Fansided

NBA Powerless Rankings: What to do what to do what to do

By Matt Rutkowski

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 23: The Oklahoma City Thunder stand for the National Anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 23, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 23: The Oklahoma City Thunder stand for the National Anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 23, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC -JANUARY 22: Kemba Walker
CHARLOTTE, NC -JANUARY 22: Kemba Walker /

2. The Charlotte Hornets

I feel like I’ve said this and thought this enough times for it to qualify as an obsessive thought, but I can’t stop myself: Poor Kemba Walker.

He leads the team in basically everything: points, assists, PER, BPM, RPM, importance, style quotient, man’s desire, most-likely-to-survive-the-actual-Oregon-Trail ranking, neato crossovers, ability to be in Dwight Howard’s presence without having a migraine rate, and Fun. Everyone else on the team is balls.

“That’s unfair,” I hear you thinking. You think very loud. Dwight Howard has managed over 15 and 12 a night while not drawing any excess attention to himself or his various infamous qualities that seem to pop up every now and again. Sure, he has his lowest field goal percentage since his second season, but he’s solid. He is a starting center in the NBA, even if that NBA is ten years ago.

But there’s not enough umph on this team to propel it anywhere. Their trip to the playoffs in 2016 and subsequent hope feels so far away. Michael Kidd-Gilchrest never developed a jump shot. He’s a wing who hasn’t made a three-pointer all season. Frank Kaminsky is Frank Kaminsky. Jeremy Lamb is their third leading scorer.

Poor Kemba Walker. I just want him to be happy, and I don’t think there’s much happiness to be found in Hornets-land. His value is not going to get higher. The Hornets are just going to look more desperate and scared over time.

Then again, for Charlotte, when you don’t have Kemba you don’t have anything. Oh bother.

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