| 30 Teams, 30 Days: New Orleans Draft Preview Authored by Jason M. Williams - June 21, 2009 - 8:09 pm
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2009 Draft Picks: 21st
Pre-Draft 2009-10 Projected Starters:
PG Chris Paul
SG Rasual Butler
SF Peja Stojakovic
PF David West
C Tyson Chandler
Key Reserves:
PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: Morris Peterson
SF: James Posey
SF: Julian Wright
SF: Devin Brown
C: Hilton Armstrong
What The Hornets Do Well:
The Hornets have the best unquestioned best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul and because of the way he creates scoring opportunities for teammates, he helps turn an average team into one that perennially wins about 50 games. They will be good enough to make the playoffs pretty much no matter what kind of supporting cast Paul is given, but they need significant upgrades in order to advance into the Western Conference Finals.
While David West was the same player he has been over the past three or four years, the injuries to Tyson Chandler made a huge difference in how opposing teams can neutralize the Hornets options. Chandler wasn't nearly as good on the glass or a scorer as he was in his first two seasons with the Hornets.
The Hornets were 5th in offensive rating and 7th in defense during the 2007-08 season and those rankings dipped to 12th and 9th this season.
Greatest Areas Of Improvement:
Athletic wing with a jumper
The Hornets signed Peja and MoPete in successive offseasons and neither has lived up to the expectations attached to their salaries. Julian Wright was a good value pick in 2007, but his shooting has been as bad as many expected, which has left the limited but underrated Rasual Butler to play heavy minutes on the wing.
Big finisher
The Hornets need a big who is athletic enough to use in pick and roll situations with Paul and then can get up for those monster lobs he throws to Chandler when he's healthy. There aren't too many of those players even in this draft and one who might be available, B.J. Mullens, is legitimately two or three years away from being ready to play serious minutes.
Who's Gone Number 21 Recently?
There is a predictable drop off in talent once the draft gets into the 20s, but Rondo proves that All-Star caliber talent is available, while Robinson has become an effective NBA player off the bench.
2008
Ryan Anderson, Nets
2007
Daequan Cook, Sixers (traded to Miami)
2006
Rajon Rondo, Suns (traded to Celtics)
2005
Nate Robinson, Suns (traded to Knicks)
2004
Pavel Podkolzin, Utah
Who Should The Hornets Target?
- BJ Mullens of Ohio State
Out of the entire draft, no player would have benefitted more from an additional season in college than Mullens. His stock would almost surely have been higher a year from now and he also needs minutes, which is unlikely during his first couple of NBA seasons. But he is skilled, athletic and 7-feet tall and players are of course extremely rare.
- Omri Casspi of Maccabi Tel Aviv
Casspi is an athletic wing who moves very well without the ball and would thrive playing with a point guard of Paul's caliber. He isn't a knock-out perimeter shooter, but he's a scorer and is much better than Peja defensively.
- Chase Budinger of Arizona
Giving Budinger the opportunity to play beside Paul could bring out the latent potential so many believed he had during his freshman season at Arizona. He can handle the ball well and can score in multiple ways, including from beyond the arc.
Picks Over the Past Five Years
The Hornets have almost always drafted extremely well, but they have had difficulty in keeping their best talent for varying reasons. The run of West, Smith, Paul/Bass in 2003-2005 was excellent and a similar run where they selected Ricky Davis, Baron Davis and Jamaal Magloire in 98-00 was as effective as any fan could ask for. Since the 2005 draft, however, the Hornets have had misses on the three first rounders they didn't sell to Portland.
2008
Darrell Arthur, 27th (traded/sold to Portland)
2007
Julian Wright, 13th
Adam Haluska, 43rd
2006
Hilton Armstrong, 12th
Cedric Simmons, 15th
Marcus Vinicius, 43rd
2005
Chris Paul, 4th
Brandon Bass, 33rd
2004
David West, 18th
James Lang, 48th
Click here to read other draft previews in our 30 Teams, 30 Days series
Who do you want the Hornerts to draft at number 21? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions. |
