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Official 2020-2021 Charlotte Hornets Thread - Welcome to the LaGordo Era

Devonte, PJ, and Miles are in the Rising Stars game tonight, and Devonte is in the 3pt Contest tomorrow night. Hopefully we'll have a good showing from them all this weekend.
 
Bridges won the MVP after he and Graham spurred the 3rd quarter comeback last night. Not exactly the most hotly contested game but there were moments when the sides were trying a little bit and the Charlotte trio showed well
 
Here are his highlights, the move at about 1:15 is just ridiculous.



I think the USA was down about 10 when he, Devonte, and PJ came in in the 3rd, and they took the lead about 3 minutes later. Awesome to see them play so well together and control the turning point of the game.
 
Malik Monk suspended under NBA's drug policy....
 
That sucks, as he has been playing by far the best ball of his career over the past month or so. I assume it is just weed as they didn't say it was the minimum 25 games for PEDs, but still a pretty dumbass move on his part.
 
Who is the main beneficiary of the suspension for the Hornets? Playing NBA Draft Kings for the 1st time ever.
 
The Martins in terms of playing time, but neither of them is going to start hoisting shots. I'd probably say Rozier in terms of scoring stats, as he'll take it upon himself to do more. Whether that actually works out is a different story.

Monk really screwed himself with this. He was eligible for a 4/$45 extension, and based on the way he has played over the last month or two the Hornets would jump all over that value. Especially with the unspecified nature of what this suspension actually is for, that extension is now up for debate. If it ends up being 5 games for weed then likely no big deal, if it is something more serious then he could have really sledgehammered his own nuts as well as affected the team's core going forward.
 
Great road win at the Raptors last night without Monk. That is two wins in a row, and wins in 4 out of the last 5 road games. Very balanced attack between Bridges, Washington, Rozier, and Graham. The Martins and McDaniels pitched in as well with timely offense and great defense.

I know there is sentiment that they should be losing these games to improve draft chances, but basically everyone who is currently in the rotation is about 24 or younger. I think the positive experience that this collective group of 8 or so players gets from winning close games like this far outweighs the chances that (a) the weighted lottery balls actually fall our way, and (b) that pick turns into a different and better player then whoever we end up taking with whatever pick we otherwise get.
 
Had a "great" loss to Milwaukee yesterday, breaking the Bucks' 83 game streak of scoring over 100 points. Really, really good defense on everyone not named Giannis, who had 40 and 20. But it was a 1-point game with 4 or so minutes to go, and just some cold shooting down the stretch and Biyombo's general stone hands kept us from winning. I think if Monk is there we win that game. The Martins both played great on both sides of the ball, the team defense is amazing when they are on the floor together. Everyone really seems to be buying into what Borrego is trying to do.
 
Good stuff. Wish he would have produced a little more given he was a #2 pick. Always a high character guy though.
 
Without Monk or Devonte Graham (Giannis fell on his ankle Sunday), lost by 1 to the Spurs. Had a chance to win at the buzzer but Rozier uncharacteristically tried to pass in the air instead of take a contested layup that most likely would have resulted in at least a foul. His bball IQ is just really weird.

Anyway, it is another loss to help draft position while allowing the young guys to play well in a dogfight against a veteran team. At times we have 4 current rookies playing on the floor at the same time who can compete with a decent team, especially on the defensive end - 1 first round (who is the best player on the team), 2 second round, and a UDFA. The Martins combined for 25 points, 8 rebounds, and suffocating defense. Both of them can also handle the ball and initiate the PnR much better than Rozier, which they had to do with Devonte out. McDaniels also played well despite being in foul trouble. Really, really strong scouting and player development from both Borrego and the G-League Swarm staff.
 
Really fun win last night versus the Rockets, started the game on a 20-0 run and never trailed. Great to see them attack the Rockets' idiotic lack of size and contest their ridiculously bad 3s all game. Graham, Rozier, and PJ were all over 20 points with clutch shots.

This is the most fun I've had following a sports team in years and I've already renewed my season tickets for next season (they are also offering the option to move up a seat tier level for the same price, or drop back in price for the same seats). I think given their collective ages, with just natural growth this core group is a playoff team next season, and hopefully they add another solid draft pick or two and they'll also have a ton of cap room to use this offseason if they choose.
 
Who do you want to see us draft? Obviously a lot up in the air currently.
 
Who do you want to see us draft? Obviously a lot up in the air currently.

I've watched very little to no college basketball the past few years thanks to Manning and the current general unwatchability of the college game, so my opinions are based mostly off of other people's analysis, but I think the dream scenario would be if they could get Wiseman. I'm not quite sure of his value in today's game overall, or of his individual skills given his lack of serious competition, but I think it is tough to pass on a guy of his size and athleticism given that the 5 is where our biggest drop-off is in both talent and age. Cody is solid when he plays but is too frequently hurt, Biyombo is mediocre at best (though I think he'll be back on a minimum deal which is fine as he is a great character guy and leader for the youngsters), and Hernangomez is the Spanish Matador on D. The way that Devonte and both Martins can run the PnR and see the floor from distance, having somebody of Wiseman's size and athletic ability going to the basket would be amazing.

Assuming he and Anthony Edwards are gone before we pick, I think they go with either Okongwu or Cole Anthony. I think both PJ and Miles are better suited on the wing where they can use their athleticism to get to the paint, so Okongwu gives them a more traditional post defender and rebounder. I think Cole Anthony could play either alongside Devonte or, more ideally, run the second unit so that Rozier can move permanently off the ball.
 
Played really well last night in a Double OT loss on the road at Atlanta. Got dicked by the refs at the end of the first OT, it was a tie game, Rozier drove baseline and a foul was called on ATL with 0.8 seconds left, Hornets were in the bonus so should have been two FTs to effectively win it. The refs, on their own motion, go to review and confirm the call. Then after it is confirmed, ATL challenges the call, and it is reversed to an offensive foul on Rozier. WTF, how is that even possible? The same ref, or the same person in the replay center, whoever made the reviews, confirmed himself and then overruled himself two minutes later. Just stupid procedure.

Anyway, it is probably the best of both worlds as another loss for the draft position in a game we played really well. Rozier had 40, Devonte had 27, and Caleb Martin (the worse of the two brotherchuckers) had 23. The lineup for the end of the 4th and both OTs was Devonte, Rozier, the Martins, and Biyombo. Both of the Martins are pitbulls on D and can defend 1-4, so having them out there together provides crazy switchability on defense. Plus there are 12 fouls between them and nobody knows who is who.
 
There is definitely some of that going on. They always seem to know how to bail one another out or set each other up pretty well. They are from Mocksville and the whole extended family sits a row over from me at all the home games, their dad has said they've always had some sort of twin-telepathy when they were on the court together growing up.
 
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