CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets are up to their old tricks again, and the pick of Frank Kaminsky in the 2015 NBA draft comes with mixed emotions for fans. Frank Kaminksy may very well be a solid contributor to next season’s team, but fans hoping for a more exhilarating pick will have to wait.
Kaminsky is a proven winner who should fit well with Al Jefferson as a stretch power forward. Frank the Tank, as he is known, will help to space the floor along with recent additions Nicolas Batum from Portland and Jeremy Lamb from Oklahoma City. Kemba walker will have more options as a distributor next season, than at anytime in his short career. The Hornets should be a much better shooting team, especially, if Walker and Michael Kidd Gilchrist continue to improve their shooting as well.
The Hornets have had a revolving door at the power forward position in recent years. The team enjoyed a successful 2013-2014 season, that included a playoff appearance, in large part due to Josh McRoberts, who provided length as a rebounder and rim protector, passing, and timely three point shooting. Since the departure of McRoberts, the Hornets have drafted three consecutive power forwards in Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh, and now Frank Kaminsky. Vonleh was traded to Portland earlier this week, and Zeller’s future in Charlotte seems uncertain.
The 2013-2014 roster also featured Anthony Tolliver as the back up, and “small ball”, power forward, a position since filled by Marvin Williams. Tolliver and Williams are very similar in size and skill set, as both are proficient three point shooters who lack size relative to traditional power forwards.
Together McRoberts and Tolliver formed a flexible and productive tandem that the Hornets seem to be recreating, with Kaminsky attempting to fill McRoberts role and Williams supplying the firepower off the bench.
Kaminsky was a logical choice, given the recent moves and team philosophy, but his selection did not elicit excitement from fans desperate to see a dynamic wing talent be drafted by the Hornets, and grow with the franchise.
The Hornets passed on Duke product Justise Winslow and Kentucky sharpshooter Devin Booker to select Kaminsky. Both players pass the eye test as potential All-Stars. Local fans, who are very familiar with Winslow, were confounded by the decision to pass on the athletic wing player.
I’m sure the Hornets did not anticipate Winslow being available when they were on the clock, but for fans it seems like “déjà vu all over again” as far as the draft is concerned. Winslow is an explosive athlete in the open court and projects as a very good defender. The presence of Batum and MKG, who have similar talents, apparently made Winslow less attractive to management on draft night. Some people believe that Winslow’s talent was too great to pass up, even if his skill set would be redundant on the Hornets’ roster. Interestingly, Winslow was selected with the pick immediately following Kaminsky by the Miami Heat, and will face the Hornets at least four times a season as division rivals. So, if he becomes the player many expect, it will be even more agonizing for Hornets’ fans.
I was slightly more disappointed that the Hornets passed on Devin Booker than Winslow, even with the additions of Batum and Lamb. His natural shooting ability cannot be overstated. Three point shooting is currently the most valuable skill in the NBA. The Hornets had the opportunity to draft a shooter who, at the very least, will be comparable to franchise legend Dell Curry and, at most, could develop in to an All-Star caliber player in the mold of Klay Thompson or James Harden.
Nicolas Batum’s combination of length and shooting from the wing position will be welcomed in Charlotte, as the Hornets have never had a player with is skill set. Batum is an excellent defender, and he and MKG will create a nightmare for opposing perimeter players.
Jeremy Lamb will be reunited with his college teammate Kemba Walker in Charlotte. Walker and Lamb won the 2011 NCAA Championship together at the UCONN. Lamb is a lanky, but smooth, scorer who can create shots for himself and others. A lottery pick in 2012, Lamb shoots very well, but was an afterthought on Oklahoma City’s talented roster. He should be instant offense coming off the bench as the sixth man in a role similar to J.R. Smith for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jamal Crawford for the L.A. Clippers, or Lou Williams for the Toronto Raptors.
All in all, I understand the Hornets’ philosophy of building around Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. The pre-draft trades, and selection of Frank Kaminsky all seem to be sound and logical basketball decisions. The Hornets’ wing rotation is deeper, more diverse, and more talented with the addition of Batum and Lamb. Kaminsky should contribute immediately and the offense should be more fluid around Al Jefferson. Jefferson is very difficult for one defender to guard, and with good shooters and decision makers surrounding him, the game should be easier for everyone.
Still, I can empathize with the frustration of fans that wish to be indulged just once on draft night.
The franchise has not drafted an All-Star since returning to Charlotte in 2004. Gerald Wallace, the only player to have been selected as an All-Star since the relocation, was originally drafted by the Sacramneto Kings. Dynamic wing players in the NBA are like franchise quarterbacks in the NFL and the Hornets’ situation is similar to that of the Carolina Panthers, who were constantly in search of a premiere player to breathe life into the fan base. While everyone may not love Cam Newton, drafting the gifted quarterback brought an excitement, hope, and energy that the franchise had never witnessed. Once again, Hornets’ fans are left longing for that feeling.
So, in some regards, for Hornets’ fans the draft is no longer just about making the team better. At this point, it is about putting the buzz back in Buzz City.
