What Ifs, What Fors, and What The #@^&s?
Twenty-eight NBA teams are looking at how to fix what went wrong about now, soon to be Thirty. Some wonder about squandered potential, some about how to fix injury issues, some at how to dump salaries to save cash (shame on you, wretched greedheads. More on that later), some looking at incredible young potential and how to keep them, etc. And that’s all well and good, but I need a moment to hang my head and ask “What if” about a few aspects of the Hornets I found troubling, who…well, they just…nevermind. Here we go.
What if?
1)They hadn’t released Chris Anderson?
I realize that sounds like a great deal of hindsight, but I complained about this move since they released him last summer. Sure, he was coming off a substance abuse suspension, and New Orleans may not be the best city for a recovering alcoholic, but they had him by the cojones. Pay him the minimum, make him the 10th or 11th man or even send him to the D-League; anything for someone who’s that much of an athletic freak and going for bargain basement prices. If he messes up again, you cut him and still come out ahead. Where were the Hornets shallow this year? THE BENCH, especially the frontcourt bench. The Birdman is a solid 6’10”, 228 who can play center or power forward and probably start on most teams. So just to rub it in, here’s what he did in Denver this season coming off the bench and averaging a measly 21 minutes per game (note: these stats are only regular season, not including his crazy postseason performances): 54.8% FG, 6.2 RPG, 6.4 PPG, and 2.46 BPG. Yes, you read that last part correctly: he averaged 2 and a half blocks a game averaging only 21 minutes. I believe that a gentleman named Dwight Howard is the only one who has a better block per minute played ratio
2) They hadn’t sold their draft pick last year?
Once again, you can call this hindsight but I crazily wanted them to get Mario Chalmers after I watched him in the NCAA tourney last year. Everyone said he’d fall, and he did, and the Hornets could have gotten a versatile 6’1” guard who could both play alongside Chris Paul in the backcourt (witness how well the CP-Deron Williams dual point guard strategy worked for the Olympic team) and serve as a capable backup for CPs rest times, so maybe Paul wouldn’t have to play 38 and a half minutes a game. So here’s the butt-clenching wincey part: as a rookie in Miami, Chalmers played 32 mins a game, shot a respectable 37% from 3-point range, snatched almost 3 rebounds a game, dished 5 assists, got 2 steals, and averaged 10 points a game. A rookie, a glaringly obvious talent in college who fell far farther in the draft than he should have (yet it was no secret he would), did that. And why did the Hornets not even think twice about passing on him? Money! A huge cash dump can clear out the bowels of an organization, for sure, but it also clears out the fans, as most people don’t like the smell. Especially Louisiana sports fans. They can tolerate the off LSU years because they know that either the football or baseball or basketball teams are gonna be good again soon, and they tolerate the Saints because….well, no one actually knows why they tolerate the Saints, but they do,and that’s the only crappy team they’ll support. It’s obvious. Hornets attendance was horrible when the team sucked; last year they sold out well over half of their home games. Mr. George Shinn, owner of the Hornets, please read this: New Orleans is a poor city in a poor state (one which I happen to be from). If you spend a little money to get some true talent, even pay the Luxury tax, the people there will reward you. You’ll sell out every home game. Alcohol sales will be astronomical. And although it may be last on your list, you may even (gasp) get to the conference finals. Perhaps win a championship. Imagine that, owning a team and treating it more like a team than a business. But I digress.
3) Injuries hadn’t stung the Hornets so badly?
I know that a plethora of teams can make the injury argument, and they all have valid points. Also valid is the fact that too many people whine about their team’s injuries, so I won’t spend too much time on this. I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. Remember, this is a “What If” from a disappointed fan.
-Peja Stojakavic. Missed 21 games this year with back problems and other injuries, and even in the games he played he was nowhere near his usual self. Last season he shot a ridiculous 44% from 3-pt range, and this year that plummeted to just under 38%. He scored 3 less points per game than last year, but had his 3 point percentage been the same he would have scored at least 3 more per game than last year. He wasn’t even close to 100% health-wise at any time this year. That impact can’t be understated if you’re pining over a “What If?”
-Morris Peterson. Only played in 43 games this year, at only 12 minutes a game, compared with last year’s 76 games at almost 24 minutes per. He contributed 8 pts and 3 rebounds coming off the bench, as well as clutch shooting and a 39.4% 3-pt hand, and pretty solid defense.
-David West. West only missed 6 games this year, but he was asked to play more time this year than last, and it took a toll on his body, and disturbingly early. Always a slower player to get back on defense (to put it kindly) he seemed especially slow later in the season. His other issues (injuries) clearly weighed on him at the end of the season and glaringly so in the Hornets first round humiliation to Denver in the playoffs. The scary part is that his overall numbers didn’t really decline, so who knows how good he could have been healthy?
-Tyson Chandler. Ah, yes, here we go. He missed lots of games, was hurt in the games he played, and came back too early and re-aggravated both an ankle and a lot of Hornets fans. Then the trade debacle, which is point number 4, and I will get to it after I re-rub all us Hornets fans faces in what a healthy Chandler can do (07-08 stats): 11.7 RPG, 11.8 PPG, and unquestionably alter another team’s approach to the paint. So, number 4
4)The Tyson Chandler Trade Debacle hadn’t happened? The owners and management made it abundantly clear when they shipped Chandler to The Team Formerly Known As The Supersonics that they a) wanted to dump salary, and b) that they want to dump on one of their most promising young players. The trade backfired, of course, for some esoteric toe reason, but a bitter taste must be left in Chandler’s mouth like some bad crawfish. The ramifications of that fiasco have yet to play out.
5) Julian Wright was utilized more? He is one of the most promising young players on any NBA bench and most certainly the most promising young player on the Hornets bench roster. Yet Byron Scott inexplicably only played him in 54 games. I’m not sure what the backstory there is, but let a youngster prove himself on the court. I don’t feel like J-Wright even got a chance this year, and he plays a position the Hornets could truly utilize. Which brings me to my final point:
6) Byron Scott had played a more up-tempo game? Chris Paul is one of the fastest and quickest point guards in the NBA, he has a lot of runners around him…why not pick up the pace? David West is an obvious problem, as he is a known plodder on defense, but can’t CP and Scott get him to pick it up? This team could be fast breaking and running a 7-10 second offense all night and conceivably get a decent lead and get their starters more rest time. Paul and West played an abusive number of minutes per game this year; that has to somehow be remedied.
So maybe I’ll come up with some solutions soon. Unfortunately, they all involve spending money, and George Shinn doesn’t seem to want to do that. Oh well, maybe they’ll figure it out.
Here’s wishing,
Keith Trussell
Keywords: New Orleans Hornets
