The Charlotte Hornets Deserve Victor Wembanyama
It is the beginning of January, and it appears to be a four-team race in the tank for Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. The Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs have, for the most part, separated themselves from the rest of the league. However, I think the Charlotte Hornets deserve to win the Wembanyama race and it would be great for all NBA fans.
A lot of people believe Wembanyama is the real deal. There is a huge amount of hype behind him and rightfully so. The French youngster is billed as a generational talent that can instantly turn around any NBA franchise. He is an incredibly gifted offensive player boasting good handles, a nice touch around the rim, and a smooth shooting stroke. He is also a terrific defender with an absurd length that he uses to corral rebounds and block shots.
Victor Wembanyama is truly a generational big man. Who needs a big man more than anyone? The Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets have LaMelo Ball, who is one of the most entertaining players in the NBA. However, he does not get to shine as much as he could. Charlotte has yet to make the playoffs with him and they do not receive many televised games.
There is no doubt in my mind that the flashiness of Ball and the uniqueness of Wembanyama would make a dynamic NBA duo. The other centers on their roster are Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards, so they could use a phenomenal center in Wembanyama.
Ball and Wembanyama would be appointment television every game. It would be a huge boost for Charlotte fans, and it might finally give owner Michael Jordan a playoff team for the first time since 2016.
The Charlotte Hornets Roster
The Hornets’ roster needs a lot of work. In this scenario, they would have a young star at point guard in Ball and a young star at center in Wembanyama. However, the rest of their roster would likely need an overhaul to maximize the talents of Ball and Wembanyama.
Right now, the Hornets get solid minutes from starters in Plumlee, Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, and P.J. Washington. However, all these players would be expendable in a rebuild with Hayward and Rozier having the heaviest contracts.
Power forward Jalen McDaniels is solid off of the bench averaging 10.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Unfortunately, it goes downhill from here for the Hornets.
Charlotte currently gets minimal help from their other young players on the bench. Guard James Bouknight and forward Kai Jones have been underwhelming in the NBA and rookie center Mark Williams has spent most of his season in the G-League.
This is why I think the Charlotte Hornets deserve Wembanyama because they don’t have the brightest future with their current roster makeup and draft history. However, a Ball and Wembanyama duo would surely elevate the Hornets while providing top-tier entertainment for all NBA fans.
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