Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets fell from 48-34 to 36-46. The greatest difference? The boards. The Charlotte Hornets lost Al Jefferson to free agency and nobody truly picked up his slack. While few consider Jahlil Okafor a solid replacement for Jefferson, there is the fact that Okafor generates nearly a block per game while shooting a 51.4 percent accuracy.
On top of that, you have to wonder what is actually happening in Charlotte. You see, power forward Christian Wood had a helluva summer, and earned a new NBA contract as a result. But he disappeared almost immediately upon setting up in Charlotte.
Sources: Charlotte has declined the team option on forward Christian Wood for the 2017-'18 season, making Wood an unrestricted free agent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2017
No Plum Of An Outcome
Christian Wood is certainly a motivated player, and he appeared to have made incredible strides in the 2016 NBA Summer League. So why does this team need center help? Stated directly, the team traded for Miles Plumlee who simply did not work out.
Since the team sought strong physical play at the post, they need Jahlil Okafor. And with Okafor, the get the bonus of his offensive production. The Hornets are not a playoff team for good reason. They lost more talent then they acquired. The Charlotte Hornets could offer up their 11th pick, or simply do what other teams do: offer up a young prospect player and a couple of second round draft picks.
Right now, it’s tough to tell who or what will be available. But the Hornets are on borrowed time, and a gun to the head of an NBA GM forces unexpected maneuvers. The Charlotte Hornets simply do not have patience to develop a draft pick. The 76ers, conversely, do.