February 2, 2007

Bob Licht Feedback? Email Bob LICHTcast audio: Chris Paul

While nobody is surprised that Chris Paul returned earlier than expected from his ankle injury I think we’re all pleasantly stunned that the Hornets more than held their own while he was gone. The Hornets record while their star point guard was recovering from a severely sprained right ankle? 8-9. Byron Scott’s group nearly played .500 ball in his absence! Not that this group of players isn’t capable of competing; to the contrary, they’re a hard-working, high-energy collection of talented NBA veterans. The problem without CP3 (and without West and Stojakovic and Jackson before him) is that too many players have been forced to play more minutes, or out of position, or late in games. Byron Scott has practically been forced to squeeze water out of a rock. It has nothing to do with how much talent Devin Brown or Jannero Pargo or Rasual Butler or Bobby Jackson have. But Scott brought these guys in to form one of the NBA’s best benches. Instead they have all taken turns starting and/or playing major minutes. This weakens both the starting lineup and the bench.

Now that Paul and West and Jackson have returned the Hornets are primed to make a playoff run. They have a nice stretch over the next three weeks when most of their opponents have losing records. Even more importantly, most of their remaining games are against Western Conference teams that are above them in the standings. So, the opportunity to make up ground increases.

The Hornets front office deserves a standing ovation for its work, not only during the summer months, but in-season as well. If Jeff Bower, Willis Reed, and Byron Scott were poker players they would have qualified for a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament by now.

JANNERO PARGO – FA SIGNEE
How shrewd were they for capturing Jannero Pargo as a free agent? He’s single handedly won several games and could be one of the keys off the bench during the Hornets playoff run. He’s hit for double figures over 20 times already!

BOBBY JACKSON – FA SIGNEE
How incredible was the Bobby Jackson signing? The veteran guard has returned from cracked ribs to continue his slashing style, his aggressive defense, and his locker room leadership.

TYSON CHANDLER –TRADE FOR PJ BROWN + J.R. SMITH
How phenomenal has Tyson Chandler’s development become? Thought to be a rebounder and a shot blocker with limited offensive skills, the 24-year-old center has suddenly discovered a hook shot, a consistent free throw form, and an uncanny offensive rebounding sense that allows him to convert teammates’ misses into points.

DEVIN BROWN – FA SIGNEE
How stupendous is the in-season signing of free agent guard/forward Devin Brown? What can Brown do for you? How about, what would the Hornets do without Brown?! After watching him over the last five weeks I am astounded he was not on an opening day NBA roster. But, the Hornets have had their eyes on him for some time and after Golden State released him during training camp the Bees put him in their sights just in case. Well, four major injuries later they found room for him.

The Hornets are within striking distance of the 8th and final western conference playoff position and the main reason is the team’s front office did its job. It brought in depth, which was utilized after the worst-case scenarios occurred. When even more reinforcements were needed General Bower dipped even deeper into his knowledge chest and came up with not only a capable player, but an athletic swingman who fit right into Byron Scott’s offense.

This is a great sign for everyone, especially fans. To know that this franchise is making smart moves, especially in light of the enormous hurdles it has had to leap over the past two seasons, is reassuring. Sure, Peja Stojakovic has played just 13 games this season after signing a large free agent contract over the summer. But the sharpshooter is still just 29 years old and will be back. And when he returns everyone else slides down a spot on the depth chart…making the impact of all of the recent moves even more powerful.

So, while the big story in Hornetsville this week is the return of star point guard Chris Paul the real story of this season is how the front office outsmarted other NBA teams during the summer, and again in December in keeping their post season hopes alive.

Now let’s hope CP3 can finish the job.