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Charlotte Hornets 2015 NBA season preview

By Cody Williams

Oct 4, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (right) listens to Hornets head coach Steve Clifford (left) during the first half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (right) listens to Hornets head coach Steve Clifford (left) during the first half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Offensive Breakdown

Something that we’ve already seen in the preseason from the Hornets offense and something that Steve Clifford has talked about coming into this year is the team putting more of a focus on putting up threes. The Hornets were one of the worst teams in the league in terms of attempts and scoring from long-range last season, something they are looking to change this season with the addition of Batum, Lin, Frank Kaminsky, and hopefully another step forward by Kemba Walker.

Walker is the most interesting piece of the Hornets offense, though, without question. The talent is there, but Walker has yet to take the next step to being one of the 10 best guards in the league like many thought he might. He’s been incredibly inefficient shooting the basketball and hasn’t been quite the playmaker that he was in college. For Charlotte’s offense to fully take a step forward and climb out of the league’s cellar in terms of offensive efficiency, Walker improving is going to need to be the catalyst.

Defensive Breakdown

If there’s one area of the Hornets that has changed the most dramatically with the Kidd-Gilchrist injury, it’s what their defense is going to look like this season.

MKG is the cornerstone of this defense, not just because of his individual exploits, but because of how his individual defense affects the rest of the team. It’s no secret that Al Jefferson isn’t a great rim-protector, but that’s far less important when MKG can lock down opposing players on the perimeter and essentially eliminate them from getting to the rim.

Batum will be able to defend well on the perimeter if he returns to form, but he’s not on the level of Kidd-Gilchrist. This was going to be the strength of the Hornets once again under Clifford. But the injury to Kidd-Gilchrist now shrouds their defense in major question marks heading into the season.

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