NBA: The Big Question Facing Every Team In 2015-16
Charlotte Hornets
How Do The Hornets Fare Without MKG?
With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, the timeline for his return has been set at six months — right around April, when the playoffs begin. There’s just one problem: even if MKG is back and 100 percent by that time, the Charlotte Hornets are going to have a hard time earning a postseason berth without him for the season.
By trading for Nicolas Batum over the summer, Charlotte unknowingly provided themselves some insurance on the wing, and Steve Clifford has enough versatility on his bench to try playing with different lineups. The Hornets are a perfect 6-0 in preseason play thus far, with Jeremy Lin looking like a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. So far, everything looks peachy.
But preseason is preseason, and without MKG’s stifling wing defense, the Hornets will need major contributions from unproven players like Jeremy Lamb, Cody Zeller, P.J. Hairston and Frank Kaminsky, not to mention bounce-back seasons for Lin, Batum and Spencer Hawes. Right now, it feels like a lot to ask for with the playoff field in the East having grown stronger.
Next: Chicago Bulls