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Charlotte Hornets: 4 former players that would have helped this team

By Luke Duffy

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 11: Charlotte Hornets announcer Dell Curry speaks with former NBA player Vlade Divac prior to the game between the Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets on March 11, 2015 at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 11: Charlotte Hornets announcer Dell Curry speaks with former NBA player Vlade Divac prior to the game between the Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets on March 11, 2015 at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images) /
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Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

2. Larry Johnson

When you needed a tough as nails big to get in and bang with an opponent, you needed Larry Johnson. His game may not translate as well as Curry’s to today’s game, and his career was shorter than you remember too. Johnson was out of the league at 31, having played 10 seasons.

He split his time evenly between the Hornets and New York Knicks, five years apiece, but despite making the finals with the Knicks in 1999 is still associated more closely with the Hornets. He was a two-time All-Star while playing there, and was the face of a franchise that desperately needed one.

Johnson wasn’t alone on those fun teams that ultimately were no match for Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, even if B.J. Armstrong gave it his best shot, but he was the reason they were able to get to that point in the first place. He averaged over 20 points in two of his seasons with the Hornets while grabbing over 10 board per night in two separate years as well.

Related Story. Hornets: Is there a plan going into next season?. light

Where Johnson would be most handy today though, is the fact he could do both of those things really well, but was never utilized enough as a 3-point shooter. As a (mostly) power forward at that time, that is understandable, but shooting a career 33.2 percent from deep on what was at its high 2.5 attempts per night shows that there was something there.

Imagine Johnson being able to turn to that shot more today, while still being the bruising presence inside that he was. The added bonus here, as it is with Jackson and Curry, is how the roster could do with a player of Johnson’s caliber and in the position that he played right now.

Instead, they’re left with bigs like Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and P.J. Washington (who is a rookie with promise but just shows where their depth is at the position). Johnson could have been used as a small-ball five, or else alongside somebody like Zeller to provide more of an outside touch. Not what we associate Johnson with and yet he’d be able to do all of that and more for this Hornets roster.

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