Post by itnas123 on Apr 1, 2015 1:43:36 GMT
We will be looking at this seasons Hornets: the players improvements or lack of. 
TC:
Centers:
Bill Russell C 34 6'10'' 238 B C- F+ A- A- D
Russell has been a great big man for many seasons, now going into his 13th season he is still a great rebounder and a good defender down low. Should be nabbing plenty of rebounds and remain a Double-Double Machine. Like alluded before this will be his 13th season and as so he might have slowed down a bit or not as strong or losing a tad of touch but this should not matter as long as we keep seeing this throughout the season:
Christian Laettner C 21 6'11'' 245 B- C C B- C+ D
We saw the Hornets draft 4 players this season and saw one get Cut and the other 2 Ed smith and Sean Rooks along with other players in the Bill Russell trade. Laettner was a great college player that the Hornets hope can translate into the NBA. There was not much improvement in Training Camp but the skill is there that the Hornets really liked an Hope Russell can help mentor his defense further. Heading to the D-League might help his defense even further. Lets take a look at one of his more memorable college highlights: The Shot
Udoka Azubuike C 36 6'10'' 267 C+ C- D+ A- B D
Udoka is entering his 16th season and has slowed down a bit and it shows on the boards where he just seems to get beat at times still he has perfected his naming card with is his defense and still can hold his own against other players so he should look to be a decent back-up still.
Clarence Glover C 33 6'8'' 241 C+ C+ C- B- B+ D
Going into his 12th season we have another old timer in which his Defense also slowed down but still seems to be able to hit the occasional shot from mid and inside and boards rather well too. Solid back-up too.
PF:
Zhou Qi PF 25 7'3'' 245 B B+ C- B+ B C
Going into just his 3rd season and off of a 21 PPG bout Qi has maintained his skill set but seemed to benefit rather well and looks to have gained a better understanding of the speed and physicality of the game. Qi has worked hard on his polished game of having a good back to the basket game, a good jump shot, and maybe one of the top 3 point shooting bigs in the league, he does still have some areas he can work on like his Defense and Rebounding but as he continues to play he will get better.
Stacey King PF 29 6'11'' 230 C+ C- D+ B+ C+ B
Not looking any worse or better King can still defend among the best of them and a solid rebounder and an o.k inside scorer a goo back-up player on this team or any team in the league. Just seems to be the same player his whole career and hopes to add an edge to the younger big.
A.C. Green PF 23 6'9'' 230 C+ D+ D B+ B C
Now for Green who seems to be Prime to be a Starter but with editions of Bill Russell and Udoka he seems to have to wait one more season to finally get the nod. Still young at 23 years of age he did drop inside but is really good for his age and seems to have a chance to get both his Camps this season that could make him a player to watch as a 6th man, we will just have to wait and see still. Hope the fans can still be a little more patient.
Phil Jackson PF 31 6'8'' 223 C C- D A- C+ D
Finally the Zen master Phil Jackson who is more of a defensive PF/SF type player who looks like riding the bench will be all he will do this season unless the all the bigs get injured. Just look at Phil Jackson to point out a few things to the coaching staff if anything is missed.
SF:
228 Kobe Paras SF 23 6'7'' 210 C+ A- B- B+ C C
Fans are still waiting for Kobe Paras to become Kobe Bryant and it might not happen for a long time if ever, but Paras does a lot of good things he scores points gets 5 boards and plenty of assist he is a player of a lot of talents and even has a career high of 34 points he can be a scorer but can he be a consistent one. The Fans have seen Paras go on a 24-30 point stretch and then end up with 4 straight games of 10 points or less. With his defense down a tad and his handles down some fans are hoping he passes less and tries to score more this season since his scoring ability hasn't changed just his ferocity needs to change. Good thing he is just 23 Years old but We want more of this Paras!!!
250 Kaiser Gates SF 23 6'11'' 231 C+ C- B B- B C
Gates another 23 Years old is not really a scorer but can play all back-up positions and really defend all those spots pretty decently and gets boards at every spot and can pass and handles the ball rather well he has played in the D-League a few years before and got some minutes last year and he seemed like a good role player:
SG:
313 Byron Scott SG 25 6'3'' 195 B- C+ C+ B C- D
Scott was on this team last season and was traded before the deadline but it looks like the Hornets really liked what they was although he did lose a little touch around the Rim he is still a solid inside scorer ball handler and shoots the occasional three to, hoping he can get a good role this season and resign with the team.
593 Trent Forrest SG 24 6'6'' 199 B- C+ C+ C+ D+ C
Still a young player that could be a do it all tool as SF/SG/PG. He has been in the D-League and interestingly enough he has won a NBADSL Champion as well it looks like he became a better ball handler but he needs to become a better defender than he is now but scoring is solid for this back-up SG/SF. He has showed promise though:
PG:
Vernon Maxwell PG 22 6'4'' 188 B- C+ B+ B- D+ D
In his 2nd season Maxwell will be looking at a full time job as the starting PG and he is still what he was last season. His demeanor is something the Hornets really like to see he can get inside and has a good Jump shot but is not a 3 pt shooter so team do play off him but his passing ability leaves a lot of teams wondering what he will do on the court, he really injects a lot of energy on the team something the Hornets really appreciate, just slide your feet some more Vernon Maxwell. We need some more of this Max
Jack Vukelich PG 22 6'7'' 199 C C+ B B+ C- B
Jack is still young and has room to really improve as a player since he still at a young age or 22. Another young player who can play PG-SF. Handles did go down a bit when he moved at PG but it looks like he can be serviceable as a back-up PG with solid Jump shot and a really good defensive player can pass the ball rather well too. Hopfully he resigns cheap and really improves for the better in the up coming seasons.
Hornet fans hope we can get into the Playoffs this season and retain the young talent for seasons to come and maintain the Stadium full of fans.
TC:
Centers:
Bill Russell C 34 6'10'' 238 B C- F+ A- A- D
Russell has been a great big man for many seasons, now going into his 13th season he is still a great rebounder and a good defender down low. Should be nabbing plenty of rebounds and remain a Double-Double Machine. Like alluded before this will be his 13th season and as so he might have slowed down a bit or not as strong or losing a tad of touch but this should not matter as long as we keep seeing this throughout the season:
Christian Laettner C 21 6'11'' 245 B- C C B- C+ D
We saw the Hornets draft 4 players this season and saw one get Cut and the other 2 Ed smith and Sean Rooks along with other players in the Bill Russell trade. Laettner was a great college player that the Hornets hope can translate into the NBA. There was not much improvement in Training Camp but the skill is there that the Hornets really liked an Hope Russell can help mentor his defense further. Heading to the D-League might help his defense even further. Lets take a look at one of his more memorable college highlights: The Shot
Udoka Azubuike C 36 6'10'' 267 C+ C- D+ A- B D
Udoka is entering his 16th season and has slowed down a bit and it shows on the boards where he just seems to get beat at times still he has perfected his naming card with is his defense and still can hold his own against other players so he should look to be a decent back-up still.
Clarence Glover C 33 6'8'' 241 C+ C+ C- B- B+ D
Going into his 12th season we have another old timer in which his Defense also slowed down but still seems to be able to hit the occasional shot from mid and inside and boards rather well too. Solid back-up too.
PF:
Zhou Qi PF 25 7'3'' 245 B B+ C- B+ B C
Going into just his 3rd season and off of a 21 PPG bout Qi has maintained his skill set but seemed to benefit rather well and looks to have gained a better understanding of the speed and physicality of the game. Qi has worked hard on his polished game of having a good back to the basket game, a good jump shot, and maybe one of the top 3 point shooting bigs in the league, he does still have some areas he can work on like his Defense and Rebounding but as he continues to play he will get better.
Stacey King PF 29 6'11'' 230 C+ C- D+ B+ C+ B
Not looking any worse or better King can still defend among the best of them and a solid rebounder and an o.k inside scorer a goo back-up player on this team or any team in the league. Just seems to be the same player his whole career and hopes to add an edge to the younger big.
A.C. Green PF 23 6'9'' 230 C+ D+ D B+ B C
Now for Green who seems to be Prime to be a Starter but with editions of Bill Russell and Udoka he seems to have to wait one more season to finally get the nod. Still young at 23 years of age he did drop inside but is really good for his age and seems to have a chance to get both his Camps this season that could make him a player to watch as a 6th man, we will just have to wait and see still. Hope the fans can still be a little more patient.
Phil Jackson PF 31 6'8'' 223 C C- D A- C+ D
Finally the Zen master Phil Jackson who is more of a defensive PF/SF type player who looks like riding the bench will be all he will do this season unless the all the bigs get injured. Just look at Phil Jackson to point out a few things to the coaching staff if anything is missed.
SF:
228 Kobe Paras SF 23 6'7'' 210 C+ A- B- B+ C C
Fans are still waiting for Kobe Paras to become Kobe Bryant and it might not happen for a long time if ever, but Paras does a lot of good things he scores points gets 5 boards and plenty of assist he is a player of a lot of talents and even has a career high of 34 points he can be a scorer but can he be a consistent one. The Fans have seen Paras go on a 24-30 point stretch and then end up with 4 straight games of 10 points or less. With his defense down a tad and his handles down some fans are hoping he passes less and tries to score more this season since his scoring ability hasn't changed just his ferocity needs to change. Good thing he is just 23 Years old but We want more of this Paras!!!
250 Kaiser Gates SF 23 6'11'' 231 C+ C- B B- B C
Gates another 23 Years old is not really a scorer but can play all back-up positions and really defend all those spots pretty decently and gets boards at every spot and can pass and handles the ball rather well he has played in the D-League a few years before and got some minutes last year and he seemed like a good role player:
SG:
313 Byron Scott SG 25 6'3'' 195 B- C+ C+ B C- D
Scott was on this team last season and was traded before the deadline but it looks like the Hornets really liked what they was although he did lose a little touch around the Rim he is still a solid inside scorer ball handler and shoots the occasional three to, hoping he can get a good role this season and resign with the team.
593 Trent Forrest SG 24 6'6'' 199 B- C+ C+ C+ D+ C
Still a young player that could be a do it all tool as SF/SG/PG. He has been in the D-League and interestingly enough he has won a NBADSL Champion as well it looks like he became a better ball handler but he needs to become a better defender than he is now but scoring is solid for this back-up SG/SF. He has showed promise though:
PG:
Vernon Maxwell PG 22 6'4'' 188 B- C+ B+ B- D+ D
In his 2nd season Maxwell will be looking at a full time job as the starting PG and he is still what he was last season. His demeanor is something the Hornets really like to see he can get inside and has a good Jump shot but is not a 3 pt shooter so team do play off him but his passing ability leaves a lot of teams wondering what he will do on the court, he really injects a lot of energy on the team something the Hornets really appreciate, just slide your feet some more Vernon Maxwell. We need some more of this Max
Jack Vukelich PG 22 6'7'' 199 C C+ B B+ C- B
Jack is still young and has room to really improve as a player since he still at a young age or 22. Another young player who can play PG-SF. Handles did go down a bit when he moved at PG but it looks like he can be serviceable as a back-up PG with solid Jump shot and a really good defensive player can pass the ball rather well too. Hopfully he resigns cheap and really improves for the better in the up coming seasons.
Hornet fans hope we can get into the Playoffs this season and retain the young talent for seasons to come and maintain the Stadium full of fans.
