| 30 Teams, 30 Days: New Orleans Draft Preview (13th) Authored by Andrew Perna - June 12, 2007 - 1:56 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Final Thoughts On The 2008 NBA Draft This year's draft was decidedly more calm and casual than the Oden/Durant showdown, which made for a more candid and personal experience.
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$10 Million For Five Players?
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Draft Picks: 13th and 43rd
What they do well
After enjoying a promising 2006 season with the heralded play of, then rookie, Chris Paul the Hornets posted nearly the same exact record in 2007. The lack of improvement wasn’t a reflection of poor play, but rather a season laced with injuries. The addition of Tyson Chandler made New Orleans a formidable rebounding team, with the impressive glasswork of David West in the paint as well. They’ve done a good job drafting in recent years, let’s hope they continue the trend later this month.
Where do they need improvement?
Heading into last offseason many people thought the team needed a shooter, myself included. They thought they solved that problem by acquiring Indiana’s Peja Stojakovic, but he only managed to play thirteen games due to a severe back injury. When he did play, he put up respectable numbers, and the Hornets will need that this fall.
Peja is the only member of the team that I would consider a dangerous shooter, so New Orleans might look to take a sniper with the thirteenth pick in the Draft. They are set in the frontcourt, with Chandler, West, and young guns like Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons. Even if they decide not to select a shooter, a guard would be most beneficial to Chris Paul and Company.
Who they should target?
Jeff Bower might have regretted the decision to get Peja last summer, but he did a pretty good job in last year’s draft and seems to have found an anchor in Tyson Chandler. In just his second draft I suggest that Bower look towards the backcourt for immediate help.
-Julian Wright, Kansas
If available the Hornets will have to take Wright, whether or not they feel he fits in their system. He’s not the shooter they need, or even a guard, but as Christopher Reina said “playing with a point guard like Chris Paul would be ideal though and would make him look like an absolute steal.”
-Acie Law, Texas A&M
If New Orleans thinks Law can play some shooting guard, they’d be smart to take him with the thirteenth pick. Acie can create his own shot when need be, and would bring a sense of poise to the Hornets that’s hard to find in rookies. If scouts don’t think he can play the two, maybe New Orleans overlooks him – but that might be a hard thing to do.
-Rudy Fernandez, Spain
Rudy brings a blend of skill and athleticism that is hard to find in basketball these days. Fernandez could realistically be gone, or even fall below New Orleans, but I think he fits the bill of exactly what the Hornets need. He’s a perimeter shooter with athleticism. If he’s there Bower, take him.
Picks over the past five years
If anything, this franchise has drafted well. That was even true before the team bolted from Charlotte, and still called the Eastern Conference home. Let’s not forget: back in 1996 they drafted a high schooler named Kobe Bryant (however, that wasn’t Bower’s decision).
2006
Hilton Armstrong, 11th
Cedric Simmons, 15th
Marcus Vincius, 43rd
2005
Chris Paul, 4th
Brandon Bass, 33rd
2004
J.R. Smith, 18th
Tim Pickett, 45th
2003
David West, 18th
James Lang, 49th
2002
No Pick
2001
Kirk Haston, 16th
2000
Jamaal Magloire, 19th |
