We are really looking at a different team this year, aren’t we?
Today the Hornets made the move we’ve been anticipating all summer, trading Antonio Daniels and a future 2nd round pick to Minnesota for Darius Songaila and former summer camp whiz kid Bobby Brown. OK. On the surface this one’s not much to look at. Bobby Brown is a backup PG, insurance in case Darren Collison’s rookie season doesn’t take off as expected, but at 1/5 the price. He’ll be quicker than AD too. Songaila is much-beloved, at least by Wiz fans on Twitter (shout out, Wiz fans on Twitter! Nowhere to go but up this year.) We added another 6′9 backup big… but I’m told he can hit jumpers too. So I thought, “OK, cool, more bench depth. Minor, but cool.”
Yeah. And then I actually looked at our bench stats. Pop Quiz: Off the top of your head, just guess how many members of the Hornets bench Darius Songaila did NOT outproduce in 2008-09? He averaged 7.4/2.9. Please, guess.
One. James Posey.
I mean, I knew our bench was poor last year– somewhat due to the fact that many of them who should not have been starting were forced into it at some point because of injuries– but what those statistics are saying is that over half the previous Hornets team was dead weight. Fine, you want to do rebounds per 48? Heh. Hilton 8.6 > Posey 8.1 > Songaila 7.2. That’s what you want, your backup center barely outrebounding your 32 year old small forward. The point is Songaila still would have been a better backup big than most of our woeful bench. Only one backup could manage over 3 rebounds per game, and that was Sean Marks. Who was recently signed back to the team, and rightly so. A guy plays the best basketball of his career for you and it’s the right thing to do. Do we hope we never see him starting again? Sure. Is it a good free agent signing? Absolutely. I do want to note that the Hornets roster is up to 15, however, and we usually carry 14 guys to start the season. Another move? The only guy who can be cut after training camp is, I believe, Marcus Thornton, and I just don’t see us doing that (He was spotted working out with CP & Mo Pete today… OK, not spotted in real life. Spotted on Mo Pete’s twitter. But still. He’s doing all the right things so far.)
Anyhow, best of luck to AD in Minnesota, where they’re hoarding point guards like they’re going out of style. He always seemed to be a real vet with a great attitude on the bench. Coincidentally, Emeka Okafor just got his number 50 back. I just got a pair of teal and yellow sneakers. Training camp starts in 19 days.
These facts don’t have anything to do with each other… other than that they are all good signs.
Ready
Leave it to coach Scott to use 9 out of the 15 players we have. Our team changed, I hope our game plan changed too.
Can’t F***’n wait!!!! BEEs in the Finals Bay-BEE!!!!
Gotta say I’m really impressed with how the Hornets have been able to save a ton of $$ without giving too much. Aside from the lame duck coaching position I think all the offseason goals have been met.
I feel the bench has improved, although I would have liked to see the Hornets land a better backup pg so Collision would have an easier transition. If everybody is healthy I can see the Hornets in the top of the west.
All the best this upcoming season.