Charlotte Hornets: 3 players facing the most pressure in 2018-19

3. Frank Kaminsky

Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller are the only two seven-footers on the Hornets and could form a tough frontcourt duo if Kaminsky could be more consistent on the court. After spending his first two seasons as the team’s backup center, Kaminsky moved to power forward in 2017-18.

By playing more at that position, he was used as a stretch-4, leaning on the strengths he had while playing college ball in Wisconsin. As a result, Kaminsky hit a career high 38.0 percent of his 3-point shots and topped 11 points per game for the second season in a row.

He also appeared in a career-high 79 games, but only started four of them. With Dwight Howard out of the picture, Marvin Williams a year older and a new head coach, the opportunities to push for more minutes could be there if he continues his development.

As he enters the final year of his contract before restricted free agency, Kaminsky has pressure to prove last year wasn’t a fluke. If he can hit, or even exceed, his 3-point shooting from last year and get his rebounding numbers back up, Kaminsky could get a decent payday from the Hornets or someone else next season. If not, he’s going to be relegated to a backup role player for the rest of his career.