With LaMelo Ball continuing to sit, can the Charlotte Hornets rely on Micic and Mann long term?

With LaMelo Ball continuing to sit, can the Charlotte Hornets rely on Micic and Mann long term?

With the news of lamelo ball continuing to sit out are the Hornets going to have to rely even more so on meic and man what do we think both of the new guard editions we’ll break all that down with David Walker today on locked on Hornets you are locked on Hornets your daily

Charlotte Hornets podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day in the minute CU we laugh it’s locked on hornets part of the locked on podcast Network it’s your team every day thanks for making us your first listen we are free and available anywhere you get your podcast and that

Includes YouTube today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel you can make every moment more right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet that’s 150 bucks if your bet wins visit fanduel.com lockon to get started there’s Doug Branson as always you can can find his

Work on every Hornets boox score.com there’s David Walker making a second appearance in about 5 days worth of Time Lucky us find him on Twitter at davidb Walker I’m Walker mail listen to me WFNZ every weekday from 12: to 3M so at meit and man we’re just going to basically

Repeat some of the comments that we had yesterday and then see if David agrees with the people in the YouTube comment section if he was one of those people that were a man of the people so you are nice done but and before we we get to if

We were too hard on the Hornets yesterday though I I did want to look at this meit and man conversation again because we just continue to see that lamelo ball is going to sit out I mentioned it yesterday coming right back from the All-Star break they were going

To open up with a backtack okay it makes sense if lamelo is going to make his debut post All-Star break very soon maybe you just wait for the second game of that back to back let him sit out and then go out a against Golden State and

Have a marquee matchup but continue just to see out out out and we aren’t even getting the questionable we’re not even getting the doubtful designation David how worried are you now to at least like how worried are you that he just doesn’t suit up within the next week month I I I

Don’t think he’s GNA set out the rest of the year but no we just we continue to see him not play how worried are you about it yeah I mean oddly enough feel good because they’re they’re they’re taking every last precaution on this one it feels like at least that’s that’s the

How I’m choosing to look at it because you know they’ve brought him back before and it hasn’t worked out well uh now they they have the luxury of taking some time because they have not just one guy but you know multiple guys that they can play in his place and actually make

Impact uh in a positive way and win some games so you obviously want to see him out there um you want to you know you want to get him in for this home stretch you want to get him some new time some time with the new guys as

Well and with Brandon Miller and everyone else you want to play uh but you do but you have they they they really cannot risk putting him out there until it’s everyone in the same page 100 100% sure uh that he’s ready to go and he won’t have any setbacks and like

They’re never really going to know that until they put him out there uh but I guess until you see him you’re always going to be feel a little um a little you know cautious about it but but I’m I’m fine with them holding him out as

Long as they want to at this point um you know if he gets into the real crunch time of the end of the season and we haven’t seen him yeah I think it’ be worried if you don’t see him again this season but for right now I’m I’m okay

Take your time what do you think Doug I don’t what’s the point of being worried I mean at this point you know it’s it’s in it’s in The Hornet’s hands I a good life question to be honest is there any reason to be contr what you can control got better

Help a little bit later so Doug you can even give us some things for better help because that’s a great question on life well because I mean this isn’t this isn’t our first rodeo I got tricked by an article I thought he was coming back

And it ended up being the article that W uh you know reported when he was coming back the first time this season so I’m getting tricked by articles because he’s been out so much like okay you know so so I don’t know that there is any point

I I see a lot of I think this all is rooted in Rod Bo you know putting video out of him doing like warm-ups and stuff and then saying you know I don’t know what he said exactly but kind kind of hinting that maybe a return so I think people have

Gotten their hopes up and they’re really just every time they hit that injury report they just really hope that lamelo ball is going to be questionable or doubtful and the Hornets don’t seem to be messing around I think the rest of the league got a memo including the

Hornets stop messing around with these designations they’re either out or they’re going to play and whatever so you know I I don’t think there is any there’s there’s no reason to be worried he’s going to come back when he comes back and the Hornets as we discussed in

Yesterday’s episode the Hornets need him back though I mean I would I’m concerned I’m less concerned about him and just more concerned about how the Hornets are going to navigate this upcoming schedule right they’ve got this home and home against Milwaukee followed by a game against Philadelphia the back half of

This schedule is brutal they’re going to need everybody that they can get um including bton and Curry get them off the injury report as well any the less time we have to see mcgall and Thor and the rest of the crew that was helming the bench before the better well and so

David you mentioned how at least we have meich and man right those guys have been celebrated quite a bit even with the shooting wos and there have been some problems with him shooting from distance but at least meic is fun knows how to get these guys the basketball in the

Right spot and also I was checking out his numbers on uh cleaning the glass and he just finishes at The Rim at not just like a pretty good rate but at the best rate among combo guards and point guards this season doesn’t matter if it was with Oklahoma City he’s doing the same

Thing here with Charlotte he’s fting finishing at The Rim at a 998th percentile among point guards it’s like okay not like it’s one of those Revelations where okay when you go back and think about it yeah I guess I guess he has been doing a pretty nice job at

Hitting his layups but it’s not anything I expected to see when I visited his cleaning the glass page the other parts of his game shooting accuracy wise yeah they’re pretty pretty far down the list compared to everybody else but at least he’s finishing at the rim and I know a

Lot of people are falling in love with Trey Man David I know you were looking at some of those guys stats as well I mean how if you’re a Hornets fan you have to love what you’re seeing from man and meic yeah we could use some more

Threei from meic every once in a while but um you know his shot looks okay to me it’s just like he’s probably the last guy you went out there shooting it um as that ball swings around but like I’m not overly concerned with that one uh not

Surprisingly the team is better when one of them is out there like shockingly enough they’re running the offense well uh Trey man continues to start and you know you guys were talking about it yesterday it is fascinating to see me meic kind of close out these games I mean statist

Statistically I guess he’s a little bit better like offensive rating wise when he’s out there it’s it’s a super small sample size for these guys uh but I do think Clifford uh as mentioned yesterday Doug he wants to keep Cody Martin out there I don’t think that’s going to

Change and meic you know provides a little bit more of a steady hand let’s say I think when you’ve got then than maybe man does in some of these late game situations and again if you’re needing to score you’ve got your miles Bridges you’ve got your Brandon Miller

Um maybe we’ll get your Seth Curry back tonight I did see he was probable I believe um so that would really help because you’re right Doug like it’s been we we got spoiled in like two games where we had a full compliment of NBA players to throw out there regardless of

Rotation uh but you see the difference right like if they hadn’t been playing the Blazers the other night there’s still a step down when you got to go back to the old trusty guys like um uh mwan and and some of our old favorites so took you a second there you

Were like oh what’s his name I almost forgot him uh just kidding Bryce we love you um but yeah yeah yeah so I mean uh we very fortunate to have those guys it’s it’s really going to be interesting when lamelo comes back I mean that’s the big question for me

Like I could see man you know his numbers his minutes getting knocked way down almost I mean you know if lamelo’s starting and they keep Cody Martin out there uh it could go either way it doesn’t feel like Clifford wants to keep uh Cody Martin on the bench though for a

Lot of reasons defensive defensively being the most out there so who knows what’s going to happen when they come back but you know I guess it’s what that’s kind of what they’re playing for right now it’s like hey look what I can do when I’m out here and and and what

I’m doing for everybody else and again it’s not as if Trey Mann is playing bad defense there are there there are moments where he’s impacting the game on the defensive end with deflections and Steals and and so on and so forth It’s just that yeah Cody Martin has the size

And the skill to guard the best guard Elite guards he can guard them and he can take their game away and and that’s what the Hornets have to do against some of these teams I think it would be interesting you know tonight they play the Bucks

If if the game manages to be closed at the end but the Hornets are down you know 108 with with six to go if Clifford would then elect to play Man a little bit more to close the game because in all of these games where me is just closed they’ve been generally protecting

A lead and when you know when you’re protecting a lead you want to make sure that the guy handling the ball is not going to give it away and uh you know you’re you’re less uh you know interested in probably the three-point shooting that they would

Have with man over meic so I’d be interested to see if that happens tonight against Milwaukee um La last thing at least if we’re just going to continue to explore the numbers I’ve just been doing a little more so here with me and man yes the big time nerd

Stuff Big Time nerd stuff right now uh so meic is in the 100th percentile and points per possession offensively and the differential for him on the floor is in the 998th like when me is on the floor whether it so if you think meic is just the beneficiary of maybe playing

With better players and in those closing lineups where they’ve had a couple of bad teams that they faced with Utah after the deadline against Portland as well so like maybe for sure small sample size we could do that whole well small sample doesn’t matter I don’t know if

That’s alien or nerd but either way if you want to do that that’s fine but also they’ve just looked a lot better with him on the floor that’s how they’ve at least that’s how the numbers have uh spoken for his performance out there and it’s almost instant right like you’ll

See him come in Sub in you know whenever he does um in the first quarter second quarter whenever and it’s like almost instantly it seems like there’s a pick and roll play of the rim and we score like he really finds a way he’s super

Crafty uh I mean been a been a great pickup for this team but yeah that but that’s the thing like Clifford has to feel so much better really with either one it it does feel like Mees is a little steadier but right but so it’ll be interesting see I think you’re that’s

A good point Doug if they’ got to make a run late um do they want the scoring or do they want some of that more continued like distribution and and and scoring at The Rim so you know good problem to have for Clifford the ideal conversation

Would be who of those guys are alongside lamelo but that’s not happening instead we’re just having to say okay it’s Trey man meic and Cody Martin you know of those three who are you playing and that’s unfortunate part of all of this but Doug tells me not to worry so I’m

Not worrying no sweat baby control what you can control we move on coming up next on the lockdown Hornets podcast don’t go to sleep on the Hornets just yet speaking of feelings I did want to get to some of the feelings that others had watching our show yesterday Doug you

Said that people in the YouTube comment section thought we were being too hard on the Hornets after after we were sniffing the glue and fruit salad yummy yummy was no more now we’re being too hard on him all right David was watching yesterday as well we’ll get his thoughts

On it coming up next on lockdown Hornets Before we start to talk a little more about our feelings I want to tell you this episode is brought to you by Nissan are you the kind of driver that likes to push things just a little further ever wonder what Adventure could be around the next Corner our friends at Nissan

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Were too hard on the Hornets yesterday because we felt like this team had had reached its Max without lamelo we’d like to see lamelo back but what we watched against Portland it we discussed how that was pretty ugly to see like I I didn’t know if that was up for debate to

Be honest with you like I saw I thought it was terrible like Portland shot 9% from three-point land and they also missed a bunch of wide open threes there was the stat that there were 18 three-pointers attempted by Portland that were wide open considered wide open

By NBA statistics and they made all but or they missed all of them but like two or three I it was %. and on the other side it’s not like the Hornets were playing much better I they they didn’t score over 25 points in any of those

Quarters they were right there but we’ve seen them perform better Doug were you surprised to see some of the reception that we got in the comment section well let me read something here from Zachariah Zachariah writes in in our latest episode or yesterday’s episode man guys way to pour cold water over my

Hype I mean 5 in one post trade deadline they showed actual fight in the Warriors game let’s enjoy this doesn’t happen often here uh appreciate the comment thanks for watching Zachariah I’m G actually I’m gonna toss it to David were you listened to yesterday’s episode of

Course were we too hard on the Hornets after because Zach Zachariah is right they are five- one since the deadline that’s a great record especially when you consider how many losses that we’ve had to endure and talk about on this show were we being too hard on them after a weekend of weird

Basketball yeah totally weird basketball so I think you guys were coming from a place of Love obviously um as always not a good sign not a good sign uh but there was an odd feeling coming out of that Blazers game because I think we were texting during that it was like what are

These decisions where are these passes going it was just sloppily played game uh the Hornets were two and a half Point dogs uh out there in Portland that night which goes to show you that Vegas is still not giving or or paying attention to the Hornets and the moves that

They’ve made but uh I’m you know I am a man of the people I’m a man of the comments um that’s where I live I like to be a leader of of of my guys down there you know watching with you guys and and commenting uh but I gotta say I

Think you were more than fair on this one I mean it was obvious that lamelo is needed out there to just calm things down to get the ball in his hands uh and to make some passes that have a chance of being caught you know every once you

Got to throw something that that people can catch so no I don’t think you guys are too too hard but look Zachariah I’m with you buddy like it’s time to just feel good you get a win on a Sunday night and you can put your head on that

Pillow knowing that the Hornets got a win to start the week I mean listen this is just constructive criticism don’t be too hard on the guys they’re here to analyze and provide you with you know some some some tough love at times app but but but celebrate it you know what I

Mean yeah no and I I think we did celebrate the fact that they got a win because look when you have to win 20 out of your last 28 you’re going to have to win some games ugly you’re going to have to get some blowout victories and you’re

Probably going to lose a few close ones but you don’t you certainly don’t want to lose the ones you’re supposed to win and they were supposed to win that game against Portland and it felt at times as if they were trying to give that kind of

Game away and and I’m coming from it from a place to it from a place of I I know what playoff teams look like and so if and I understand look 20 out of 28 is going to be difficult they have to get to that place I don’t think they can get

There without lamelo ball coming back at some point I’m also coming to it from a place of I’ve seen the back half of this schedule I know how many games they have left against Boston against Cleveland against the Clippers against the Bucks against the Sixers like this is going to

Be a difficult Road and they have to be playing with with or without lamelo they have to be playing High High Lev basketball we saw highlevel basketball in those first four victories but also we saw a lot of three-point shots go in and my question throughout that whole

Winning streak was okay what happens if some of those shots stop falling what happens if the ball stops moving as much as it did and it was moving through a lot of the new players who were getting some love for the first time all season like Trey man was playing like a guy

That just was desperate to play Mee same thing Grant Williams got out of a bad situation that all had to fall back down to Earth and so that’s that’s where I’m coming to it from and I’m celebrating the fact that the Hornets are winning but also I know that this team has has

Eyes for that last play in position and I know it’s possible and so that’s where I’m going to approach it is what did that what did what do they look like right now relative to what they should look like if they want to not only get

To a playin spot but then compete once they get there yeah so and if we’re talking about our points of perspective so for me I I don’t even know how much I’m looking at that last playin spot it feels like everybody else is saying hey we’re still winning like hell this is

Great and I was here with everyone after the initial wins and then I’m like okay well now I guess from a host standpoint I’m coming at it with a realistic point of view now where the basketball it it’s not been as good like against Golden

State we had so many PE David I think I remember seeing one of your tweets like good God please make this end as soon as possible it was a bad game against and then against and then against Portland it was still it was pretty hard like it

Was it wasn’t great and so I think after back-to-back games of that type of play we started to discuss okay it’s this is back toback now do we think this is going to be a trend they have a game against Milwaukee one more on the road

They’ll be back at home after that at the Spectrum Center at a part of that tough second half schedule that Doug is talking about and so we can reset our expectations but but even so wherever we land they it will still be at a level above whatever that was pre-all-star

Break pre NBA trade deadline like that was terrible that’s where they were getting beat by 20 and it was affecting speaking of feelings it was affecting us like having to watch all that so we’re not there I just want everybody to understand we are not there that was a

Terrible space I hope we never go back we’re not there we’re actually talking about like legit good losing basketball if that makes sense and I think that’s what we’ve been getting the last couple of games and and pre- trade deadline by the way I would have been right there

With you if they were and I don’t think they could have won five of six post trade deadline without making those moves but had they I would have been right there like let’s celebrate here’s here’s something else that was written Gareth says forget about the playoffs and just enjoy the

Improvement once I saw what this team was after the trade deadline once I saw a bench that was full of NBA players now you got me dreaming and I once I’m Dreaming I can’t stop dreaming to me with all due respect to Gareth that’s loser talk Gareth is not I’m not calling

Gareth the loser I’m not calling Gareth the loser I’m saying that’s loser talk once once you have a team that is capable of achieving something then talking about anything less is unacceptable in my mind until they are mathematically eliminated from the play end that I’m going to talk about this

Team as if they’re trying to get that last play in and what they have to do to to get there because I don’t once you have an NBA level which they didn’t have before now they have one once you have that don’t lower the standards that’s what I’m advocating for here don’t lower

Your standards this team has not made the playoffs since 2015 2016 they haven’t won a playoff series in over two decades let let’s not let’s not get in this place as a fan base or a franchise where we are willing to accept well they improved they won five more games than

They did last season booty I say to that booty I want to make the playoffs we do we we did that after the first three games though right but then we went to a different level where we losers the first three games and then we transitioned into wins after okay I just

Cuz honestly Gareth I’m right there with you man I’m a loser too like we’re just I’m not calling anybody a loser I’m saying that’s loser talk that’s that’s I’m not calling anyone a loser yeah well I I think the difference that we’re seeing is now like the Hornets are a

Place where they can play an ugly not very good basketball game against a bad team in Portland and still get a win whereas that wasn’t always the case uh pre-trade deadline like with that current that that former group you know uh they’d almost have to play perfect no

Matter who was playing that night and they still have to play really well to beat uh you know good to Great obviously teams like the Bucks match up is not one that I love just mostly because of Giannis and Dam out there uh but they can play well enough to win that game

Like they don’t and they don’t have to play out of their minds right but with the with the current players they have uh but I do want to jump to to Doug’s 20 of 28 campaign real quick if I may because I I I see what’s going on here

And I like it um Doug is on absolutely on the ground floor he may be Subterranean on this this campaign for 2028 I haven’t heard anyone else talk about it but I can just Envision it happening and just the hash2 of 28 uh the t-shirts that are you know I’m sure

In draft form right now I love what’s going on on here uh if we can just get a few more wins here to really get this 20 of 28 train rolling uh they’ve done it before 13 14 Bo done it before that’s the whole thing if if this

Were if this were truly impossible I would not be coming on here and talking about playin playoff postseason play but here’s the thing I would like to see the Hornets in the postseason before before I see my own grandchildren okay like that’s all so I’m just saying with the

With the new ownership group and and raising ticket prices and building new practice facilities let’s make sure that we don’t settle for improved play I don’t want to settle for anything less than postseason play and I’m that’s the standard that I’m going to hold this

Team to and you know why I’m going to hold this team to that standard because it’s fair to hold them to this standard because I’ve seen the bench play they have veterans now no more excuses this team what look if they fall short they fall short and I’ll say valant effort

Boys you tried hard you did 20 of 28 was impossible loser talk man you can’t try hard that’s loser talk DG no no no no no no after it’s all done that’s what I’m saying we’re all getting ahead of ourselves we’re all saying Valiant effort good job moral Victory before the

Season’s over that’s for the season to be over what I’m saying now is I’m going to hold you to that standard and if the Hornets don’t play like a team that deserves to be in the playin then I’m going to tell you on this show okay

Hasht 20 and8 baby we’re going to do it let’s move on one more segment to go coming up next on the lockdown Hornets podcast don’t go to sleep on the Hornets just yet we’ll talk more t-shirt ideas and get more thoughts from David Walker some of his takes on what he’ve seen the

Last couple of games or so and then move on to more Hornets content that’s a fine coming up next lock on Hornet that’s loser flim I’m such a loser this episode has brought to you by better help sometimes we all need the opportunity to get something off of our chest whether it be

Big or small certain things can really start to get to you it’s important to let that out especially to someone who’s unbiased on your life so today I want to share how I’ve been feeling about something you might even be thinking about the same thing this week you know

The Hornets were terrible in the pre- trade trade deadline portion of this season and it was really starting to wear on us me and Doug and then they traded for meic they traded for Trey man they got Grant Williams off the bench and then we started to feel a lot better

And so that was a nice turnaround better help can be that turnaround for you therapy can be different for everyone most of us have bigger problems than our favorite sports teams and it’s important to get that thing off of your chest every once in a while if you’re starting

Uh or if you’re thinking of starting therapy give betterhelp a try it’s entirely online designed to be flexible and suited to your schedule and you can visit betterhelp.com lockon NBA to get 10% off your first month that’s betterhelp heelp betterhelp.com SL lockon NBA more lockon Hornets

Ahead all right boys this you are my you’re my friend group you’re my Hornets chat group and so uh I’m going to bring something to you I want to know if I if I’m a bad person if I if this is unhealthy of me but uh I check the PJ

Washington and Gordon Hayward game log pretty much daily and and there is part of me that is getting a little bit of shot in Freud from watching the PJ Washington experience unfold in Dallas and the Gordon Hayward experience take off in Oklahoma City it uh well I mean certainly the Gordon Hayward experience

Has not gotten off to a great start but uh PJ is being a little inconsistent and and I pay attention I’m secretly lurking in the in the Twitter chats of Mavs Twitter and they are already like hey what’s up why is this guy like really good from three one night and then just

Can’t hit anything on the other night I’m like yes yes yes yes yes so what’s your question yeah my question is uh am I I don’t feel bad for it should I feel bad for it um you you should probably learn how to let things go maybe maybe just a little bit that

Would be something to consider so have this podcast if that was the case you yeah we wouldn’t be here right now well no like what’s happening with PJ is it’s it’s G to be it’s going to be very similar to what you’re having with the Hornets experience although you know if

If you go back and you watch the Phoenix and Mavs game and then go check out Mavs Twitter there they were extremely excited about PJ’s performance Des by going like four of 10 and not shooting well from three because he did a great job defensively on Kevin Durant and so

If you wanted to go and see what the Mavs chat was at least on Twitter like anybody that I follow or know of a Mavs account they were all saying Hell Yeah man he just held KD to inefficient shooting and 23 points and like that’s where the people that understood that

Side of the floor like at least in my opinion but then people would also you know have a problem with the defensive rebounding which is still going to be an issue this is this is who PJ is man I do think that PJ like I I actually believe

In his offense from the outside I think it’s going to get better with the players that he’s playing with around him I you know we we’ll see as the sample size grows larger I mean we’ve seen him shoot better the first three years in the league compared to what

He’s done the last couple of Seasons I expect that to come back but we’ll see and then Gordon Hayward is Gordon hayward’s more interest interesting because they’re just Doug if I’m not mistaken I have not looked at all these game logs as much but if if I’m not

Mistaken he’s just not playing as much right limited minutes yeah he got 12 minutes 15 and then 14 in that game against Washington which was a huge win for OKC I mean it’s Washington but he but in those 15 minutes he did manage to score eight points but in the other two

Games uh laid some goosies yeah it seems to run the gamut I’m with you Walker we may have some of the same Mavs folks in our feed but it’s always like uh if he doesn’t score a bunch he’s giving the Mavs exactly what they needed at the trade deadline via

Whatever effort plays rebound like loose ball Chase Downs to me like the biggest and obviously it’s it’s it’s somewhat silly to do like an Apples to Apples comparison of the two guys in two different situations um it’s it’s odd that they’ve been entangled kind of since the off season um these two teams

And these two players in various ways but like to me so far right the big difference for for me watching Grant Williams versus watching PJ here and Grant’s been like probably better offensively than he will be night and Night Out thus far but it’s like there’s always going to be some impact from

Grant Williams and that may be bad may be good or bad maybe a late you know step in conversation to be had but like there are nights where PJ you forgot he was out there for entire games right and there was no impact made and then there

Were nights where he went scored what 42 or ever so I I think from Grant Williams you’re just going to get a little bit more of the um of the impact you know cons on a consistent basis and we we’ve seen what he’s brought to this team it’s

Been a little toughness you know it’s been a little bit of just a dash of crazy uh but but that’s honestly something that they needed right and and for PJ’s case like maybe those nights where he’s out of the spotlight completely don’t matter as much when

You’ve got Luca and Kyrie uh and Dereck Lively right like it’s a different group it’s a different setup uh they’re not going to ask him to score a bunch um and when he does it’ll be a nice nice throwin right I mean if he gets any big

Scoring nights with luuka and Kyrie out there it’ll be a huge bonus for that team so like you know I guess these comparisons will drag on throughout the end of the season just because people can’t help themselves um and I did see he got the ceremonial question about

Longest winning streak in his career oh God they all become the villain they all become the villain every single one of them and it’s frustrating PJ God I loved you man why are you doing this how are you free are you breathing now everybody loved Terry too like Terry

Was the guy that pretty much every Hornets fan if you didn’t agree on him in the second year or third year I think we eventually all agreed on Terry roier and then he leaves and then he makes some comment about the Hornets and how different it is with the heat every sing

Single player that is traded out becomes the villain and PJ is just the latest example honestly Gordon is the only one that hadn’t said anything yet he was the villain when he was here like nobody liked him when he was here so well you know it was funny because they asked him

About it as the Hornets were in the midst of their own four game win streak and’s like I think this is the longest win streak I’ve ever had and Kudos guys in the comments they immediately went to basketball referenced and debunked that PJ had I think least aame win streak

While in Charlotte okay okay Dallas media okay it was last year they had a five game winning streak last year and PJ was a part of that because he was the only one that was healthy really all season long that got real rotation minutes and so he experienced it it’s

Not like he was on the bench and say well I guess he means he wasn’t playing no he was here for that five-game win streak and he’s just saying nope oh this is great it’s first time I’ve ever experienced it like this I’ll tell you why I’m enjoying this because I’ve been

I’ve been accustomed to viewing game logs of players that exit the Hornets Stratosphere and they succeed that’s what I’ve been used to I’ve been used to Malik monk eventually you know leaving the Hornets and making a few stops somebody I checked his box score every damn time you know yeah see see there

There you go but that was in hopes of him being good that was in that was in hopes more so and so yes I I can’t get on you too bad because Malik yes yes sir Malik monk for sure I don’t I don’t hope that Gordon Hayward or PJ play bad I

Guess what I hope is that the reality that I saw in Charlotte was actual reality and that it wasn’t about them being in Charlotte that it was about who they look you are who you are as a player and I I want that to be true I

Don’t want it to be true that they were who they were because there is some just like really poor system here you know that’s that’s a that’s a reality that I’m uncomfortable with that I don’t really want to deal with and so it you know them revealing themselves to be the

Same player that they were here would would be comforting to me on some level what one other interesting thing that you may me think of David when you were talking about Grant Williams he’s going to make an impact and I think we’ve seen that from Trey man from meic and Grant

Williams is that there are periods of each of those of each of those players in each of the games where they fall in love with themselves like they are looking for their shot they are looking to make their impact on the game on both ends of the floor and I I wonder it’s

Why it’s nice to have Seth Curry out there too because Seth Curry doesn’t he doesn’t feel like he has that part in him like where he just fall falls in love with his game and wants to like go out there and and dominate the ball and

Get his shot you you you need a couple of guys like that like everybody can’t be in it for to try to get their stats at certain points of the game so it’s part of kind of part of the reason why I want lamelo back because once lamelo’s

Back the universe will start to revolve around him and then everybody else can then find their role everybody’s still a little bit rolless on this team Brandon Miller I think actually has a chance to become that player where the whole team could revolve around him he’s just not

We we’ve seen it with the turnovers and Playmate he’s not ready for that yet but lamelo if he’s 100% healthy can be that player for them right now yeah I agree Grant Williams definitely has some times where you can see him saying to himself it’s Grant

Williams time um which I kind of love uh you know when the threes are going it’s great watch it’s him and the Batman costume right that’s the that’s the image it’s him that’s right that’s right no man you’re right dude I mean oh watch out watch out now guys I just shook up

The camera a little bit um it’s just a difference with having guys out there that can play you’re right I mean when you mentioned all them making impact I didn’t even think about that but you’re right like all these guys have come in and made impacts well and and also like

What’s real true is look here I am defending PJ and maybe even Gordon well not even Gordon cuz Gordon wasn’t playing so Gordon’s out of this but it’s okay look haha they’re trading PJ and now the Hornets are so much better yeah the thing about Grant and PJ Grant is a

Better shooter way more he’s been more consistent that’s just a fact throughout and while PJ we thought he could be that guy he’s been inconsistent the last couple of years and even before that it’s just he eventually ended at a higher spot but Grant’s a better shooter

The other thing that’s helping the is that Grant Williams gets to play with other NBA players on a 50 to 60% rotation overhaul where PJ and Gordon if Gordon was in or especially PJ he was playing with the guys that don’t play anymore because they’re not good right

Now right he was coming off of the bench with the guys that don’t play anymore because they weren’t good enough to come off of the bench so Nick smth junr no JT Thor no Bryce mcowens nope Nathan Minah bye book cut like that those are the guys he was well so happened so

Fast over CH like when you overhaul at 50 to 60 per. so that that’s the thing it’s they have a bench now yeah and think how how about fast how fast the narrative on these two guys flipped I mean in the off season it was big winner Dallas getting Grant Williams Charlotte

Lost out again had to settle for PJ Washington and now you just swap swap them out and it’s the perfect fit you know it’s a perfect fit so uh man what what an interesting season especially for Grant Williams uh all the trouble then you get the Draymond commentary and

So you know just keep your head down just just keep fighting I say to Grant and you know you’re you’re welcome here thanks well contribution yeah thank you grant and the other thing is like here they are with a complete bench and Grant Williams who it isn’t that far off like

His Peak isn’t that far off from PJ oh yeah and they also have a top two protected first done like that’s the end of the conversation first round pick you know it’s so this is all great I’m glad they’re winning because they have a revamped roster but they also have a top

Two protected first and if this doesn’t work for Dallas and Luca gets angry and then leaves then we could get a top five pick someday or we could just get their first round pick and still use that like that’s the first round pick is what makes that a no-brainer a no-brainer

Yeah just forget about the playoffs and enjoy the picks loser baby that’s what I am I’m 100% that that’ll do it for locked on Hornets that’s Doug Branson you can find his work on his substack every Hornets boox score.com there’s David Walker you can find him on Twitter at davidb Walker

And you can listen to me WFNZ every weekday on 927 FM on Weston Walker 12: to 3 pm. have a great rest of your day we’ll be back with you Tomorrow w

With LaMelo Ball continuing to sit, can the Charlotte Hornets rely on Micic and Mann long term?
Walker and Doug are joined by David Walker to help recap the last few games and discuss the backcourt situation. Can Vasilije Micic and Tre Mann lead the way longterm? Finally, the guys transition into comments on LOH being too hard on the Hornets after the Portland game.

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