They just signed Melvin Ely yesterday to bolster their already good frontcourt. Looks like another tough team in the NBA's toughest division. STARTERS - Chris Paul, Morris Peterson, Predrag Stojakovic, David West, and Tyson Chandler KEY RESERVES - Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo, Rasual Butler, and Melvin Ely
melvin ely's good? i'd put this on par with the rockets signing mike harris to a non-guaranteed contract. new orleans is a good team and i think they'll make the playoffs but i wouldn't expect anything else.
here's what we haven't seen from the New Orleans Hornets, PLAY GOOD THE WHOLE YEAR!!! They always either have good starts or good finishes during the season, never consistant. Hell I remember on year where Baron Davis was having an MVP season when it started, then just declined from there.
No, they look like the same mediocre team they always end up being. Peterson is a marginal starter, at best Peja is over the hill and injury prone West is an undersized 4 that doesn't rebound that well Chandler couldn't score at Paris Hilton's house with a bottle of roofies Bobby Jackson can't shoot anymore, plus he's coming off a major injury I got two words for Chris Paul..."opt" and "out"...
You forgot "...on paper" at the end of your thread title. Teams in the WC that are definitely better than the Hornets: Suns Spurs Mavericks Jazz Rockets Denver (perhaps debatable) If the Hornets finish higher than 7th, they will slightly exceed realistic expectations. It they break into the top 5, it will be a very good season for them. If Chris Paul still hasn't learned to shoot, they are in trouble. If Peja plays like a milktoast wimp much of the time, they are in trouble. If Byron Scott doesn't suddenly become a great coach, they are in trouble. If the Lakers and Warriors have good seasons, they are in trouble. Losing Desmon Mason's nastiness (and skills) will hurt them. Bobby Jackson is old enough to be fitted for a wheelchair. Conclusion: It's a safe bet to say the Hornets will be first round fodder at best. At worst, they will miss the playoffs again.
NO has always had talent and good coaching. They can just never stay healthy. Health is what wins in the West. That's why we got lucky last year.
we weren't realy lucky... yao still got injured, and wasn't 100 percent during playoffs, and i don't think hes 100% right now. and dikembe and howard didn't have anything left on their tank in the first round due to their huge playing time when yao was out. NO just needs to get healthy, especialy chris paul, david west, and chandler. they need to add more fire power though. they overpayed peja, which is gonna hurt them in the long run. bobby is gonna break down soon. their not going anywhere near the future, and should start thinking about the future. get draft picks, young players, with peja and jackson.
They're decent but I predict they will finish around 9th or 10th still. That bench is still mediocore.
Paul vs. Francis --> Paul Peterson vs. McGrady --> McGrady by a lot Stojakovic vs. Battier --> Wash West vs. Scola --> maybe West by a little, simply on experience Chandler vs. Yao --> Yao Jackson vs. James --> James Pargo vs. Alston --> Alston Butler vs. Wells --> Wells (if his head's on straight) Ely vs. Hayes --> Hayes Not even counting Brooks, Head, or Snyder.
maybe west? i know people are high on scola, but west is a dang good player but if they stay healthy they will be a solid team competing for that 8th spot.
The top 6 seeds are already pretty much set. I think golden state takes #7. Battling for #8 will be NO and LA
Agree on West. You know the Western Conference is pretty strong if being "solid" only means you are competing for the 8th spot.
chris paul has potential to be one. i hope he turns out steve nash. low profile in beginning, and BAM. hes superstar. right now, they need a good star. that has been in the year for at least 5 years. that way, paul can learn.
paul is way way better than nash was at the same age. nash's transformation late in his dallas years to what he is now in phoenix has been pretty remarkable. paul has nash's vision and ball handling but he doesn't have his shot which is a huge part of what makes nash so hard to guard.
