What’s up West Coast Hoops family? It’s been a long time since I came with a Charlotte Hornets piece. Let me be clear: My weekly writing came to a screeching halt around the holidays. I had a severe cold two days after Christmas, putting me out of commission for a few weeks. I am just now coming back to myself where I can get back on this writing and recording trail. So, if you’ve been wondering what’s been happening with me, That’s what’s been happening.
For the Charlotte Hornets, everything seems to be status quo. They come into this week’s with a record of 9-31,’ and if it weren’t for the Pistons being as bad as they are, The Hornets would have been more of the butt of jokes from the media. The weird thing about the Hornets this season is there’s nothing to discuss with the team. I mean, there’s Brandon Miller and his continued good play this season and Miles Bridges and his consistent play despite the rumors of being out after this season. Outside of that, The Hornets are just not that coverageable this season.
Despite that, There are some things I’ve picked up on…
- Terry Rozier, averaging 23.6 PPG, has teams competing for a playoff birth salivating.
- LaMelo Ball has been untrustworthy in playing despite his talent and marketability. His 19 games played and possibly more games missed due to injuries should have the Hornets contemplating a move.
- Free Gordon Hayward and Ish Smith. Two of the great veterans in the league don’t deserve this. Let them men have a chance at a championship.
- Despite all the negativity surrounding Miles Bridges’s return, he hasn’t let that affect his play. If I were Miles, I would want to leave Charlotte immediately.
We are officially at the point in the season when talking about the 23-24 Hornets is inappropriate. Let’s focus all of our attention on the offseason at this point. So, if you clicked on this piece and were expecting a thorough breakdown of the Hornets, It’s not happening. In my last article, I wrote they were dysfunctional and deficient; today, they are dysfunctional and deficient.
So, instead of boring you with this year’s squad, Let’s have fun and build our all-time Charlotte Hornets roster. This week, we are focusing on the point guard position and have some good ones to choose from. Will it be the sweet-shooting playmaker LaMelo Ball, the offensive firepower Kemba Walker, or the all-time great short king Muggsy Bogues? Let’s get into the cases for all three players: start, bench, and cut between the three.
LaMelo Ball
I have been on record saying that the Charlotte Hornets have done well drafting point guards over the years. The team drafted LaMelo Ball with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He came to the team with hype and expectations from the organization and his dad, LaVar Ball. One of his most significant assets as a rookie was his ability to play, make, and score despite having quirky shooting mechanics.
We Want To See More.
When LaMelo is healthy and available, He is an all-star talent. In his second season in the NBA, Ball played 75 games, averaging 20.1 PTS, 6.7 REBS, and 7.6 ASTS. The problem has been he can’t stay healthy. During the 22-23 season, He played in only 36 games, while playing in just 19 games during this campaign. In his four seasons in the league, Ball has just played in 181 games. Being the franchise player, You never know what you have when your foundational piece is always out, and that’s what the Hornets are dealing with right now.
A Bit Too Eratic.
LaMelo can give you the highlight, sports center play, but he can also give you the shaqtin-a-fool play. His 7.4 career assists numbers are pretty impressive, but combining that with a career average of 3.3 turnovers doesn’t look so good. He tends not to move his feet or get caught in unfortunate spots. His 3.1 career average for fouls is alarming and uneasy for a team that wants him on the floor. It’s important NOT to let the number fool you. Yes, he averages 1.5 steals over his career, but he is not that good of a defender. Some may say he focuses less on defense than offense.
Nine years ago, Charlotte had another point guard coming into the league, riding the momentum from his performance in the NCAA championship. One of those New York point guards is next as we bring Kemba Walker into the discussion.
Kemba Walker
Kemba was selected with the 9th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. As mentioned, Walker carried that UConn team over the threshold to win that national championship. With the Bobcats/Hornets in desperate need of a spark, Walker was expected to come in and provide just that spark, and I think he did just that over his career in Charlotte.
New York Swag.
When you compare Kemba to LaMelo, Kemba is more of a dynamic scorer than LaMelo. It’s wild to think that Kemba had more of an offensive bag at 6’0“than LaMelo at 6’7“. Another aspect of Kemba’s career that helped him become the player he was in Charlotte was the necessity of the type of player you felt you needed in today’s NBA; Guys that are 6’0” aren’t getting the heavy minutes. You will be a piece for a team, but you’re not getting those starters’ minutes.
Kemba played where guys his stature was still getting the big minutes in the league; with that shift not coming into the mid-2010’s, Kemba was still that guy. Even when the change started, the NYC in Kemba wasn’t gone, letting nobody take a spot from him. He was still going out there giving dudes buckets and did it all with a smile. All he wanted to do was hoop.
Liabilities on Defense.
Kemba wasn’t that great of a defender. What do you expect when you’re 6’0” tall playing against guards 4-5 inches taller than you? Teams ran that “who-ever” offense on Kemba just like they do LaMelo, in a sense. Another thing that worried me about Kemba was his average playmaking skills at best. In his career in Charlotte, Walker only averaged 5.5 ASTS with a career 6.1 average during the 2013-14 season. Despite those limitations, Walker’s impact was felt in Charlotte.
From two guys who were drafted as rookies to the Hornets to a guy who was drafted to the Hornets via the expansion draft. Hall-of-fame candidate Muggsy “Tyrone” Bogues had a stellar ten-year career in Buzz City. Let’s make a case for Muggsy Bogues to get the starting spot on this all-time Hornets team.
Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy “Tyrone” Bogues was drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft by the Washington Bullets. Bogues played one season in D.C., averaging five points, five assists, and two steals. The numbers weren’t good enough for the Bullets to protect him in the expansion draft, and he was selected with the Hornet’s second pick.
Solid Point Guard
The Hornets weren’t good early on, but the fans always came out to watch their team play. Bogues was out there every night defying the odds. Remember, He’s 5’5” and playing a significant role for an NBA team. It didn’t take long for Charlotte to realize they had a diamond in the rough. His playmaking and elite defensive skills were displayed every night he played. In his ten seasons, Bogues averaged ten-plus assists for two and seven-plus assists for six seasons. His 8.8 career assists and 1.8 career turnovers meant he didn’t play with that basketball.
On the offensive end, he was solid, averaging 8.8 PPG and two seasons averaging over 10 points. Bogues shined on the defensive end. He had three seasons in Charlotte, where he averaged two seals or more, and five seasons with over one steal per game. It is almost worth mentioning that Bogues was a part of the team that’s been the farthest in the playoffs in Charlotte Hornets’ history.
If Only He Were Taller…
Just imagine if Bogues had the height of Kemba Walker. With his rumored (but never confirmed) 40” vertical, Bogues could’ve been one of those legends. His size, inability, or desire to shoot the three-ball held him back. This was the NBA in the 90s, so the desire probably wasn’t there to shoot them. His play was solid enough to guarantee him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, so he did well with what he had.
The Final Verdict
If you are looking at offensive stats and names, Kemba or LaMelo would probably be your guy. But look beyond that. LaMelo has yet to lead the Hornets to the playoffs, and while Kemba has done it twice, the Hornets have always been first-round exits. As wild as this may seem, I will give my start nod to Muggsy Bogues. Not because we share the same surname, “Tyrone,” not because I feel guilty for him being so short, but because he played his heart out the night in and night out. He was just the steady force that the Hornets team needed in the 90’s
Starting Point Guard: Muggsy Bogues
Bench: Kemba Walker
Cut: LaMelo Ball
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