in the rotation. Armstrong, the No. 12 overall pick, received sporadic minutes in the second half of last year, until Tyson Chandler’s late-season injury led to Armstrong averaging 18 minutes a game in April. Hilton was impressive on offense during summer league in Las Vegas, averaging 15.8 points.
Rasual Butler
Can he be the consistent shooter that the Hornets need to upgrade their bench?
When New Orleans decided to re-sign Butler during the summer of 2006, it essentially chose the Philadelphia native over Kirk Snyder, who was traded to Houston. Byron Scott explained that the decision was based largely on Butler’s edge in consistency over the at-times erratic Snyder. Scott would love to see a much better performance from his reserves this season, with Butler a big part of the equation.
Adam Haluska
Can he parlay his shooting prowess into a rotation spot as a rookie?
At this stage of the offseason, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be easy. The Iowa product had an up-and-down five-game stint at Las Vegas summer league, averaging 6.6 points while shooting 35.9 percent from the field and 21.1 percent on three-pointers.
Bobby Jackson
Will he be able to remain healthy and play 70-plus games for the second time in three years?
When it comes to injuries, if it weren’t for bad luck, the veteran combo guard wouldn’t have any luck at all. He’s been the victim of several unusual ailments throughout his NBA career and missed all of December last season with cracked ribs – definitely not a common basketball injury. The Hornets need his savvy, energy and scoring punch off the bench.
Jannero Pargo
How large will his role be if Chris Paul and Bobby Jackson are both healthy all season?
Pargo logged far more playing time than many expected last season, partly due to injuries to CP3 and Jackson. Consider this: During the 64 games Paul played, Pargo averaged 8.2 points and 18.6 minutes. In the other 18 contests, Pargo’s statistics were 12.7 points and 28.8 minutes, including seven starts. When he re-signed Aug. 9, the 6-foot-1 guard said it’s possible he’ll be paired in the backcourt with Paul and Jackson even more frequently next season. Pargo averaged a career-high 20.9 minutes in 2006-07.
Cedric Simmons
Can he solidify a role in Byron Scott’s rotation?
Based on the current composition of the roster, Simmons and fellow 2006 first-round pick Armstrong will be the only reserves who are “natural” power forwards or centers, meaning there should be some minutes available behind Chandler and West at those positions.
Marcus Vinicius
Will he be able to build on last season’s impressive D-League stint?
After averaging 16.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field in 13 D-League games at Tulsa, Vinicius returned to the Hornets as a more confident player. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, there are several guards/forwards ahead of him in the rotation. He struggled during NBA Summer League (3.0 ppg, 18 percent FG shooting).
Julian Wright
How much of an impact can he make as a rookie?
Aldridge: “He looks like he’s got a lot of talent and will be a pretty good player. His ballhandling and decision-making are both very good, and that will help him and the Hornets next season. He can take the ball off the (defensive) glass, go with it and create some things at the other end.” I think most people are in agreement that Wright will be a special player in the near future, but it’s difficult to get a great read on what he’ll do in 2007-08. Keep in mind, of the 30 first-round NBA draft picks in 2006, only four players averaged at least 24 minutes (half of a game): Andrea Bargnani, Adam Morrison, Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.
September 5, 2007
Tyson Chandler expanded his offensive repertoire as the 2006-07 season progressed and finished second in the NBA in individual rebounding (12.4 boards per game).
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During a half-decade as a member of the Chicago Bulls, Chandler never approached the lofty expectations that resulted from his selection as the No. 2 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Through five seasons in the Windy City, the 7-foot-1 center’s career statistical averages looked more like those produced by a journeyman player than an All-Star: 6.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 24.4 minutes.
Fast-forward to this summer, when the 24-year-old joined household names such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony on the USA Basketball men’s team. The American team qualified for the 2008 Olympics in resounding fashion, winning 10 straight games by an average margin of 39.5 points.
Sure, Chandler played the fewest minutes (8.6 per game) of anyone on the 12-player USA roster, which prevented him from duplicating the kind of eye-popping numbers he produced in his debut season as a Hornet (averages of 9.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, with 34 double-doubles). The fact that he was even considered for the squad – and later made the roster – speaks volumes about how much has changed for the California native over the past 12 months.
In his limited playing time with the USA team, Chandler still managed to contribute in the facets of the game that earned him an invite to the club’s training camp this summer. He grabbed 3.6 rebounds per contest over his 10 appearances, pulling down 36 rebounds in 86 minutes, which equates to an impressive 20.1 rebounds per 48 minutes. Chandler also blocked 14 shots, or 7.9 rejections per 48 minutes. Bottom line, although his impact was restricted somewhat by his lessened minutes, he provided exactly what was expected when he was on the floor: rebounding and defensive intimidation.
The other 11 players on the 2007 USA Basketball roster boast a combined 27 All-Star Game appearances. A year later, it’s not completely unrealistic to think that Chandler may be able to add to that tally in the near future.
August 10, 2007
When New Orleans signed Morris Peterson last month, Hornets management raved about the seven-year NBA player’s off-the-court qualities. If the e-mails Hornets.com received from Raptors fans on Peterson’s departure from Canada are any indication, New Orleans has added a big-time fan favorite to the roster. Here is a sampling of the e-mails Toronto fans submitted to us in the days following Peterson’s introductory press conference. To sound off on Peterson or anything related to the Hornets, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
I saw your story with regards to Mo Pete’s signing. Being raised and living in Toronto, we as fans are very fortunate to have someone like Mo Pete, who has contributed significantly as an athlete to the community and city of Toronto, and to the sport. He is a true athlete, and as fans we are sad to see him leave. However he has brought excitement to our city during the season and during the playoff run, and I must say congrats to the Hornets, as you are getting a truly hardworking athlete. Please extend my best wishes to Mo Pete, and we look forward to seeing him return in Toronto vs. the Raptors.
- Jackie
Nice things couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. We will miss Morris Peterson in Toronto. His ability to work hard under any obstacle made him a fan favourite. We watched him grow as a NBA player by him playing with the Raptors since his draft. When Mo Pete returns to T.O., we will stand up and salute a great warrior on the court. The ultimate warrior is one who does not complain, conducts himself as a professional and does his job with dignity. Hornet fans will appreciate what T.O. fans already know about Mo. Go ahead Mo Pete, become an All-Star in New Orleans. You will be missed.
- RaptorRich
I have to admit I haven’t followed the Hornets, but I will be an instant fan from now on. Being from Canada my favorite team is obviously the Raps, which is much more respectable to lots of people after the shock that they sent around the league last season. Ask me (and many Raps fans) who our favorite Raptor is and you will be shocked at the answer. Even with a team that has a starting All-Star and No. 1 pick, many people will say Mo Pete is among their favorite players. He is an amazing basketball player and a true professional. I was so upset when I heard he was leaving, although I knew it was coming because with the Raptors he had no place to advance and he wasn’t able to showcase the talent that he has and I think that now with your organization he will get the playing time he deserves. I can guarantee you when you guys come to Toronto next season it will be a sellout and standing ovation when we hear the PA announcer say “from Michigan State, Morris Peterson.” Mo Pete will always be a Raptor in the eyes of Toronto fans and we will embrace number 24 forever. You guys are so lucky to have gotten such an awesome player, and although you may think he is awesome on the court he will also represent your organization with class. Mo Pete is a class act. Can’t wait for the Hornets to come to the Air Canada Centre next season. Thanks a lot and I am excited to see what the Hornets are all about.
- Jess, Toronto
Hello Jim, my name is Vincent and I am a resident of Toronto and a huge Raptor fan. You guys (the Hornets) have a gotten a high-quality player and person in Morris Peterson. He served the Raptors well for all of his seven seasons here and played with grit and professionalism. He never complained when his numbers were down from the previous year and since the Raptors enjoyed success without Mo Pete last year, he became expendable. I say he will be a perfect fit for the Hornets, especially at the wing. He can defend a 2, 3 or even a 4 if the need arises so I hope he can succeed there. So to sum it all up, he’s a keeper and to Mo, bon chance (good luck).
- Vincent Santos, Toronto, ON
I’m from Toronto, Canada and I’m telling you, you guys got a steal. I’m a huge Raptors fan and it hurt to see Mo go but I understand the business. I knew it was over for Mo when (free-agent signee Jason) Kapono got his number. You guys take care of Mo; he will be missed up here. Good luck this upcoming season. He will forever be a Raptor in my heart. Good luck Mo and stay healthy.
-Junior
August 2, 2007
The NBA released its official 2007-08 regular season schedule on Thursday afternoon. Here are a few brief thoughts on what I like and don’t like about the schedule from a Hornets standpoint:
THE GOOD
David West and the Hornets open the 2007-08 regular season in New Orleans against the Sacramento Kings.
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1. Opening the season at home.
It’s always a plus to tip off the regular season in your building, and the Hornets get to begin the campaign with a Halloween game against Sacramento. If you remember back to last season, the Hornets didn’t play in New Orleans Arena until game No. 3, following road victories at Boston and Indiana
2. An early look at Greg Oden.
Two days after the Hornets’ home opener, Portland and No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden will be in New Orleans. I’m excited about seeing Oden play in person in just his second pro game. The Ohio State product’s fourth NBA game, Nov. 7 in Portland, is also against the Hornets. By the way, No. 2 pick Kevin Durant also comes to the Big Easy relatively early in the season, on Dec. 9.
3. A weekend-heavy home slate.
Twenty of the Hornets’ 41 home games are scheduled for Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The team is focusing on trying to attract fans from the Northshore and other nearby areas, partly by developing mini-plan packages that are based on weekend contests. Having a large chunk of home games on the weekend makes it more feasible for fans who have to drive longer distances to get to New Orleans Arena.
Keep in mind, there is an impressive list of attractive opponents that will be in New Orleans for either a Friday or Saturday night game in 2007-08, including San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Cleveland, Miami, Houston, Boston, the Lakers, New Jersey and Portland.
4. Holiday home games.
In addition to the Halloween home opener, the Hornets play in New Orleans Arena on Dec. 31 (vs. Toronto). Tip-off is at 7 p.m., giving everyone plenty of time to take in the Raptors game before hitting downtown New Orleans for New Year’s Eve festivities. The NBA also granted the Hornets a Monday matinee home game vs. Milwaukee on Jan. 21, which is Martin Luther King Day.
THE BAD
1. Two national TV appearances.
I was a little disappointed that the Hornets are making just two appearances on national TV (ESPN has the Hornets at Portland on Nov. 7, and the Jan. 11 home tilt vs. Miami), especially since New Orleans boasts one of the most popular and exciting young players in the league in 22-year-old Chris Paul. On the other hand, one of the best things about sports is that they are a meritocracy. Generally speaking, you have to earn the right to be featured frequently on national TV. The Hornets obviously need to win more games and end their three-year playoff drought before they’ll become a more prominent part of the broadcast schedule on ESPN, TNT and ABC.
On the same subject, it also probably shouldn’t be too surprising that the number of New Orleans national TV games is down from the five shown in 2006-07. It wasn’t difficult to foresee that the additions of Oden and Durant would lead to Portland and Seattle getting more exposure, which reduces what’s left for other teams. The Western Conference is absolutely loaded with squads that people across the country want to see, and the Hornets may get squeezed out in some cases.
I think a lot of Hornets fans had their fingers crossed that the Hornets’ home opener would be on national TV, especially since the New Orleans Saints’ initial home game after their full-time return to the city last fall was on ESPN and turned into such an incredible evening for sports fans everywhere.
2. Closing the slate on the road.
I suppose if we’re going to be pleased about starting the season at home (as mentioned above), we can’t complain too loudly about having to finish it on the road. But this will be the third year in a row that the Hornets are primarily on the road for the tail end of the regular season. In each of the past two years, they finished with a three-game Western trip; this time, it’s four of the last five contests away from New Orleans Arena.
If you go back further in the Hornets’ schedule, 10 of the final 14 games are on the road.
To comment on the Hornets’ schedule or the Hornets 365 blog, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
July 23, 2007
Morris Peterson helped the Raptors sweep the Hornets in two head-to-head games last season.
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Unless you’ve closely followed the NBA in recent years, your most vivid basketball memory of Morris Peterson is probably from his college career at Michigan State, where he was a starter on its NCAA championship team in 2000.
The Flint, Mich., native was also a key member of Toronto Raptors playoff teams in 2001 and 2002, but the NBA’s lone Canadian franchise sat out the postseason each of the next four years. In 2007, the Raptors were one of the NBA’s biggest surprise stories and returned to the playoffs, but the swingman filled a relatively limited role. His 12 starts in 2006-07 were the fewest he’s made in any season as a pro.
While “Mo Pete” has often flown under the radar for much of his NBA career, he’s been a solid complementary piece who has thrived playing alongside bigger names such as Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. If the Hornets are back to full strength health-wise in 2007-08, I see Peterson as the offense’s third or fourth option, behind David West and Peja Stojakovic, while potentially taking slightly fewer shots than Chris Paul.
Here’s how you have to view this free-agent signing: The Hornets are not adding a star player, but the 29-year-old seems like an extremely good fit for New Orleans, based on what the team was trying to accomplish entering the 2007-08 season.
Here are a few reasons why the Peterson signing makes a lot of sense:
- Filling the need for shooting
Sure, you have to blame injuries for a large chunk of New Orleans’ offensive shortcomings last season, but the fact remains that the Hornets were No. 25 in scoring out of 30 NBA teams and No. 26 in field goal percentage. Peterson, a left-hander, has the ability to take the ball to the rim on drives to his strong hand, but he has become more reliant on his perimeter game over time. In 2005-06, when he started 77 games for the Raptors, he shot a career-best 39.5 percent from the arc while launching 5.5 treys per contest. He is a career 37.1 percent shooter on treys,
- The Julian Wright pick
The biggest criticism after the Hornets selected Wright was that the Kansas Jayhawk did not fill the Hornets’ need for shooting. Guess what? New Orleans has now signed one of the best available shooters in free agency. As we wrote repeatedly before and after the draft, it can sometimes be short-sighted to become preoccupied with filling specific needs on draft night – especially if you think you fill the same needs in trades or free agency. With the addition of Peterson, the Hornets’ starting lineup projects as Paul, Peterson, Stojakovic, West and Tyson Chandler, enabling them to bring Wright off the bench and allow him to develop at a more reasonable rate. I think that’s an ideal short-term role for him given that it might take some time for Wright to be an every-game force.
- The durability factor
All Hornets fans hope that last year’s absurd avalanche of injuries was a fluke and won’t happen again. But after what took place in 2006-07, it wouldn’t have seemed wise to sign a free agent with any history of being sidelined. Enter Mo Pete. Prior to missing 11 games last season, Peterson had the NBA’s longest consecutive games played streak, including appearing in all 82 games four straight seasons (2002-03 through 2005-06). Let’s all knock on wood, but Mo Pete has had very little problems with injury in his career, playing in 542 of 574 possible games, which equals 94 percent of his chances to get onto the court. Jannero Pargo and Rasual Butler were the only Hornets who appeared in more than 75 games last season.
- The departure of Desmond Mason
Mason, who recently signed a multi-year contract with Milwaukee, helped keep the Hornets within striking distance of the playoffs last season amid rampant injuries and was a big favorite of Byron Scott. But there’s no doubt that Peterson is a better fit in the Hornets’ lineup than Mason was. Mason’s confidence in his perimeter shot seemed to decrease with each passing season, which severely limits how you can utilize him on offense. He scored almost all of his points in halfcourt sets last season by virtue of post-ups, which meant decreased post-up opportunities for West (and to a lesser extent, for Chandler). Peterson spends much more of the game on the perimeter than Mason, which should help the Hornets stretch opposing defenses and create more driving lanes for everyone. Plus, Peterson can easily be slotted in at shooting guard, allowing Stojakovic to move to small forward, his natural position. Mason has few offensive characteristics of a traditional shooting guard, which meant cross-matching he and Stojakovic over the 13 games in which Peja appeared last season. That’s one reason Mo Pete/Peja seems like a better duo than Mason/Peja.
- Affordability
Per team policy, we do not release terms of contracts, but suffice to say that by comparison, Peterson’s deal seems like a salary cap-favorable one for the Hornets. There have already been a few free-agent signings at the shooting guard/small forward positions that were more lucrative deals and for more years, but those contracts involved players with much shorter NBA track records than Peterson. It’s impossible to say exactly why that occasionally happens in the unpredictable free-agent market, but one factor may have been that Peterson turns 30 in August, while some of the other FA signees are closer to their mid-20s.
What do you think of the Peterson signing? Let Hornets.com know by sending an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
- In terms of style of play, which NBA player(s) would you compare yourself to? Since scouts and the media are always trying to make these kinds of comparisons (a big one in 2006, for example, was “Adam Morrison is reminiscent of Larry Bird”), I always find it interesting to hear what the players themselves are thinking. In many cases, you’re surprised by what they come up with in terms of which players they believe they are similar to in playing style.
- How much do you know about the Hornets? This query gives you a good read on how much a player has researched the team. Since draft workouts are pro basketball’s version of a job interview, prospects will look well-prepared if they have strong knowledge of the franchise that invited them to work out. If the only thing a prospect knows about the Hornets is that “Chris Paul is a great point guard,” for example, then the opposite may be true.
- What areas are you working on to improve your draft status or to become a better player? Every draft prospect has a few items that NBA scouts feel are weaknesses. It’s interesting to see if a player recognizes what those shortcomings are and if they are realistic enough to admit that work in specific categories needs to be done. Also, from an attitude standpoint, it’s probably not a good sign if a player responds to this question by saying, “I don’t think there is anything that I need to work on.”
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When I heard a few minutes before Monday’s press conference that Peterson planned to wear jersey No. 9 as a Hornet, I immediately wondered why he was changing from No. 24, the digits he’s sported since arriving in the NBA in 2000-01. After all, with Desmond Mason departing to sign with Milwaukee, there was nothing stopping Mo Pete from continuing to don No. 24 with his new club.
When I asked Peterson to explain why he went with No. 9, his eyes immediately lit up. In most press conferences, a player’s uniform-number selection comes up at some point, but for whatever reason, none of us media types had thought to ask him.
“You know, I was actually waiting for someone to ask me that,” responded Peterson, who explained that he sees the number as a symbol of the rebirth of his NBA career, as well as the revitalization of the city of New Orleans.
I’m no numerologist, but Mo Pete says that 9 “stands for rebirth and a new beginning. If you look it up, it also means assertive and strong-willed, which I think describes me.”
Earlier in the press conference, Peterson told reporters that he is looking at 2007-08 as a bounceback year in his NBA career. After putting up career-best statistics in 2005-06, Peterson became a reserve and played reduced minutes for Toronto last season.
“Last year didn’t go the way I wanted it to individually, but I’m a team guy and we made the playoffs,” Peterson related. “I do have something to prove, but I want to stay within the team concept.
“(The selection of jersey No. 9) was meant for both New Orleans and myself. This is the first year the team is back (full-time) in New Orleans. This is a chance to do some great things, both for my career and for this city.”
July 20, 2007
Hilton Armstrong averaged 15.8 points over four appearances in Las Vegas.
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For a few Hornets players, a 10-day stint in NBA Summer League was a rewarding experience that may have upped their chances of succeeding when the games count for real in late October. For others, the Las Vegas trip was not as fruitful as it could have been.
I watched New Orleans’ summer games on July 12 and July 13 in person in Las Vegas, and viewed the other contests via NBA.com’s online coverage. Here’s a brief take on the impact summer league might have on club’s 2007 draft picks and key veterans:
Hilton Armstrong
For the second year in a row, Armstrong’s offensive skills impressed me in summer league. This time, the Connecticut product is hoping his Vegas success translates to increasing playing time and a rotation spot during the NBA regular season. Right now he gets my vote as the Hornet I expect to be most improved on the roster next season. The opportunity should be there for Hilton with the expected departure of Marc Jackson, who played many of the backup frontcourt minutes in 2006-07.
Armstrong averaged 15.8 points and 1.5 blocks in Las Vegas but just 5.5 rebounds. The 22-year-old says he is gaining confidence in his offensive ability. I thought he did a nice job of exploring a few new moves and displaying extended shooting range.
“Offensively I thought I made a big improvement from what I did last year,” Armstrong said. “I would have liked to grab more rebounds. But I feel a lot more comfortable out there and more confident taking shots, and making better decisions.”
Julian Wright
The first-round pick was inconsistent from game to game, including going scoreless July 12 on 0-for-9 shooting, before putting up 14 points less than 24 hours later. If you want to see some of the reasons the Hornets drafted him, search through NBA.com’s full-game Vegas archive and watch some of the July 13 tilt vs. Phoenix. Wright’s complement of skills was on full display, resulting in a seven-rebound, four-assist outing to go with his 14 points. “He looked good in summer league,” Armstrong described. “He can really pass. He’s going to be a great addition to the team.”
Based on summer league, I think Wright will be the kind of rookie who dazzles you every few games, especially with his knack for grabbing a rebound, deftly bringing the ball up the floor himself, then firing a pass that few players his size (6-foot-8) would even attempt, let alone execute. One of the keys to his rookie season will be his ability to limit his quiet games and be a player the Hornets can rely to provide some contribution every night. You’d like to think his multi-dimensional skills will allow him to do that.
“I think he will have a stretch where he’s going to win the Hornets a couple games,” predicted Hornets summer league teammate Milt Palacio, “just by doing the little things.”
Marcus Vinicius
Without question, his was the most disappointing individual Hornets stint of summer league. Before missing two games due to injury, Vinicius was the subject of criticism from Byron Scott based on his lack of aggressiveness and effectiveness. The Brazilian impressed team observers during the second half of 2006-07 with his play during Hornets practices, as well as an outstanding D-League visit, but he averaged just 3.0 points on 18.2 percent shooting in Las Vegas. He’s got work to do if he’s going to move into the rotation next season, especially after the drafting of Wright and what the Hornets are expected to accomplish in free agency.
Adam Haluska
Overall, the second-round pick couldn’t locate his shooting touch, finishing at 35.9 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from three-point range. His Vegas finale was an encouraging one though, and by far his best performance. The Iowa product racked up 15 points vs. Houston, including going 3-for-5 from three-point range amid a 6-of-8 outing. He also swatted a pair of Rockets shots. Haluska didn’t do a lot to improve his chances of cracking the rotation next season, but he’s already become a Scott favorite, which obviously can’t hurt.
“Adam is playing the right way,” Scott told the Times-Picayune, before alluding to Haluska’s wedding July 21, “but he’s just not making shots. He probably has a lot on his plate and is probably putting too much pressure on himself.”
Cedric Simmons
The No. 15 overall pick of the 2006 draft did not play in Las Vegas due to an ankle injury, preventing everyone from being able to make an evaluation of how much progress he’s made this offseason. Much like Armstrong, he’s focusing on adding muscle and bulk to his 235-pound frame, in order to be able to hold his ground better defensively.
July 16, 2007
Anthony Roberson averaged a team-best 19.5 points per game during summer league.
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The Hornets went 0-5 in Las Vegas during their 2007 stint in NBA Summer League, but New Orleans received several encouraging performances from players such as Hilton Armstrong, Julian Wright, Anthony Roberson and Anthony Richardson. We’ll have a more extensive look at how the team and individual players fared on Hornets.com later this week, but for now, here are a few notes from the trip to Las Vegas:
Even though he last played in the NBA over a decade ago, Byron Scott still frequently gets stopped for autographs whenever he’s in public, perhaps more than even any of his current Hornets players (other than maybe Chris Paul). I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising, considering Scott teamed with Magic Johnson in the starting backcourt for one of the most celebrated teams in NBA history, the 1980s “Showtime” Lakers. Scott won three titles as a player, in 1985, 1987 and 1988. …
... TNT studio and sideline reporter David Aldridge attended the Hornets’ game Friday afternoon vs. Phoenix and spent a good half hour chatting with Scott and Hornets lead assistant coach Darrell Walker. At one point during the first half of the game, Julian Wright made a nifty crossover move and dished a laser pass to a teammate for an easy basket. Aldridge nodded to Scott as if to say, “Wow, that was a nice play” by Wright, to which Scott jokingly responded: “Hey, we know what we’re doing over here when we pick a guy!”
Aldridge good-naturedly countered: “I know you do, but I still like Nick Young,” essentially saying that perhaps New Orleans should have drafted the Southern California shooting guard instead of Wright.
Potential differences of opinion aside, thanks go out to Aldridge for sitting down with me for about 10 minutes to allow me to fire some Hornets-related questions at DA. Look for Aldridge’s thoughts on the team soon on Hornets.com. …
… Speaking of Scott, one of his favorite topics of discussion when he’s not talking hoops is his golf game. The three-year Hornets coach is an avid player and seems to know where all of the best courses are, no matter what city he is in. During the Hornets’ Friday game vs. Phoenix, Hornets manager of communications Dennis Rogers jokingly told one of Scott’s acquaintances that Scott is a “scratch golfer.” Scott heard the comment and replied with a laugh: “Yeah, I’m a scratch golfer – a lot of times when I hit a drive, I scratch my head trying to figure out why the ball didn’t go where I wanted it to go.” …
… One of the more surreal aspects of spending time in Las Vegas during NBA Summer League: Regularly seeing players walking around in the hotel. Whenever one of my less NBA-savvy friends saw a man walking around the New York, New York hotel who appeared to be under 30 years old and over 6-5, my buddy would ask me, “Which player is that?” In many cases, it was a Hornet or player from some other NBA team. Since the Hornets were also staying in our hotel last week, you’d frequently see one of the Hornets’ players in street clothes walking through the lobby or near the restaurants. Sure, the quality of summer league games pales in comparison to the regular season (or even preseason), but if you’re a huge NBA fan, visiting Las Vegas while the league is ongoing is a very cool experience. If you can swing it, I highly recommend you check it out at least once. …
… If you’re wondering why there wasn’t wall-to-wall coverage of the announcement of a significant Hornets free-agent player signing on this website over the weekend, let me briefly try to explain. The NBA has very specific rules on what statements teams can make prior to their officially signing players to contracts. Failure to obey these rules can potentially result in substantial fines, so we’d prefer not to tempt fate.
Whenever the Hornets sign a noteworthy free agent – as they did in 2006 by landing Peja Stojakovic, Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo – a press conference is scheduled within days after the tentative contract agreement has been reached. Make sure you visit Hornets.com the day of or the day after official press conferences are held for extensive coverage and interviews with the player(s) involved, and we’ll try our best to make it up to you. …
… By the way, if you have a few spare minutes, check out the Exclusive Interviews page on Hornets.com, which we recently updated with Julian Wright and Adam Haluska talks. We’re grateful for the access that the organization gives Hornets.com to Hornets players, and we’re looking forward to increasing the number of interviews we do even more during the 2007-08 season. …
July 10, 2007
On Wednesday, Hornets videographer/editor Eric Richter and I will be heading to Las Vegas, to watch our NBA Summer League team play Milwaukee and Phoenix on Thursday and Friday. As you can imagine, both of us are looking forward to our three-day stint in Sin City (for purely professional reasons, of course).
I’ll be spending as much time in the gym as possible and plan to interview some of the prominent members of the Hornets’ summer squad, including draftees Julian Wright and Adam Haluska. Look for several new articles on Hornets.com in upcoming days. Meanwhile, Eric will be filming the game action, obtaining some footage of Hornets players for usage later in the offseason.
Speaking of footage, before I go on a mini-rant, let me make one thing clear: I am a big fan of NBA TV. The 24-hour all-basketball channel is a must-watch for hoops fans, and maybe partly because I am an Empire State native, whenever Peter Vecsey makes an appearance in the NBA TV studios, I always tune in.
With that said, it was hard to believe that NBA TV is broadcasting a whopping 29 games from Las Vegas’ 22-team summer league, yet none of them include the Hornets. I can understand that NBA TV wanted to squeeze in as many Portland and Seattle games as possible – everyone is interested in Greg Oden and Kevin Durant – but not even one Hornets game?
On the plus side, if you want to watch the Hornets in summer league, all of their games are being aired on NBA.com. There are no announcers calling the game, but the picture is very high-quality for the internet and it’s been a good way to follow the games against Golden State and Minnesota. Also, if you miss a live broadcast, NBA.com is archiving all of the games, so you can watch later at your convenience (with the added bonus of being able to fast-forward timeouts and halftime breaks).
Thanks to an incredible performance by Warriors first-round pick Marco Belinelli and a narrow defeat to the Wolves, New Orleans is 0-2 in summer league so far, but let’s be honest – wins and losses are irrelevant in these games. The progress of individual players is infinitely more significant.
Through two games, here are a few observations on some of the Hornets’ summer participants:
Julian Wright
The No. 13 overall pick in the draft looked more comfortable Monday than he did in his summer debut Saturday, logging 13 points and 11 rebounds vs. Minnesota. He also drained the game-tying three-pointer last night to force overtime. In two games, he’s shown confidence in his outside shot and drained a handful of perimeter attempts, a good sign since many are skeptical of that facet of his game. I really like the poise that he shows; he doesn’t carry himself like a 20-year-old with just two seasons of college basketball under his belt. He seems to stay within himself and showed nice body control on his first basket of summer league, a nifty reverse layup vs. Golden State.
Hilton Armstrong netted 17 points Saturday vs. Golden State.
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Hilton Armstrong
The Connecticut product sat out the Minnesota game with an ankle injury and is being listed as questionable for Thursday vs. Milwaukee (after a ridiculous amount of Hornets injuries during the 2006-07 regular season, 2006 first-rounders Armstrong and Cedric Simmons have both sustained minor ankle injuries in Las Vegas. Ugh).
Armstrong was impressive in the Golden State game, recording 17 points in just 19 minutes of playing time. He rarely attempted perimeter jumpers during his rookie year, but he bagged a pair of 18-footers against the Warriors.
Marcus Vinicius
Vinicius appeared to be bouncing back nicely from his rough game vs. Golden State when he scored seven quick points Monday, but he was dormant the rest of the night. He had been extremely quiet in 12 minutes of action Saturday, being held scoreless and only attempting one shot. Byron Scott, who obviously was expecting a great deal more than that from the Brazilian, was critical of Vinicius in the Times-Picayune, telling the New Orleans newspaper: “He wasn’t aggressive at all. I expected him to play better.” With his ability and relative experience, Vinicius should be much more effective given the competition. Stay tuned.
Adam Haluska
The second-round pick is a bundle of energy at both ends of the floor, but he’s struggled to locate his perimeter touch. A 2-for-10 game against Minnesota has him 5-for-16 from the field, including 1-for-7 from three-point range. Haluska tallied six points in both games while playing a total of 33 minutes. The Iowa product told the Times-Picayune that he’s been driving to the basket in some situations when he instead should be pulling up for open shots on the perimeter. Not having seen him play much in college, I would imagine he was able to use his impressive athleticism to get to the rim regularly in NCAA ball, but the opportunities to do that in the NBA aren’t going to be as prevalent.
Milt Palacio
As advertised, the seven-year NBA vet provides steady leadership at point guard and does an excellent job of running the offense. He is not the quickest guy at his position, but young players can learn from watching the Colorado State product, who is always under control and scanning the floor in search of the open man. In both summer games, Palacio has played the most minutes of any Hornet.
Anthony Roberson
The Florida product racked up 22 points vs. his former team, Golden State, but did not play Monday, as the Hornets tried to get more minutes for players like Michigan State’s Chris Hill. Roberson can put up numbers in a hurry, a la Jannero Pargo, with his quick release and scoring mentality. By the way, Roberson’s summer league action will continue later this month, as he’s listed on the San Antonio Spurs’ roster at the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City.
Jackson Vroman
He was seemingly everywhere during the Golden State game, resulting in a 14-point, five-rebound performance. Vroman, one of the most active big men around, followed that up with nine points and five boards vs. Minnesota. He also was whistled for 10 personal fouls, achieving the rarity of getting fouled out of a summer league game.
Anthony Richardson
Who is this guy? Hornets fans who’ve watched these two games on NBA.com may be asking that question after seeing the Florida State alum throw down a few emphatic dunks and amass a team-best 30 points over two games. He actually was a McDonald’s All-American in high school prior to going to FSU, then played for the USBL’s Kansas Cagerz last season. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward has taken advantage of his athleticism and ability to run the floor to finish off several Hornets fast breaks.
July 5, 2007
When the Hornets take the floor Saturday for their first NBA Summer League game vs. Golden State, they won’t have a mega-attraction such as Greg Oden and Kevin Durant in uniform, but you could easily argue that New Orleans boasts the most interesting roster in the 22-team circuit.
Including Hilton Armstrong, Marcus Vinicius, Julian Wright and Adam Haluska, the Hornets will have a total of four draft choices from the past two years participating, which may be a league-high. Unfortunately for the Hornets, Cedric Simmons was a late scratch from NBA Summer League, after he sustained a sprained ankle Tuesday. He is not expected to play in Las Vegas.
In addition to the four recent Hornets draftees, two guards with NBA experience – seven-year pro Milt Palacio and two-year vet Anthony Roberson – will also appear for New Orleans.
Hornets fans who follow the action on NBA.com’s free webcasts will be paying particularly close attention to the four recent draft picks, but you may also want to keep an eye on Palacio and Roberson.
Palacio, a Colorado State product, has been a serviceable backup point guard throughout his NBA career, but his erratic perimeter shot has prevented him from finding a long-term home. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is a sturdy defender and a pass-first floor general, but has shot 41.9 percent from the field while playing for six different teams. He was cut by Seattle during the 2006 preseason after playing for Utah in 2005-06.
Milt Palacio’s longest stint with one team was for Toronto, where he played in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.
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If the Hornets do not re-sign free agent Jannero Pargo, the 29-year-old could conceivably be a viable option as a third point guard, potentially receiving minutes in the backcourt behind Chris Paul and Bobby Jackson.
Meanwhile, Roberson has appeared in a total of 36 NBA games over the past two seasons, for Memphis and Golden State. The 6-foot-2 combo guard from Florida has shown an ability to produce offensively when given playing time. He racked up a career-best 21 points at San Antonio on Dec. 4 of last season. Roberson, 24, also impressed the Hornets by tallying 15 points in just 25 minutes during a Nov. 7 game vs. New Orleans.
***
Hornets lottery pick Julian Wright wore jersey No. 30 throughout his two seasons at the University of Kansas, but if he had any hopes of continuing to don those digits in the NBA, they met a roadblock when he was drafted by New Orleans. Hornets four-year veteran forward David West already has the number, which led to Wright selecting No. 32.
In case you may have been wondering, Wright’s decision to pick 32 has nothing to do with Byron Scott’s comments on draft night that Wright reminds Scott of a “poor man’s Magic Johnson.” (For obvious reasons, Wright definitely would prefer to downplay any comparisons between himself and one of the greatest players in NBA history. Magic is a Hall of Famer who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships, while Wright has yet to play a minute in the league.)
Meanwhile, Hornets second-round choice Adam Haluska will wear uniform No. 1, the same number he sported during his college career at Iowa.
Getting back to Wright and his resemblance to Magic in terms of style of play, it’s important to note that although Scott did make the comparison, he also prefaced the statement by saying, “This is probably a pretty big reach…” Scott later said a better comparison for Wright may be Dallas forward Josh Howard.
July 3, 2007
Julian Wright was Kansas’ third-leading scorer last season and shot 55 percent from the field.
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Before we take a look at the multitude of opinions on how the New Orleans Hornets fared in the 2007 NBA Draft, let’s remember not to get too wrapped up in these immediate evaluations.
Most basketball insiders generally accept that you can’t reasonably gauge how an NBA team did on draft night until a few years down the road. Sure, in some cases, observers who criticize or laud a team’s decisions are proven to be correct, but in other situations, the analysis ends up being completely wrong. Take 2001, for example. This is what ESPN.com wrote the day after Wizards GM Michael Jordan selected Kwame Brown with the No. 1 overall pick: “Michael Jordan had the top pick in the draft, and took the guy he wanted. Brown impressed everyone with his ability in recent workouts, becoming a consensus top choice. He’s not just big, he can play the floor game and is a solid athlete. Most observers agree he has a nice future.” Grade: A.
Brown is now regarded as one of the worst top picks in league history.
From the same draft, ESPN.com wrote this after New Jersey selected Eddie Griffin at No. 7 overall, then traded him to Houston for first-round picks Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong: “When the Nets selected Seton Hall’s Eddie Griffin… a team lacking toughness was getting some. Then, inexplicably, the Nets sent Griffin packing, to the Rockets for depth, which is another team need. It’s questionable whether any of their needs were solved here. Jefferson doesn’t have the size of current small forward Keith Van Horn.” Grade: C+.
Conversely, ESPN.com heaped tremendous praise on the Rockets for landing Griffin: “You have to hand it to the Rockets. They had three first-rounders when the evening began (Nos. 13, 18, 23), and somehow convinced the Nets to take all three for talented but angry big man Eddie Griffin, who went No. 7. Griffin has a temper, sure, but he slipped in this draft. The Rockets should be pretty happy with this shotblocker/rebounder.” Grade: A.
Of course, ESPN.com was correct in that the New Jersey-Houston deal was a one-sided trade – but the team doing the ripping off was actually the NETS. Jefferson has become a top-10 small forward in the league and Collins has been a decent contributor, while Griffin’s NBA career was ruined by off-the-court issues (and he never really thrived on the floor, either).
Here are what other media sources said about the Hornets’ drafting of Julian Wright and Adam Haluska:
National media
CBS SPORTSLINE’S TONY MEJIA
“With Nick Young available, the Hornets opted for the highest player on their draft board, the intriguing Julian Wright. Unless New Orleans plans on running more, I don’t see this as the right move. Young could’ve filled the role as Chris Paul’s backcourt mate for the next decade. The fit seemed perfect. Instead, the team chose Wright’s upside, figuring it will find ways to get him on the court despite the fact he has no real position. The second-round pick of Adam Haluska did nothing to salvage the night.
“The Hornets originally didn’t expect (Wright) to be there at this point and are thrilled to get someone billed as a potential top five pick this late in the lottery. He’ll struggle when the Hornets play the pick-and-roll game with Paul and David West, so he’ll have to find a way to get off on the break to be effective. He provides a nice insurance policy if Desmond Mason does leave through free agency.”
Grade: C-minus.
Hornets.com says: To me, the debate between Wright and Nick Young came down to a simple concept. The Hornets obviously rated Wright much higher on their draft board than Young, so even though shooting was a significant team need, it was a virtual no-brainer to pick the Kansas forward, at least based on New Orleans’ talent evaluations. One of the things people sometimes lose sight of is the fact that teams don’t just make draft picks with next season in mind – you also have to look at how your choice will impact 2008-09 and beyond. Basing draft decisions primarily on team needs can be a dangerous approach, because the makeup of NBA rosters can change drastically from year to year. It’s short-sighted to become preoccupied with filling specific needs in the draft, especially when the Hornets can still do so in free agency. Who knows what the free-agent market will bring, but doesn’t it make more sense to try to patch up team weaknesses with a cost-effective, mid-level free agent, as opposed to sacrificing a lottery pick to accomplish the same thing?
DIME MAGAZINE
“The Hornets, like the Clippers, did a good job of just letting the pick come to them. Sitting at No. 13, they watched the draft shake out and then snagged Julian Wright, the player they felt was the best available at the time. Wright will bring an athletic presence to the Hornets, will play tough D and flaunts serious passing skills for a 6-8 player. His J is far from being NBA-ready, but he will turn out to be a solid pro and a nice sidekick for CP3.”
Grade: B
Hornets.com says: A few minutes after the pick, I asked Jeff Bower how likely Bower thought it was that Wright would still be on the board at No. 13. Bower indicated that going into draft night, he believed the odds of that happening were far below 50 percent. Meanwhile, Byron Scott told the media that when Bower suggested Wright might fall to the Hornets, Scott called Bower “crazy.” A few somewhat surprising lottery selections, particularly Philadelphia’s decision to take Thaddeus Young, ended up benefiting New Orleans and made Wright available.
DRAFT XPRESS
“Julian Wright had solid value at No. 13 and gives the Hornets some versatility to go small and run if they please. He brings rebounding, passing, energy and a big upside to continue to improve – as well as insurance against Peja Stojakovic’s injury problems. Whether he achieves that upside will largely depend on how hard he works on expanding his shooting range. The Hornets really needed a shooting guard here, but obviously weren’t enamored with Nick Young. They’ll have to go out and fill their needs in free agency instead. Haluska might end up getting minutes for them, even though he almost certainly would have gone undrafted had he not been taken here.”
Grade: C
Hornets.com: Before even suiting up for a summer league game, Haluska has already acquired a group of skeptics. The majority of the opinions on the Iowa shooting guard so far have been negative, despite the fact that he led the Big Ten in scoring (20.5) last season. Byron Scott says one of the things he likes about Haluska is his competitiveness and that he doesn’t back down from opposing players on the floor. The Hornets could use more toughness and scrappy play from its reserve unit, so perhaps Haluska will be able to provide those traits if he makes the 2007-08 roster.
ESPN.COM’S CHAD FORD
“Although Nick Young might have been the better fit, Wright is the better player. He’s not a great shooter, but he does everything else really well and will be a great fit alongside Chris Paul in the open court – and he has plenty of upside. Haluska, on the other hand, seems like a huge stretch.
“I love Julian Wright. I think he’s been underrated all year – he does so many things well. He’s not a great shooter, but he’s a guy who makes teams better. He’ll be very good running the floor with Chris Paul. I’m a little surprised they passed on Nick Young, who fit a need, but Wright was the best player left on the board.
“(Haluska was) a surprise (at 43). He’s a good athlete and he can score, but he couldn’t even muster an invite to the Orlando predraft camp. The Hornets do need 2 guards, however.”
Grade: B-plus
FOX SPORTS.COM’S JEFF GOODMAN
“The Hornets nabbed Julian Wright at 13th overall. He’s not a great shooter, but he won’t have to be with Chris Paul running the show. Paul, Wright and Tyson Chandler should be pretty lethal on the break.”
Grade: B-minus.
Hornets.com says: There is no doubt that New Orleans wants to play at a faster pace next season than it did in 2006-07, which is another reason Wright made sense as the pick. He is an excellent athlete in the open court, and he was one of the most skilled passers in the NCAA at his position. The Hornets ranked 25th in points per game (95.5) and 26th in field-goal percentage (44.5), but both of those stats likely would have been closer to the NBA’s middle of the pack had the club not sustained so many key injuries. The drop in talent that resulted from absences of star players led to the Hornets getting few transition opportunities, particularly during the 17-game stretch when Chris Paul was sidelined.
HOOPS VIBE
“Julian Wright is a solid player who can play four different spots. Adam Haluska is a great shooter who is not too flashy with his game, a solid choice for the Hornets.”
Grade: B-minus.
NBADRAFT.NET
“Nick Young fit into the team’s needs better, but strictly on a talent standpoint, they selected the best player available. Julian Wright won’t give them the scoring that Young would have and they still have a glaring hole to fill at the 2-guard position, but Wright can give the team a great role player that does everything besides score. Haluska can potentially make the team in a backup role.”
Grade: B-plus.
SI.COM
“Julian Wright is a tremendous athlete with a diverse skill set, and he gives them some insurance in case Desmond Mason departs via free agency. But the Kansas sophomore is still raw and figures to need time to develop.”
Grade: B.
Other opinions
DIME MAGAZINE
“The Hornets clearly get better now with this pick. Julian Wright is a straight ballplayer. That being said, the Hornets needed offense and Wright’s going to score but he’s not the answer to Chris Paul’s search for a go-to kickout. We have to think that Nick Young was considered, but the Hornets did what they were supposed to do and took the best player available.”
ESPN’S JAY BILAS
“Julian Wright does everything except shoot it. He’s got a very high basketball IQ. He’s an excellent athlete and is at his best in a fullcourt game. He can really change ends and run the floor. He’s a very instinctive passer. He’s not a guy that you put on the wing and he’s going to get in triple-threat position and make great ‘workout’ moves. He’s not great in a one-on-one workout, (but) he’s terrific in a five-on-five game. His shot needs a lot of work, but defensively and rebounding, he’s a really good player. He thrives in an up-tempo game. I think he can improve his shot and get it to where he’s confident. But he does everything else at a high level. And up-tempo is where he belongs.
“(Haluska) is a really good athlete, a track athlete in high school. He can run all day, is strong, and has great legs. He’s a bouncy player. He’s a good shooter – not a great shooter – a little bit streaky in that regard, but good in transition. He’s not a guy who is good off the dribble or can get his own shot, but defensively he can stay in front (of his man). He needs to improve his passing. A strong, NBA-type player.”
ESPN.COM’S BRIAN McKITISH
“(Wright is) a guy I absolutely love. I’m convinced that if Wright had a better jump shot, and a little more strength, he’d have gone much higher in the draft. Since the strength will come in time, the biggest concern is the lack of range on his jumper, which will hurt his overall offensive game. Wright pretty much has everything else, highlighted by a wicked 7-2 1/2 wingspan that will lead to plenty of steals and blocks down the line. He’s a good defender, can run the court and will rebound well. To me, he looks like one of those guys who’s about a year or two away from making his mark in the fantasy game, but he could be a nice fantasy sleeper given the overall health of the Hornets and the fact that they’ll probably lose Desmond Mason in free agency.”
FOX SPORTS.COM’S PETER SCHRAGER
“In nine out of 10 mock drafts I read this week, Nick Young was considered a lock for this pick. Shows how much we the ‘experts’ know. … Wright goes to New Orleans where he will join a fascinating young team already loaded with tons of exciting talent. New Orleans had the quietest 39-win season in NBA history last year, and did it with Peja, Tyson Chandler, Chris Paul, David West and Bobby Jackson injured throughout it. If Desmond Mason opts to leave the Hornets, Wright could be a starter as soon as next year.”
HOOPS WORLD
“Wright has an excellent all-around game and can play multiple positions on the floor. While he needs to work on his spot-up jumper, Wright can score in a variety of ways. He can post up smaller players and take bigger defenders off the dribble. He is also a solid playmaker, a good passer, and should fit in very well with the Hornets’ up-tempo style. New Orleans fans will love to watch him fill the lane and convert countless Chris Paul alley oops. Wright was an excellent finisher at Kansas and he should fit right in as a wing on the New Orleans fast-break attack…
“The Hornets were clearly looking to address their need for a shooting guard with the selection of Haluska. Haluska was a solid scorer at Iowa, averaging 20 points a game his senior season. He shot 87 percent from the line and over 36 percent from behind the arc, converting 90 three-pointers in his final season. Still, Haluska may have a tough time making the final roster and will need to play well in summer league to lock up a spot.”
NBA TV’S JIM CLIBANOFF
“I think it was a case of the best available player who somehow slipped. It’s not as if there was some bad news disseminated about him. Other teams went in different directions, and the Hornets got a nice piece that just dropped right into their hands. (Wright) isn’t a prototypical small forward, but it’s a guy who can do so many different things out on the floor. He’s a guy who really knows how to mesh his talents with a lot of other players who can do things well. He’s not going to have to stand out; he’s going to fit in really well.”
NBA TV’S ROY S. JOHNSON
“Wright hasn’t matured into his body yet, but he has a mature game. He doesn’t make a lot of bad decisions, and he comes from a very solid Kansas team, so he comes from a winning program. I think this is a good move by New Orleans, a team that was on the rise, a team that was hurt last year by injuries. He’s a nice complementary piece for their bench. I think he’ll be a solid contributor, maybe not every night, but he’s one of those guys that by the end of the season, you’ll start seeing more of him in the rotation, contributing… but you may not know much about him early in training camp.”
Blogs
DC SPORTS REPORT
“I thought they’d take Nick Young at 13 because he’d still be good value there and he would fit what the Hornets need perfectly. However, Julian Wright is great value at 13 and can do a ton of things. He should really help the Hornets immediately. I don’t understand taking Adam Haluska at 43. I don’t think he should have been drafted at all.”
Grade B.
DOC SPORTS
“The book on Julian Wright is that he does everything but shoot and score. So, he’s Mark Madsen. The Hornets picked up The Mad Dog, Part Deux with the No. 13 pick. Not good. Also, his favorite TV personality is Stephen A. Smith. Enough said.”
Grade: C+
Hornets.com: I have to admit, the Wright/Madsen analogy is pretty hysterical, albeit an obviously extreme exaggeration. Hopefully, Wright will not replicate Mad Dog’s dance moves at championship parades, although the Hornets would love to see the ex-Kansas player win an NBA title like Madsen did with the Lakers. To say that Wright can’t “shoot and score” is a bit ridiculous. He was the third-leading scorer for a Kansas team that went 33-5, averaging 12.0 points and shooting 55 percent from the field. He only attempted 13 three-pointers all season (making 3), which indicates either a lack of confidence in his perimeter shot or that the Jayhawks didn’t utilize him that way in their offense. Incidentally, Kansas’ two leading scorers (Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers) hoisted up a combined 320 treys and averaged 13.8 and 12.2 points, respectively. Rush was the only KU player who attempted more shots than Wright, so it’s not as if Wright was a fifth option in the offense.
NBA DRAFT 2007 BLOG
“Wright’s stock dropped in the week leading up to the draft, but the Hornets, who were rumored to be targeting Nick Young, were wise in snatching up the versatile former Jayhawk. Wright’s outside shooting needs work, but he brings New Orleans a great deal of unselfishness, length and athleticism right away. Depending on the future of free agents Desmond Mason and Devin Brown and the health of Peja Stojakovic, Wright could find himself playing a big role for a fringe playoff team next season. Haluska is an interesting second-round prospect. He is an above-average athlete who can knock down three-pointers. The Iowa product was well worth a second-round flier.”
Grade: None.
PH SPORTS
“Never a Jayhawk supporter, even I won’t deny I view Julian as top-five talent. While New Orleans couldn’t have expected to select him, Wright almost became this year’s Marcus Williams after being passed by a few earlier teams who might’ve used him well. I think this is the first step in the Hornets not re-upping with Desmond Mason (good) and building a better nucleus around Chris Paul and David West. Ironically, a lot of Wright’s minutes may be determined by how last year’s two top selections – Cedric Simmons and Hilton Armstrong – fare over their summer vacations.”
Grade: B+
PISTONSONLINE.COM
“Julian Wright fell into their lap. Good stuff. Adam Haluska... OK stuff. They get high marks for being smart and not passing on a top-10 player.”
Grade: B-minus.
SPORTS TALK DAILY
“I know the Hornets had just one impact draft choice at No. 13, but they couldn’t have picked a better guy than Julian Wright out of Kansas. He’ll fit in perfectly with the Hornets, who want to run more with Chris Paul running the point. With Wright, Desmond Mason, David West and Tyson Chandler all running the floor in front of Paul, the Hornets should be a high-octane team as long as they stay healthy. Solid draft by the Hornets.”
Grade: None.
July 2, 2007
Dennis Rogers
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The Vegas Summer League debuted in 2004, with six teams and a pair of basic objectives: To prove that the city of Las Vegas was a pro basketball hotbed, and to provide NBA teams with another viable summer-league option.
Now entering its fourth year, Vegas Summer League has officially been renamed the NBA Summer League. The field has ballooned to 22 teams, including 21 NBA clubs and the Chinese National Team. Excluding the Utah Jazz – who host an annual summer league in Salt Lake City – the NBA’s entire Western Conference has signed on to compete in Las Vegas.
What began as a relatively modest enterprise now plays host to more than two-thirds of the league’s teams and receives extensive media coverage throughout its 10-day schedule. This year’s NBA Summer League takes place July 6-15, with New Orleans opening its slate on July 7 vs. Golden State.
For a behind-the-scenes look at NBA Summer League, Hornets.com talked with Dennis Rogers, the league’s director of communications. Rogers’ also serves as the Hornets’ manager of basketball communications
“Vegas is a world-renowned city and there is a high demand to visit,” Rogers explains of the rise in popularity of the site. “We went from six teams the first year to 16 teams in the second and third years. Teams want to play in a summer league where the competition is strong, and that’s what we have in Vegas, so more teams have wanted to be a part of it.”
Here are seven things you may not know about NBA Summer League:
1) It’s your first chance to see big-name NBA lottery picks compete against other pro players.
In two of the previous three summers, the NBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick has made his unofficial professional debut in Las Vegas (Orlando center Dwight Howard in 2004, Toronto forward Andrea Bargnani in 2006). This year’s Vegas slate is the most highly anticipated in the league’s four-year history, due to the presence of franchise-changing players Greg Oden (Portland) and Kevin Durant (Seattle), the top two choices in the June 28 NBA Draft.
“The 2007 draft class has been touted as one of the best in history because of those top two guys and the impact they’re expected to make,” Rogers says. “It’s basically like two LeBron James-type players coming into the NBA. There is a huge buzz in Las Vegas about them, and their games will be packed, especially when they play against each other.”
The Trail Blazers and SuperSonics meet on July 15, in a game that will be televised live by NBA TV.
Rogers: “Dwight Howard and Bargnani were both here, but I don’t think they created anywhere near the interest that Durant and Oden have.”
2) A player’s performance in Vegas can significantly affect his NBA future…
Even though a vast majority of the players who suit up in Las Vegas have already played countless games attended by pro scouts, success or failure there can drastically alter their perceived value. One prime example: In 2006, guard John Lucas III played so well for Houston’s summer-league entry that several NBA teams ended up vying to sign him to a guaranteed contract. The Rockets ended up winning the Lucas derby, inking him to a two-year deal.
“He was one of the top three players in the league,” Rogers remembers. “His play in Vegas pretty much got him a guaranteed deal.”
For NBA second-round picks, summer league can be a particularly make-or-break experience, due to the limited amount of opportunities second-rounders get to display their pro ability. One of the 2007 NBA playoffs’ surprise performers, Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson, greatly improved his chances of contributing for the Cavaliers after a stellar Vegas showing.
“Second-round picks’ contracts are not guaranteed, so Vegas sometimes can be their best time to shine,” Rogers points out. “Daniel Gibson played very well in Vegas. That can go a long way toward making an NBA roster, because you only have so many days in training camp to prove yourself before teams finalize their decision on who will be on the opening-night roster.”
3) … or lead to a lucrative career in a foreign hoops league.
While many Vegas participants harbor hopes of playing in the big leagues, the reality is that many NBA clubs already have 10 or more players signed to guaranteed contracts, resulting in few roster spots opening up each year. That means the vast majority of players who compete in Vegas will end up on a team overseas.
“Out of 12 guys on a summer-league team, maybe only three or four will make their NBA team’s roster,” Rogers says. “Most of the rest of the players will end up going to Europe or playing in the D-League.”
As a result, team representatives from international leagues regularly attend summer-league games to try to recruit players who may not be NBA material but are seeking a contract somewhere.
4) The players aren’t the only ones on the floor being scrutinized.
The three-person refereeing crews who work games are comprised of D-League officials who are trying to break into the NBA someday, along with young zebras in the early stages of their NBA careers.
“Vegas Summer League is used by the NBA as a training camp for referees,” Rogers says. “They’re trying to prove themselves, just like the players.”
During timeouts, crews often huddle with NBA officiating supervisor Ronnie Nunn and other evaluators, to discuss specific calls that were made moments earlier. Veteran NBA referees can also be spotted in the stands, helping to grade and teach their younger colleagues some of the finer points of refereeing.
5) What happens off the court in Vegas is sometimes just as interesting as the action between the lines…
… we know what you may be thinking, but we’re NOT talking about the famed Sin City nightlife. Since 2005, over half of the NBA’s teams have entered squads into the Vegas league, making it a must-attend event for all 30 franchises. As a result, the grandstands in Vegas are transformed into a virtual “Who’s Who” of NBA power brokers. During any given game, if you scan through the bleachers, you’ll spot head coaches, general managers and scouts, as well as prominent player agents seeking contract offers for their clients.
“There is at least one member of every NBA team present,” Rogers relates. “One of the unique aspects of Vegas Summer League is that it happens during the time period when teams can start talking to free agents (beginning July 1). As a result, all of the NBA’s heavy hitters and decision-makers are there.
“Discussions of potential sign-and-trades and big free-agency moves all take place in Vegas, because a lot of GMs spend time during the league talking to each other.”
Some NBA veteran free agents fly to Las Vegas during summer league in order to speak in person with teams that are interested in their services.
“Last year, (point guard) Marcus Banks had three teams talking to him, so at one point you saw him talking with Phoenix,” Rogers says, “and then he’d be in the stands talking to Danny Ainge and the Celtics. A lot of the mid-level free agents come to Vegas, because it’s a great way to talk face-to-face with teams and meet with a GM.”
Numerous established NBA players also stop by to watch games and support their team’s summer-league squad, as Chris Paul did in 2006. Other pros such as Paul Pierce, Shawn Marion and Baron Davis reside in Las Vegas during the summer, and are frequent visitors.
6) Everyone’s watching…
The days of summer-league games being played in near-empty arenas, with fans having only passing interest in the action, are long gone. In 2006, Rogers received media-credential requests from over 200 organizations, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. Meanwhile, NBA TV is carrying live telecasts of 29 games this year, and individual teams such as New York and Portland broadcast their Vegas games locally on TV and radio, respectively.
Vegas games drew an average of over 2,000 fans per contest in 2006, and the league has signed several substantial sponsorship deals.
In addition, Western Conference teams such as Sacramento and Phoenix who play in nearby states often have large groups of fans in attendance. This year, the Los Angeles Lakers are participating in the Vegas league for the first time, which will likely provide another noticeable boost in attendance.
“Several teams offer a vacation package that includes rooms in Las Vegas and tickets to games,” says Rogers, who has also seen vacationing Hornets fans at summer games in previous years.
7) No matter who you are, all players are equal in Vegas.
Even if you’ve got an NBA All-Star appearance under your belt, as Sacramento forward Ron Artest did when he played one Vegas game in 2006, your paycheck is the same as an undrafted rookie free agent. Each player receives the regular NBA player per diem roughly $100 per day, as well as a relatively small amount in salary. The salary is identical for everyone.
June 26, 2007
Possible lottery picks Nick Young (left) and Acie Law (right) joined Corey Brewer at a June 18 workout for the Memphis Grizzlies.
CBS SPORTSLINE’S TONY MEJIA
(same as previous projection)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “Desmond Mason could be headed elsewhere, and the Hornets could definitely use another athlete who can put the ball in the hole. Young definitely fits the bill, and could work himself even higher with great workouts. There is also word that the Hornets love Vandy’s Derrick Byars.”
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Acie Law
CBS SPORTSLINE’S GARRY PARRISH
(new)
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “Young was raised in Memphis, but born in New Orleans. If he returns, Hornets fans will be glad, assuming they are patient enough to give him a few years to grow.”
Hornets.com says: Byron Scott explained after Thaddeus Young’s workout on June 9 that Scott wasn’t sure if Young will be ready to make a significant impact in 2007-08. How much will that affect the Hornets’ decision-making if the former New Orleans native is still on the board at No. 13? Stay tuned. If the Hornets select a first-rounder who they don’t think will be a big contributor at shooting guard or small forward next season, it opens up the possibility that Rasual Butler will have a much larger role, especially if New Orleans does not re-sign Desmond Mason.
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Javaris Crittenton
DIME MAGAZINE
(same as previous projection)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “As sure a pick as there is in the Lottery. The Hornets two-guard situation is scary (in a bad way), but Young can help solve that problem.”
No. 12 Julian Wright; No. 14 Javaris Crittenton
Hornets.com says: The USC guard appears to be moving upward in the draft and has obviously gained Dime’s seal of approval, as a safe choice with little apparent downside. Young is a proven college performer, having averaged 17.3 and 17.5 points, respectively, in his sophomore and junior seasons. He also shot an impressive 52.5 percent from the field, an excellent rate for a shooting guard. He also has size (6-foot-6) and has been described as having an old-school offensive repertoire that includes an accurate mid-range jumper.
ESPN.COM’S CHAD FORD
(previous projection: Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “With Desmond Mason’s hitting free agency, the Hornets will look for a shooting guard to play alongside a (hopefully) healthy Peja Stojakovic. Young is the ideal fit. He’s an excellent shooter and a big-time athlete. If he develops, he and Chris Paul could become one of the most exciting backcourts in the NBA. If Young is off the board, they’ll likely decide between Thornton, Rodney Stuckey and Julian Wright.”
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Julian Wright
FANBALL
(previous projection: Acie Law, point guard, Texas A&M)
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “Young slipped in our last mock simply because he had yet to officially say he was staying in the draft, but has the talent to go as high as No. 12 to the Sixers. The Hornets have a few needs depending on what they decide to do with their myriad free agents, but drafting Young would make losing Desmond Mason more palatable. A backup option at point guard – Javaris Crittenton or Acie Law – would also work here.”
No. 12 Julian Wright; No. 14 Javaris Crittenton
FOX SPORTS
(previous projection: Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech)
Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas: “Chris Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler and Hilton Armstrong make a pretty nice young nucleus in New Orleans. Toss in former Kings Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson, and when they’re all healthy together, the 39-win Hornets could actually be a force in this league. Desmond Mason is a free agent this year, and though he loves Byron Scott and the Hornets, might be on his way out if a better deal comes around. Julian Wright would be the ideal replacement. Some have said he’s the most versatile player in the entire draft: athletic enough to run the floor, tall enough to be a match-up problem inside. Adding Wright would make the Hornets even more dynamic. Though his jump shot still needs improvement, he’d likely contribute right away. The 6-9 athletic big man averaged a career best 12.0 points and hauled in 7.8 rebounds per game last season for KU. Again, health is the issue for the Hornets. No one knows what they’re capable of with a full squad. There’s truly no ceiling. Wright would be the perfect addition to the mix.”
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Petteri Koponen
Hornets.com says: Fox makes a few interesting points about the Hornets and their injuries. It’s possible that New Orleans could enter 2007-08 as a somewhat overlooked team in the Western Conference, because after an injury-riddled year, it’s easy to forget how much talent and potential is on the roster. The Hornets are hopeful that Fox’s glowing description of “no ceiling” is accurate and that a healthy lineup will make them an under-the-radar team in the West.
HOOPS HYPE
(previous projection: Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “A pure scorer who might have the best mid-range game of any player in the NCAA. Has improved his efficiency remarkably both from the field and behind the arc despite moving from the power forward spot to the wing full time, as well as his slashing game. Still a bit hit-or-miss in the consistency department, he could stand to upgrade his passing skills considerably. Gets his shot off whenever he wants in college, but it’s not quite clear what his bread and butter will be in the NBA. Played very well in March.”
No. 12 Julian Wright; No. 14 Javaris Crittenton
SI.COM
(same as previous projection)
Spencer Hawes, center, Washington: “The Hornets are really masquerading as a lottery team after winning 39 games in a season fraught with injuries. Adding a high-percentage shooter like Hawes behind defensive-minded center Tyson Chandler would propel the team into a position where it could become a perennial playoff team. The move would also allow the Hornets to bring Hawes along more slowly than most teams would be able to.”
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Acie Law
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
(new)
Rodney Stuckey, point guard/shooting guard, Eastern Washington: “Combo guard cut in the mold of Bobby Jackson could fill Hornets’ hole on the perimeter alongside Chris Paul.”
No. 12 Al Thornton; No. 14 Javaris Crittenton
SPORTING NEWS
(new)
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “Draft rumors frequently focus on promises made by teams to players. Sources say it’s unlikely the Hornets or Pistons have given out promises, but it appears New Orleans would like to land potential-laden Young.”
No. 12 Julian Wright; No. 14 Nick Young
TORONTO STAR
(previous projection: Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas)
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “The Hornets quietly have one of the NBA’s most impressive young cores, but they need an athletic small forward to replace impending free agent Desmond Mason. Enter Young, who is still pretty raw but has incredible athleticism and star potential at the 3-spot.”
No. 12 Yi Jianlian; No. 14 Rodney Stuckey
These sites display mock drafts but do not make comments on picks:
INSIDE HOOPS
No. 13 pick – Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California
NBADRAFT.NET
No. 13 pick – Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California
No. 43 pick – Taurean Green, point guard, Florida
June 15, 2007
What kind of player can the Hornets acquire with the 13th overall pick? They’d love to find someone as productive as New Jersey forward Richard Jefferson, the No. 13 pick in the 2001 draft. Jefferson has averaged 15.1 points over his six-year career and made two NBA Finals appearances.
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With the NBA Draft scheduled to take place in less than two weeks, let’s take our second look around the World Wide Web to see what other sites are projecting the Hornets to do with the 13th overall pick (comments with players are from the respective newspapers or websites).
Which player do you think the Hornets should select with their first-round pick on June 28? To comment, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
(same as previous projection)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “There are younger and perhaps more talented swingmen available (Georgia Tech’s Thaddeus Young perhaps), but few more athletic or hungry. The Hornets need a more mature player like Young to help solidify their backcourt mix.”
CBS SPORTSLINE
(same as previous projection)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “Desmond Mason could be headed elsewhere, and the Hornets could definitely use another athlete who can put the ball in the hole.”
DIME MAGAZINE
(previous projection: Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “Chris Paul needs some wings who can light up the scoreboard, and one thing Young does well is get buckets.”
Hornets.com says: In Dime’s latest projection, the trendy hoops publication now has Julian Wright going No. 12 to Philadelphia. According to NBA.com’s draft consensus feature < http://www.nba.com/features/draft2007_consensus.html >, the Kansas product appears to be climbing the draft board and would be the No. 9 pick to Chicago. Of 15 websites included in NBA.com’s survey, only one (RealGM) has Wright lasting until the 13th pick, while three others have him going as early as No. 6 to Milwaukee. Add it up, and it appears unlikely that the Hornets will have the option of picking the ex-Jayhawk.
ESPN.COM’S CHAD FORD
(previous projection: Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech)
Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State: “With Desmond Mason hitting free agency, the Hornets will look for a swingman to play alongside Peja Stojakovic, who they hope can return to health. (Florida guard Corey) Brewer is the ideal fit, but if he’s gone I expect they’ll try to decide between Thornton and Nick Young. Thornton is more NBA-ready of the two, though it appears Young might be a better fit.”
Hornets.com says: Thaddeus Young’s June 8 workout drew public praise from Hornets coach Byron Scott and GM Jeff Bower, causing some speculation that the Hornets are likely to pick Young if he is still available at No. 13. However, ESPN has Young dropping three spots from the last time we checked in with them, falling to No. 16 and the Washington Wizards. Young has obvious potential and grades high in terms of off-the-court qualities and maturity, but Scott also told the media that he’s unsure if Young will be prepared to make a significant impact in 2007-08. “I don’t know if he would be ready,” Scott said. “… Chris Paul was ready from Day 1 (as a rookie). I don’t think Thaddeus is there yet. But a year from now, I think he can be a special player.”
FANBALL
(same as previous projection)
Acie Law, point guard, Texas A&M: “Although Chris Paul is obviously the king of the castle in New Orleans, the Hornets lack a solid backup for him. Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo are fine, but both are better served coming off the bench as shooting or combo guards. New Orleans took care of its frontcourt depth last offseason when it picked up Tyson Chandler and drafted Cedric Simmons and Hilton Armstrong, and Peja Stojakovic is expected to return from injury and join David West to give the Hornets a solid foundation. Again, (Thaddeus) Young is an option if New Orleans wants to stand pat with its backup point guard situation, but Law is the best fit currently on the board.”
FOX SPORTS
(previous projection: Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas)
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “Chris Paul and David West are two elite players on the verge of really making a splash. When both are healthy, they’re one of the better young 1-2 combos in the league. Tyson Chandler and Hilton Armstrong are both serviceable big men with plenty of time and years left to improve. With Desmond Mason now a free agent, there’s room for another scorer in New Orleans. In his one year at Tech, Thaddeus Young averaged over 14 points and roughly five rebounds per game. At first glance, he’s one of the more eye-opening prospects in this draft. He’s an athletic freak and a physical specimen. There’s truly no ceiling with Young. This may be a bit early, but don’t be shocked to see him suiting up for Byron Scott next season.”
Hornets.com says: Fox Sports describes Young’s potential as having “no ceiling.” That’s some pretty lofty praise. If Young improves at a rapid rate over the next few years, he could become – as Byron Scott suggested – a difference-making player in the NBA.
HOOPS HYPE
(same as previous projection)
Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State: “Late-blooming combo forward with explosive athletic ability and excellent length. Outquicks everyone to the offensive glass, utilizes his terrific first step and ever-improving mid-range jumper as a true mismatch threat at the NCAA level. Doesn’t have a great feel for the game. Could still stand to improve his ballhandling skills, as well as expand his three-point shooting range. A bit on the older side, but has improved considerably over the past few years and still has upside to continue to do so. His outstanding senior year showed he’s still anything but a finished product despite the fact that his team underachieved severely.”
MSNBC
(same as previous projection)
Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State: “The ACC’s best player has the body and skill. He is very aggressive and plays with a lot of energy. Shot over 50 percent each year in college. An older player who can help immediately.”
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
(previous projection: Acie Law, point guard, Texas A&M)
Spencer Hawes, center, Washington: “The Hornets are really masquerading as a lottery team after winning 39 games in a season fraught with injuries. Adding a high-percentage shooter like Hawes behind defensive-minded center Tyson Chandler would propel the team into a position where it could become a perennial playoff team. The move would also allow the Hornets to bring Hawes along more slowly than most teams would be able to.”
Hornets.com says: SI apparently changed its mind on whether the Hornets would take Law if given the opportunity. In this version written by SI’s Chris Ekstrand, the Hornets would pass on Law, who then gets snatched up by the Clippers at No. 14. The Hornets already have three players who log minutes at point guard – Chris Paul, Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo – so playing time might be crunched if they select another lead guard. On the other end of the positional spectrum, Chandler is going to be playing heavy minutes at center for the foreseeable future, and the Hornets also have to find playing time in the frontcourt for the developing Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons.
As far as whether the Hornets are “masquerading as a lottery team” or not, one of the initial objectives in 2007-08 will be to prove beyond a shred of a doubt that last year’s 39-win output was no representation of the club’s actual talent level and competitiveness.
THE SPORTS XCHANGE
(new mock draft)
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “Young is an awesome natural athlete who can do a little bit of everything. The Hornets were in the playoff running much of the season. A player like Young, who can defend the scoring guards in the Western Conference, can help keep them in the top eight next season.”
Hornets.com says: The Hornets essentially needed to win 42 games to qualify for the 2007 playoffs, but finished 39-43. From that standpoint, it would seem that they only need to make a minor improvement record-wise to reach the postseason in 2008. The Western Conference should be even stronger next season, though, with a handful of clubs such as Utah (51-31 this season), Golden State (42-40), Denver (45-37) and Portland (32-50) already looking better on paper entering next season for various reasons.
TORONTO STAR
(previous projection: Jeff Green, small forward, Georgetown)
Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas: “The Hornets have one of the more underrated young cores in the NBA with Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler, and David West (along with veteran Peja Stojakovic). Now that Desmond Mason is set for free agency, New Orleans is looking for a small forward who can help out right away. Wright may not be the pure scorer this team is looking for, but he simply does too much on the floor to be ignored at this spot in the draft (presuming he’s still available).”
Hornets.com says: We talked about this during our look back at the Hornets’ 2006-07 season, that one of the most encouraging aspects of the roster is that three of the club’s key pieces have yet to enter the prime of their NBA careers. Paul just turned 22 last month, while Chandler is only 24 and West is 26. If things break right in the draft, the Hornets hope to add a fourth outstanding young talent to the mix.
These sites display mock drafts but do not make comments on picks:
INSIDE HOOPS
No. 13 pick – Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California
NBADRAFT.NET
No. 13 pick – Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech
No. 43 pick – Quinton Hosley, small forward, Fresno State
June 12, 2007
The Hornets have reaped the benefits of wise drafting in recent years, in particular the selection of David West in 2003 with the 18th overall pick and Chris Paul at No. 4 in 2005.
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When the Hornets bring in potential draft picks for individual workouts, one of the methods GM Jeff Bower uses to evaluate a player’s character and off-the-court qualities may surprise you. Bower closely watches how a player treats everyone he comes into contact with – in particular, people who hold jobs that the player may not think are important to his future.
Any player with a shred of common sense realizes that he needs to be polite and respectful when he’s talking to an NBA coach or general manager, but is he a jerk when he’s dealing with say, a cab driver, or a waiter in a restaurant? In addition, the way a player interacts with team personnel such as equipment managers, ballboys – even team website writers – can indicate a lot about that player’s true personality and attitude.
That’s merely one example, but the evaluation of a basketball player involves significantly more than determining whether he can shoot, dribble, pass, rebound and defend. To find out more about how the scouting of NBA draft prospects actually works, I enlisted the help of Hornets assistant to the general manager Brian Hagen. One of the league’s brightest young basketball minds, the 29-year-old Hagen spends parts of the season traveling to NCAA games and conducting interviews to learn as many details as possible about the players the Hornets may be interested in drafting each June.
Here are eight things you might not know about the process of scouting NBA prospects:
1. If you’re a player being evaluated as a potential NBA draft pick, scouts are watching you 24/7.
Some college players assume that the only time NBA talent evaluators are paying close attention to them is when the ball is in their hands. Wrong.
“Basketball is unique among the four major sports,” explains Hagen, “because you can tell a lot about what type of person a guy is from his facial expressions. In football and hockey, players wear helmets, so you can’t see their faces. In baseball, it’s not a free-flowing game where emotion is a big factor. But in basketball, you can watch facial expressions. You can see how a player interacts with a teammate. You can see how a guy walks to the bench when he gets taken out of a game, and see how he treats his coach.
“How does he react to adversity? How does he react when a teammate makes a bad play? What kind of leader is he? Does he whine? Does he complain a lot? There are so many things you can see when you go to scout a game that are unique to basketball scouting.
“We watch every aspect of a player. How does he warm up before a game? Does he take it seriously? Is he out there with a coach working extremely hard on improving a specific area of his game that may be a little weak? Or is he out there just tossing up shots that he’d never attempt in a game situation?”
2. Scouts interview as many people who know a player as possible – because scouts can’t believe everything they hear...
NBA scouts often chat informally with the college head coach of a potential draftee to gain more insight on the player. This can get a little tricky, though, because if you want an honest assessment of a player, his coach may not be the best source.
In general, NCAA head coaches have considerable incentive to “talk up” the positive traits of their players to pro scouts, because college programs that send their players to the pros often reap long-term benefits in recruiting. High school players focused on becoming an NBA player someday want to attend a school where other players have frequently made the jump from college to the league. That means that NCAA programs with multiple alums in the NBA hold an intangible advantage in attracting scholastic hoops stars.
“You have to take what people tell you for what it’s worth,” Hagen says of college coaches. “Obviously there are people and coaches in this business that each of us are closer to than others, and we have a trust factor with those people.
“But you have to dig deep. You talk to high school coaches and guidance counselors, college assistants, college compliance directors – people who may not have as much at stake in terms of a player’s future.
“It’s not a one-day or two-day process; we scout guys over a two- or three-year period. We watch a player over a large body of work. When you do that, you start to get a better feel for that player on and off the court.”
3. ...so they need to be able to read between the lines.
Since a college coach isn’t likely to trash one of his players to an NBA scout – even if the coach truly does not like that player – scouts need to pick up body language and subtle aspects of how their questions are answered.
Hagen: “I’ve never personally spoken with anyone who’s really tried to hurt (a player’s reputation) by saying negative things, but you can just tell by the way someone says something how they genuinely feel about a player. And I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to be able to see it. Usually when you talk to someone, they either have a lot of high praise, or if they don’t feel strongly about someone as a player or a person, they stay on that median line, riding the fence. If someone’s doing that, you have to dig around. It could be a case where a player had a falling out with a coach? Sometimes that happens. That’s why we try to cover every base – twice. We don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”
4. Toughness in a player matters – and not just the physical kind.
“Toughness comes in a couple different forms,” Hagen explains. “I think the most important is mental toughness. It’s not toughness such as a guy who is going out on the court, pushing people around or getting into fights. It’s more about, ‘Can he handle adversity on the court and off the court?’
“An 82-game NBA season is like a long race, and there are a lot of ups and downs. The best teammates are the ones who can handle them and keep a steady focus. They can come every night and bring their ‘A’ game without a big drop-off.
“At every level of basketball, a coach will take a mentally tough player over a weak, mentally soft one who has a little bit more talent. If a guy is mature, he can handle everything that is going to come at him. It’s not always going to be a rosy ride in the NBA. There are going to be losses, and some long nights. You’re going to have bad games. You have to be able to handle them like a mature, tough player.”
5. In many cases, a player’s behavior and personality don’t change when he gets to the pros.
By the time a player reaches the age where he is being considered as a draft pick, he’s already played on organized teams for years and developed a track record. With few exceptions, players continue whatever habits they’ve developed, good or bad.
Hagen: “I think Bill Parcells once said, ‘If you don’t bite when you’re a puppy, you’re not going to bite (as a grown dog).’
“A lot of times if a player is not tough at a young age, he’s probably not going to become a tough, tough guy. You can tell by watching how a guy competes. If you’re not there (mentally) every five games in a 30-game college season, what does that translate to in an 82-game season?”
6. Pro basketball scouts are interpreters, trying to translate “NCAA” to “NBA.”
The problem with using college performance and statistics as a parallel indicator of how a player will fare in the pros is that there are significant differences in the game itself at the two levels. Just because a player can create his own shot in college, for example, that doesn’t mean he’ll be able to do so in the NBA. Just because a player was able to excel based on pure athleticism in college, that doesn’t mean he can do likewise in the pros, where players are bigger, faster and stronger.
“That translation of college to the pros is what all of the scouts in this business are trying to find out,” Hagen says. “How does what a guy did in college translate to our level? From a basketball standpoint and a skill standpoint, as well as his athletic ability. That’s what we’re trying to figure out, not only from watching draft workouts this month, but from watching a player year-round.”
7. A player’s IQ is important – but not as important as his “basketball IQ.”
The NFL uses a much-discussed Wonderlic test that helps measure football players’ intelligence and cognitive learning skills. NFL talent evaluators believe memory and smarts are crucial for a player, partly due to the complexity of football playbooks. Basketball playbooks are not quite as extensive as those in the NFL, but NBA scouts do watch closely to see if players have certain characteristics that are important in the game of hoops. Traits such as basketball instincts, including knowing where to be on the floor at the right time and anticipation, are critical for a player. To use a real-life example, one of the reasons Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird was a great NBA player was that – despite his relative lack of quickness or leaping ability – he was a master at anticipating action, often sensing how a play might develop before it occurred.
“One of the things you try to gauge is if a player has a great feel for the game,” Hagen describes, “or whether he’s just a great athlete who is like a fish out of water when he’s on the court. A higher IQ in general might help a player in some way, but it’s the basketball IQ that scouts are really trying to see. Does a guy understand how to play? Does he understand the flow of a game?”
In some cases, a lack of understanding of the game or noticeable difficulty learning a team’s offense can spell doom for a young NBA player.
Hagen: “There are some players who come into the league who have a very difficult time grasping offenses, but there’s a reason fans don’t hear about them: It’s because those players are not around very long. If you can’t grasp plays or an offense, coaches and front-office people don’t have time to wait on you. If you’re waiting for your players to learn the offense, you’re probably going to get fired. For the most part, guys you see on the court in the NBA every night don’t have that problem. The players who don’t grasp offenses are not around.”
8. In the NBA, players need to have people skills.
A player’s ability to interact well with others becomes magnified when you consider the length and hectic nature of the NBA schedule. The pro season stretches from training camp in early October to mid-April (and beyond for teams that reach the NBA playoffs), meaning the amount of time teammates spend around each other is substantial, whether it’s on the team plane for cross-country flights, in hotels or in the locker room. If a player is prone to causing friction with his teammates and does not get along well with other people, it can become a major negative in terms of how he is valued by his team.
“One of the things that’s important to the entire Hornets organization is that we’re trying to create an atmosphere of family,” Hagen relates. “It’s important that a guy can relate to his teammates, not only on a professional level, but also a personal one. We don’t want to bring in someone who is going to mess up what we think is developing into great chemistry. We have guys who get along well and play together well.
“As we’re getting background information on a player, we’re finding out if he’s had run-ins with people or hasn’t gotten along well with teachers, for example. It’s important when you’re building a winning atmosphere, that you aren’t bringing in guys who don’t share the same belief system that we have.”
To comment on the Hornets 365 blog, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
June 5, 2007
In 2005, current New York guard and past NBA slam dunk champion Nate Robinson dazzled during Hornets draft workouts.
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I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that most sports fans have a pretty good grasp of what takes place during NFL draft workouts. Given the amount of around-the-clock coverage the NFL pre-draft process receives, there is ample discussion and information every spring on assorted websites that details how prospects have fared in tests such as the 40-yard dash or the Wonderlic intelligence exam.
How much do people really know about NBA draft workouts, though? In comparison to NFL draft coverage, the NBA’s pre-draft process barely makes a ripple. In order to provide more detail on what will actually take place during Hornets draft workouts, I asked Hornets strength and conditioning coach Jack Manson to break down some of the physical testing that prospects will undergo, leading up to the June 28 draft. Our team’s workouts are expected to begin Thursday and Friday:
Event: Vertical leap.
Purpose: Players are tested in three different variations of this event, beginning with the version in which they are not allowed to take a step before they leap. They are then tested in the one-step vertical leap and two-step vertical leap. Obviously, the purpose of this drill is to determine a player’s ability to rise off the floor.
Recent Hornets draft-workout participants who excelled: Nate Robinson (2005), Rodney Carney (2006), Joey Graham (2005), Chris Paul (2005), Deron Williams (2005).
Event: Standing broad jump.
Purpose: Another test that measures leaping ability. The broad jump provides an accurate gauge of an athlete’s “explosiveness” in their legs (a trait an NBA player often needs to propel himself toward the basket when finishing a fast break with a layup or dunk).
Recent Hornets draft-workout participants who excelled: Nate Robinson (2005), Rodney Carney (2006). “Both of those guys blew it out of the box,” remembers Manson, who recorded each player’s jump at 10 feet, 4 inches.
Event: Pro agility test.
Purpose:
This series of lateral and forward movements measures agility by incorporating sprinting, sliding and backpedaling.
Recent Hornets draft-workout participants who excelled: Chris Paul (2005), Nate Robinson (2005). Smaller players – usually point guards – fare better in this test than big men. “Usually the lower the center of gravity a player has, the better they will do,” Manson explains.
Event: Sprints (20-yard dash, 40-yard dash).
Purpose: To measure a player’s speed and burst in a small area. The length of an NBA court is 94 feet (31 1/3 yards), so it’s important for a player to be able to cover ground quickly in short distances.
Recent Hornets draft-workout participants who excelled: Joey Graham.
Event: “Suicide” running drill.
Purpose: A staple of practices at most levels of basketball (and sometimes used by hoops coaches as punishment after a team’s lackluster effort or a poorly-played game), this helps measure change-of-direction speed and conditioning.
Event: Basic strength tests (includes one-minute push-up test and one-minute sit-up test).
Purpose: To test conditioning and strength.
How important are these physical tests in terms of the way an NBA team views potential draftees? Well, the short answer is that it depends on the player. Manson’s not naming names – and we wouldn’t expect him to – but he says there have been cases in the past where a prospect has all but eliminated himself from consideration based on poor performances in physical testing.
“Byron Scott and Jeff Bower really look at the numbers closely, because they want to know exactly what they’re getting with a certain player,” Manson says. “You don’t want a slow-footed guy who can’t stay in front of somebody (defensively), and we want to know how well a player can change direction. If a guy is struggling to reach the (minimal) standards, sometimes you can say, ‘He’s not going to make it,’ unless he has other attributes that allow him to make up for his weaknesses.”
Manson also points out that the majority of NCAA players are not in adequate NBA condition when they arrive for draft workouts.
“Only a very small percentage are in what we consider to be NBA shape,” Manson says. “It takes them going through an entire NBA training camp to get used to it. Even after they go through training camp, they have to stay on it (to remain well-conditioned). There is a lot less running in college than the NBA, so they’re not usually ready for it.”
June 1, 2007
In 2006, several websites accurately predicted that the Hornets would take Cedric Simmons in the first round, although most had him as the 12th pick, not the 15th. The Hornets tabbed Hilton Armstrong at No. 12.
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With the NBA Draft scheduled to take place in four weeks, let’s take our first look around the World Wide Web to see what other sites are projecting the Hornets to do with the 13th overall pick (comments with players are from the respective newspapers or websites).
Which player do you think the Hornets should select with their first-round pick on June 28? To comment, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “There are younger and perhaps more talented swingmen available (Georgia Tech’s Thaddeus Young perhaps), but few more athletic or hungry. The Hornets need a more mature player like Young to help solidify their backcourt mix.”
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CBS SPORTSLINE
Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California: “Desmond Mason could be headed elsewhere, and the Hornets could definitely use another athlete who can put the ball in the hole.”
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Spencer Hawes, center, Washington: “Highly skilled post player from an NBA family who’s not quite ready but eventually will allow Tyson Chandler to go back to forward.”
Hornets.com says: Moving Chandler back to forward? I don’t see the logic there. Chandler just had what was easily the best season of his career while playing all of his minutes at center, after struggling mightily in 2005-06 with Chicago. Plus, shifting him to power forward would mean David West needs to move to small forward. Sure, West is not as big as some power forwards (6-foot-9) in the Western Conference, but he’s much more of a natural four than a small forward. It would be a big adjustment for him to have to defend quick and athletic threes. Chandler at center and West at power forward isn’t exactly broke, so why fix it?
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DIME MAGAZINE
Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas: “Desmond Mason might be leaving as a free agent, Peja might up and retire, and the Hornets finished last season starting Devin Brown at the two. In other words, there’s a need at the wing spots. Wright is crazy versatile and he’s the best player available.”
Hornets.com says: Based on the various mock drafts that we’ve seen recently, unless things change significantly, the Kansas Jayhawk probably won’t last until the No. 13 pick, which obviously would rule out the Hornets selecting him. Among the nine websites that NBA.com uses to determine its NBA Draft “consensus” rankings, only one mock draft has Wright lasting until 13. In fact, ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline and Inside Hoops each have him going sixth to Milwaukee. At this juncture, at least, it appears as though he’ll have to fall on a lot of teams’ draft boards for the Hornets to get their hands on Wright.
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ESPN.COM’S CHAD FORD
Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech: “With Desmond Mason hitting free agency, the Hornets will look for a swingman to play alongside Peja Stojakovic, if he can get healthy. (Florida guard Corey) Brewer is the ideal fit, but if he’s gone I expect they’ll decide between (Georgetown forward Jeff) Green, (Florida State forward Al) Thornton and Young – whoever is left on the board. Between the latter two, Thornton is more NBA-ready, though it seems like Young has the higher ceiling.”
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FANBALL
Acie Law, point guard, Texas A&M: “Although Chris Paul is obviously the king of the castle in New Orleans, the Hornets lack a solid backup for him. Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo are fine, but both are better served coming off the bench as shooting or combo guards. New Orleans took care of its frontcourt depth last offseason when it picked up Tyson Chandler and drafted Cedric Simmons and Hilton Armstrong, and Peja Stojakovic is expected to return from injury and join David West to give the Hornets a solid foundation. Again, (Thaddeus) Young is an option if New Orleans wants to stand pat with its backup point guard situation, but Law is the best fit currently on the board.”
Hornets.com says: I suppose anything can happen on draft night due to the possibility of trades, but the scenario of the Hornets taking a point guard doesn’t seem very likely. It’s not just that Paul is on the roster; it’s that so are Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo (unless Pargo exercises an option to become an unrestricted free agent). All three of those guards are 6-foot-1 or under and all of them deserve playing time. That would make it pretty difficult for Byron Scott to find minutes for another guy who is projected as a point guard in the NBA (incidentally, Law is 6-foot-3). Also, Fanball’s description of Jackson as a “combo guard” is accurate, but he’s played the bulk of his minutes at point guard throughout his 10-year pro career.
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FOX SPORTS
Julian Wright, small forward, Kansas: “The Hornets could use a wing and while Wright isn’t a big-time shooter, he finds a way to score – and also makes people better and can keep up with Chris Paul.”
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HOOPS HYPE
Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State: “Late-blooming combo forward with explosive athletic ability and excellent length. Outquicks everyone to the offensive glass, utilizes his terrific first step and ever-improving mid-range jumper as a true mismatch threat at the NCAA level. Doesn’t have a great feel for the game. Could still stand to improve his ballhandling skills, as well as expand his three-point shooting range. A bit on the older side, but has improved considerably over the past few years and still has upside to continue to do so. His outstanding senior year showed he’s still anything but a finished product despite the fact that his team underachieved severely.”
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MSNBC
Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State: “The ACC’s best player has the body and skill. He is very aggressive and plays with a lot of energy. Shot over 50 percent each year in college. An older player who can help immediately.”
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SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Acie Law, point guard, Texas A&M: “It probably isn’t Law’s fondest wish to go to a team that already has a young star point guard, but the Hornets have an understandable desire to limit the huge minutes that Chris Paul has played in his first two seasons. In addition to giving the Hornets protection in case Paul is injured again, Law is a capable scorer who can also play off the ball as a shooting guard.”
Hornets.com says: Let’s explore the issue of CP3’s playing time, a subject that has already created ample discussion among fans and the media. Paul has led the Hornets in minutes for two straight years, averaging 36.0 as a rookie and 36.8 in 2006-07. If you examine last season’s stats, his busiest month was December (39.0 mpg), which makes sense, because Bobby Jackson (cracked ribs) missed that entire month due to injury. How much could the Hornets realistically reduce Paul’s minutes if Jackson remains healthy throughout 2007-08? Let’s take a look at the average minutes played by some of the top point guards in the NBA during the 2006-07 regular season: Gilbert Arenas (39.8), Andre Miller (37.1), Deron Williams (36.9), Jason Kidd (36.7), Chauncey Billups (36.2), Steve Nash (35.3), Baron Davis (35.3). SI describes Paul’s minutes as “huge,” but they’re actually in line with how much playing time standout point guards get throughout the league. The Hornets may be able to bring Paul’s minutes down a bit next season, but it probably wouldn’t be too drastic of a reduction. It’s wise to try to be careful about players’ fatigue during the long 82-game regular season, but there’s a reason why certain players log big minutes – because their teams need them on the floor to win games.
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TORONTO STAR
Jeff Green, small forward, Georgetown: “All last season the Hornets struggled to find consistency at the small forward spot, and Green will definitely give them that. He is as NBA-ready as pretty much any player in the draft, and his game is actually pretty similar to that of current Hornet forward David West. Green doesn't project as a superstar, but he has the goods to be well above average.”
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YAHOO! SPORTS
Jeff Green, small forward, Georgetown: “Green does a little of everything well, and he fits into the winning culture that GM Jeff Bower and coach Byron Scott are determined to infuse into the Hornets on the way back to New Orleans.”These sites conducted mock drafts but did not make comments on picks:
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COLLEGE HOOPS NETWORK
No. 13 pick – Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech
No. 43 pick – Herbert Hill, power forward, Providence
INSIDE HOOPS
No. 13 pick – Nick Young, shooting guard, Southern California
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL
No. 13 pick – Al Thornton, small forward, Florida State
NBADRAFT.NET
No. 13 pick – Thaddeus Young, small forward, Georgia Tech
No. 43 pick – Quinton Hosley, small forward, Fresno State
May 31, 2007
Last spring, the Hornets invited me to attend draft workouts for the first time, in order to provide coverage for Hornets.com. Of course, in this case, “coverage” may be a slightly misleading description, because – like all NBA teams – the Hornets do not publicize the specifics of what takes place during draft workouts.
A 2006 draft workout in Portland involving Rudy Gay (left) and Adam Morrison led to the Trail Blazers closing workouts to the media.
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What NBA teams learn about draft prospects during workouts is NOT shared information that they want the rest of the NBA to be privy to, because after all, the 30 NBA teams compete with each other for players and jockey for positioning on draft night. Every club has restrictions on what reporters from local newspapers and TV stations can witness during workouts (in 2006, the Portland Trail Blazers closed workouts to the media after a newspaper reporter from The Oregonian admitted witnessing portions of a Rudy Gay/Adam Morrison workout through the blinds of a window in the Blazers’ practice facility).
As a result, the bulk of reporting from workouts comes from interviewing draft prospects after their workouts have concluded. To me, this still provides a chance to obtain a brief glimpse of what the player is like as a person and see how well he handles the media. Byron Scott and Jeff Bower are also available to the media immediately after workouts to offer an idea of what they think of the players they just watched.
With Hornets draft workouts beginning next week, we’re working on developing a list of six to eight questions that Hornets.com will ask each prospect. Here are a few I really like:
Those three questions will be among the handful we’ll ask each draft prospect beginning this week, but we’re looking for more from Hornets.com visitors. If you have a reoccurring question you’d like to see Hornets.com ask players during draft workouts, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
May 30, 2007
Hornets 365 to Provide Year-Round Access to Hornets
Jim Eichenhofer
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Among the questions I’m asked about my job as a writer for Hornets.com, the most common one goes something like this: “So, what exactly do you DO during the offseason?”
People often assume that once the season ends, there isn’t much going on to keep NBA employees occupied. As I learned in 2006, that’s actually far from the case. Here’s a sampling of the basketball-related events that took place in the Hornets organization last summer:
- Chris Paul won the 2005-06 Rookie of the Year award.
- Draft workouts for several dozen prospects were conducted at the Hornets’ practice facility.
A glimpse inside the Hornets’ New Orleans Arena locker room.
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- The Hornets made two first-round picks (Hilton Armstrong, Cedric Simmons) and a second-round choice (Marcus Vinicius) at the NBA Draft.
- Peja Stojakovic was signed to a five-year contract that turned heads around the league; Tyson Chandler was acquired in a trade with Chicago; Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo were signed; Rasual Butler was re-signed.
- David West signed a contract extension; the Hornets picked up an option year on Chris Paul’s deal.
- Armstrong, Simmons, Brandon Bass and Kirk Snyder competed in the Vegas Summer League (Snyder was traded to Houston midway through the league’s schedule).
Granted, the Hornets may have been the most active team in the entire NBA last summer. Still, it was surprising to learn first-hand how hectic an offseason can be for a pro basketball franchise. Just because the season ends in the spring, that doesn’t mean teams sit around all summer waiting for the next NBA campaign to start.
Hornets.com is committed to reflecting that year-round nature of today’s NBA. As a result, we’re unveiling a new basketball blog devoted exclusively to the Hornets, called “Hornets 365.”
In the new blog, we plan to provide behind-the-scenes access to the Hornets and exclusive articles that provide an insider’s look at the team. Over the next six weeks, for example, we will be in attendance for next week’s draft workouts, in New Orleans for the June 28 NBA Draft, and in Las Vegas for the Hornets’ participation in the Vegas Summer League from July 6-15.
“Hornets 365” also aims to increase participation from Hornets fans on Hornets.com. We will be seeking feedback from visitors on numerous topics. To comment about the blog, send an e-mail to jime@hornets.com.
