The Hornets opened training camp with 13 players on guaranteed contracts with LiAngelo Ball and Dennis Smith Jr. How is Mitch Kupchak going to fill out the roster? That’s before we even get to Kai Jones, who remains the most interesting young player on the team with his penchant for highlight-reel dunks and tantalizing open court athleticism. film sessions every day, JT Thor added nine pounds of muscle over the summer, and Mark Williams has been trying to emulate the style of Boston center Robert Williams III. James Bouknight has been meeting with Clifford for 8:00 a.m. All of the veterans are locks for the main rotation and Nick Richards has received glowing praise from Clifford this preseason, but one of the young Hornets should rise to become a trusted member of Clifford’s rotation. Which young Hornets will emerge from the crowd?Ĭharlotte currently has drafted five players within the last two seasons, making up about a third of the entire roster. Steve Clifford on structuring his offensive game plan around LaMelo Ball /OPQpI5nWTU And he’s a great talent with a passion for the game and a flair for playing in the open court. “Offense … starts with playing to the strengths of your best players. We’ll see if Clifford shifts his strategy, or the talent of this roster and his coaching style meet somewhere in the middle. The strengths of this team, however, involve ramping up the pace, taking lots of threes and outscoring opponents. Clifford-coached teams are known for placing an emphasis on slow-paced offense that generates a high amount of free throws, quality looks from downtown, and limited turnovers. Over the summer, Clifford spoke about playing to the strengths of the team’s best players, and it’s reasonable to say that none of the Hornets rosters he coached in the mid-2010s had a player as talented as Ball, or a second and third option at the level of Rozier and Hayward. Clifford is a floor-raising coach that squeezes nearly every ounce of production out of the roster he’s given by instilling a consistent defensive effort and patience on offense. For the first time in his young career, Ball had a full-length NBA offseason to get in the lab and work on his game– the budding superstar is sure to showcase some new wrinkles.Ĭharlotte Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, Part IIįans will have their own, highly varied opinions as to whether or not Steve Clifford’s first tenure in Charlotte was “successful,” but his acumen and ability as an NBA coach cannot be questioned. and Terry Rozier, a late shot clock release valve in Gordon Hayward, and a pick-and-pop partner in PJ Washington, Ball will still have a variety of options racing down court and picking apart defenses. Surrounded by capable three-point gunners in Kelly Oubre Jr. Ball is the lone returning 20-point per game scorer on the roster and the primary offensive initiator and playmaker. Not exactly something that’ll get the Queen City buzzing for opening night, but absent the cloud that hovered over the organization throughout July and August, there’s still lots to look forward to this year.įresh off of a stellar sophomore campaign, becoming the youngest All-Star selection since LeBron James in 2005, LaMelo Ball is poised for an uptick in usage and responsibility. The front office only made one new addition to the 15-man roster this summer (rookie center Mark Williams), extending Cody Martin on a four-year, $31.6 million contract. Basketball is upon us after an offseason that dragged on for what felt like years for Hornets fans.
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