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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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Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) defended by Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) defended by Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Final Prediction

Initially, you would almost surely have the Hornets slotted into the logjam at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With the changes that the organization made this offseason, it’s hard to say that they wouldn’t at least be able to play their way into postseason contention once again. Things have also changed a great deal since then.

The importance of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist simply can’t be understated for this team. Every metric in the book backs up the fact that the Hornets are better on both ends of the floor when MKG is healthy and on the floor. Losing him is essentially the deathblow for this team, but even more so considering how they’re going to have to replace him.

Having Batum to fill in at the small forward is helpful, but the other wing position is a problem. The Hornets are left with the options of playing super small-ball with a backcourt of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin or a slotting in guys like Jeremy Lamb and P.J. Hairston who are unproven in larger roles throughout their young careers. That’s not a comforting notion, similar to the thought of an Al Jefferson-Cody Zeller/Frank Kaminsky frontcourt tandem defensively without Kidd-Gilchrist in the lineup.

Subsequently, this already feels like a lost season for the Hornets. Maybe they have moves to make and maybe some players surprise everyone with their performance this season. Based on what we know and can project, though, the Hornets are going to be picking in the lottery once again in 2016.

Predicted Record: 28-54

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