The 2008-2009 season ended on a bittersweet note for all fans of the New Orleans Hornets. A promising 2007-2008 campaign left fans with high hopes for the Hornets of 2008-2009, who easily bowed out in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Players in New Orleans seemingly gave up on their coach, and morale was at a low point as the season ended.
Things looked like they started coming undone once Tyson Chandler was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a move to save money so that the Hornets would not have to pay the luxury tax. As things turned out, the trade was rescinded and the Hornets were "stuck" with Chandler and his contract. This put a damper on Chandler's enthusiasm and the team's chemistry.
The team has made a few trades, most notably the trade of Peja Stojakovic, a player with tremendous upside (one of the best shooters in the game when hot) who never realized his full potential as a Hornet. The team has made it publicly known that every player on the team is expendable at this point, with the exception of Chris Paul.
During the off-season, we've seen the Lakers make major moves (i.e. Ron Artest), the Mavericks improve their team (i.e. Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden), and the Spurs (i.e. Richard Jefferson) and others have followed suit. Nothing of the sort has taken place in New Orleans, and improvement is a must in such a competitive conference.
The Hornets seem destined to regress once again, all the while paying a luxury tax. Without any major moves on their part, fans in New Orleans will probably look back at the 2007-2008 season as "the best it got", for now at least. Chris Paul is a gift to the NBA, but requires some pieces that the Hornets lack.
Any fan of the Hornets must hope to see some kind of move made before the start of the season. Inaction is bound to lead to disappointment.
Things looked like they started coming undone once Tyson Chandler was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a move to save money so that the Hornets would not have to pay the luxury tax. As things turned out, the trade was rescinded and the Hornets were "stuck" with Chandler and his contract. This put a damper on Chandler's enthusiasm and the team's chemistry.
The team has made a few trades, most notably the trade of Peja Stojakovic, a player with tremendous upside (one of the best shooters in the game when hot) who never realized his full potential as a Hornet. The team has made it publicly known that every player on the team is expendable at this point, with the exception of Chris Paul.
During the off-season, we've seen the Lakers make major moves (i.e. Ron Artest), the Mavericks improve their team (i.e. Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden), and the Spurs (i.e. Richard Jefferson) and others have followed suit. Nothing of the sort has taken place in New Orleans, and improvement is a must in such a competitive conference.
The Hornets seem destined to regress once again, all the while paying a luxury tax. Without any major moves on their part, fans in New Orleans will probably look back at the 2007-2008 season as "the best it got", for now at least. Chris Paul is a gift to the NBA, but requires some pieces that the Hornets lack.
Any fan of the Hornets must hope to see some kind of move made before the start of the season. Inaction is bound to lead to disappointment.
About the Author:
Zack Slattery is an amateur basketball reporter with a passion for the New Orleans Hornets. He's a regular contributor to both the NBA basketball forum and the New Orleans Hornets forum at RootZoo Sports.
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