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2014-15 Charlotte Hornets Preview

No team changed its identity more than the Charlotte Hornets this offseason.

They changed their name for goodness sake.

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This season Charlotte is back to the Hornets, the team name the original Charlotte organization had when it came into the league. That team is now the New Orleans Pelicans, so Charlotte reclaimed its Hornets name.

Another huge change in Charlotte this offseason came in the form of Lance Stephenson. The puzzling wing man signed a free-agent deal with the Hornets after spurning his Indiana Pacers.

Stephenson is a lot of things, including maddening and intense. He's also an elite defensive player, strong play-maker and decent shooter.

"He is a great up-and-coming player with an incredibly high ceiling," general manager Rich Cho said when the team inked Stephenson. "He is an exceptional athlete who has the versatility and skill to play multiple positions on both offense and defense. We believe he will be an outstanding addition to our roster."

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He certainly will be a valuable addition and provides an even further example of the final culture change in Charlotte - optimism.

Last season, this team made the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Yes, they got swept by eventual Eastern Conference champions, the Miami Heat, but that came without a healthy Al Jefferson, who suffered a plantar fasciitis injury in Game 1.

But Jefferson really keyed the Hornets' rebirth. He made the All-NBA Third team at the center spot and has established the Hornets as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference.

Head coach Steve Clifford told the Charlotte Observer that Jefferson is pain- free and has been at voluntary workouts.

Jefferson is the key to all Charlotte does, but the Hornets win games because of defense. The Hornets finished fourth in the NBA in opponents' scoring and sixth in opponents' field-goal percentage.

Stephenson won't hurt the quality of Charlotte's defense. He covered LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals, not Paul George, an All-Defensive performer. Granted, the Pacers probably weren't thrilled when Stephenson blew on James' face, but Stephenson, like Cho stated, can cover at least four positions.

He can also help a poor 3-point shooting team. Stephenson isn't Reggie Miller, or Ray Allen, but he's adequate. He will also help as a play-maker since Kemba Walker is really the only player on the roster capable of creating offense from the perimeter.

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The Hornets should feel great about their team, but this offseason wasn't all roses and chocolates.

Josh McRoberts left via free agency, joining the Heat. He didn't register All- Star statistics, but McRoberts started 78 games last season and stretched the floor with his range.

Replacing McRoberts in the starting lineup will be Cody Zeller, the second- year man from Indiana. He showed signs last season, but his role will be expanded massively.

Waiting in the wings is a fellow Hoosier, Charlotte's first first-round pick, Noah Vonleh. The remarkably athletic big man, who also has some range, slid in the draft and could be great. He won't be for some time as he'll miss a little time with a sports hernia.

The Hornets brought in Marvin Williams, Brian Roberts and drafted sharp- shooter P.J. Hairston. They'll provide much-needed depth.

The Hornets are not in a position where the sky's the limit, but this group has emerged into a very tough team no one wants to face. They have an inside force, a rarity in today's game, and play stifling defense.

That's a postseason recipe.

The only identity change came with a name. The identity Clifford created and cultivated is one that should keep Charlotte in the postseason.

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2013-14 Results: 43-38, 3rd in Southeast. Lost in East quarterfinals to Miami

ADDITIONS: G/F Lance Stephenson, F Noah Vonleh, F Marvin Williams, G P.J. Hairston, G Brian Roberts

PROJECTED STARTING FIVE:

PG- Kemba Walker SG- Lance Stephenson SF- Michael Kidd-Gilchrest PF- Marvin Williams C- Al Jefferson

KEY RESERVES: G Gerald Henderson, G Gary Neal, F Noah Vonleh, F Cody Zeller, G P.J. Hairston, F Jeff Taylor, C Bismack Biyombo, G Jannero Pargo

FRONTCOURT: Jefferson always put up great numbers, except in the win total. He had two seasons of 20-plus points and 11-plus rebounds per game before he landed in Charlotte, but last season, he carried the Hornets on his back offensively.

Jefferson averaged 21.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg and shot 51 percent from the field. He's a low-post guy in a world with maybe six good centers. One cause for alarm is Jefferson's free-throw percentage dipped under 70 percent.

He embraced his role as a leader and flourished. The All-NBA honor was huge and the All-Star game should be an attainable goal this season. Jefferson's health is fine. Expect another big season.

Williams came over from the Utah Jazz as a free agent. For six seasons as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, Williams averaged double figures. His numbers slid in Utah where his role was reduced. Williams can slide in as a stretch four in the same vein as McRoberts.

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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has not lived up to being the second pick, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal. He was drafted on the potential of being a secondary guy when the team got good. Kidd-Gilchrist is a good defender, but offensively, he's a disaster. His scoring, rebounding and assist numbers are slid as did his free-throw percentage. Clifford told the Charlotte Observer that Kidd-Gilchrist has been working with Mark Price on his shooting mechanics. Wise.

BACKCOURT: Walker is perennially one of the most under-appreciated players in the game. Last season, he averaged 17.7 ppg, 6.1 apg and 4.2 rebounds. His field-goal percentage stumbled, and he's a decent long-range shooter. Walker is also a big-time gamer. He likes having the ball and making the plays. Walker never gets the due he deserves.

Stephenson bumped his scoring numbers by five last season, his rebounding number by a little more than 3.0 per game and his assists went up 1.5. He finished second to Phoenix's Goran Dragic for Most Improved Player. He can do everything, but he has to control his emotions. Too many times, Stephenson did bizarre, bordering on dumb things that hurt his Pacers team. Stephenson seems like a perfect cure for not only what ails the Hornets (play-making/35 percent three-point shooting), but he should thrive defensively.

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BENCH: Gerald Henderson started 77 games last season, played 32 minutes a game and averaged 14.0 ppg. He shouldn't lose a starting job and he might not. If Clifford wanted Stephenson to play the small forward, Henderson could keep his starting job. If Henderson comes off the bench, he will still play heavy minutes. He could be a darkhorse Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He's a good rebounder for a wing.

Zeller averaged a hair over 17 minutes per game in his rookie season and produced 6.0 ppg. He grabbed 4.3 rebounds, but his 43 percent field-goal shooting was jarring. That's way too low for a big man. Zeller has decent athleticism.

Neal made his bones with the San Antonio Spurs, but he remained a double- figure scorer splitting last season with the Milwaukee Bucks and Hornets. He's a career 39 percent shooter from beyond the arc. Neal is a huge asset coming off the bench.

Biyombo is a banger, whose playing time fell under Clifford. He's still the primary backup big man behind Jefferson.

Taylor's 2013-14 season ended abruptly in December when he ruptured his Achilles. He declared himself ready to go. Before the injury, Taylor averaged 8.0 ppg in 24 minutes. It's easy to forget about Taylor, but he's a nice piece.

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Vonleh might not see much action right away. He's a great prospect.

Hairston played wonderfully in the D-League last season. He's a great shooter, but he's got to be careful about shot selection. As a rookie, Hairston might not see a ton of action behind Kidd-Gilchrist, Stephenson, Henderson, Neal and Taylor, but he can shoot and the Hornets need shooting.

This unit is very, very solid.

COACHING: Clifford finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting last season. In any other year, brining Charlotte into the postseason after years of futility, Clifford could have finished much higher.

He has built this team around defense. The Hornets are very good at it and that's a reflection of Clifford. Charlotte was 23rd in scoring last season, but that number should go up with Stephenson in the mix and full seasons from Neal and Taylor.

Clifford maximizes his players' talents. He's one of the league's best young coaches, at least in terms of experience.

OUTLOOK: The Hornets are not title contenders, yet. They are still new to this success thing.

But, great big man play, a daring guard, versatility, defense, a good bench and strong coaching translates into victories.

With James in Cleveland, the Southeast Division is certainly more wide open than in years past. The Hornets could win that division, but they won't be favored.

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Charlotte will make the postseason, but can't afford an injury to Jefferson or Stephenson. It's simplistic, but true.

Even if the Hornets don't win the division, they could sneak into a home playoff series in the first round. That will be hard since the two best teams in the Eastern Conference - Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls - are both in the Central. That means the division loser will probably still have a strong enough record to have homecourt advantage in round one.

The Hornets are most likely looking at a fifth or sixth seed in the East. They could even win a round.

They just aren't ready for the big time ... yet.

[SportsNetwork.com]

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