Throughout the NBA offseason, Season's Over will be examining which perennial bottom feeders may be rising. The opening features of The Path to Prosperity series look at Charlotte's recent futile history and how the Hornets could go from a seven-win team to a potential conference contender.

By Drew Vandemore
Guest Columnist

“With the ninth pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets select…” 

These were the words that came out of NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s mouth last Thursday. For the first time since the 2001 draft (Where ironically enough, the team selected another power forward from Indiana in Kirk Haston), the Charlotte Hornets had a draft pick.

This article is Part 2 of a two-part series that will look to the future of the Charlotte Hornets, how they fared in the 2014 NBA draft, and some ideas for the 2014 free agency period, which starts on Tuesday. Part 1 looked at how the Charlotte Bobcats failed and succeeded in recent years to reach the position they are now in today.

Analyzing the picks

Charlotte had two first round picks in the 2014 draft, receiving the No. 9 overall pick from Detroit to complete the Ben Gordon trade (In the 2012 offseason, Charlotte agreed to send SF Corey Maggette to Detroit for SG Ben Gordon and a future first round pick) and the No. 24 overall pick from Portland to complete the Gerald Wallace trade (At the 2011 trade deadline, Charlotte agreed to trade Gerald Wallace to Portland for a bunch of expiring contracts and two first round picks). The Hornets also sent their own No. 16 overall pick to Chicago to complete the Tyrus Thomas trade from 2010 – thank God the Tyrus Thomas experiment can finally be wiped from our memories – which the Bulls packaged in a deal for Doug McDermott.

Heading into the draft, Charlotte was thought to be eying shooting prowess with the No. 9 overall pick. Most mock drafts and analysts had Charlotte selecting Creighton senior and 2014 Wooden Award Winner Doug McDermott. While there were occasionally rumors of Charlotte being interested in other players such as Louisiana-Lafayette point guard Elfrid Payton or Michigan shooting guard Nik Stauskas, the Charlotte front office had apparently fallen for the 6’7 McDermott. 

When it came time to pick however, the circumstances had changed for Charlotte. Noah Vonleh, an 18-year-old power forward from Indiana was widely considered a Top 5 selection going into the draft. And he was still on the board for the taking. 

Charlotte fans had right to be nervous when Adam Silver walked to the stage, undoubtedly anticipating hearing McDermott’s name, one day forcing talks about how McDermott wasn’t the next Adam Morrison. However something funny happened: Charlotte made the right pick, selecting Vonleh despite him being somewhat repetitive with what they had drafted the previous year.

I love the Vonleh pick for two reasons. First because he oozes potential (Watch this highlight reel and tell me you can’t see the talent this young man has  – just mute the video so your ears don’t begin to bleed), and second because he was the best player available at the time. GM Rich Cho has been quoted multiple times in saying that the organization was going to take a “draft for talent, trade for need” mentality to any draft that he would be a part of, and that is exactly the criteria that the team took with this pick. 

Vonleh has already drawn comparisons to a young LaMarcus Aldridge, most likely because he shot 48 percent from 3-point range in his one season at Indiana and has hands that are reportedly bigger than those of 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. He possesses a solid back to the basket inside game and has the ability to stretch the floor, which makes him an ideal compliment to current starting center, 2014 All NBA 3rd team performer Al Jefferson. 

The drafting of Vonleh also makes the retaining of free agent PF Josh McRoberts less of a necessity. If McRoberts decides to command something larger than say a 4 year deal worth 20 million, the Hornets can afford to let him walk while playing Cody Zeller and Vonleh at the forward spot opposite Jefferson. Noah Vonleh: A

The Hornets were able to work out a trade sending the No. 24 pick (Shabazz Napier) to Miami to acquire the No. 26 pick, the No. 55 pick, and a future second round pick. With the No. 26 selection, the Hornets were able to fulfill their wish of a shooting guard who can shoot, drafting P.J. Hariston from the Texas Legends in the Development League.

Hariston played for the Legends this past season after being dismissed due to legal trouble at UNC. He shot a solid 36 percent from the NBA 3-point line in his one season in the development league, and that should at least remain constant heading into this season.  

This selection seems to be a perfect fit for a team who desperately needed three-point shooting in order to take the next step as a team and free up space for Big Al to work on the block. While I would have been happy with either Hariston or Cleanthony Early, if Hariston can prove to the Hornets that he is truly past his legal problems this pick could end up being a steal late in the first round. P.J. Hariston: B+


The Hornets made two selections in the second round, selecting Stanford PF Dwight Powell with the No. 45 pick and Semaj Christon with the No. 55 pick. Powell is part of a trade that will send him to Cleveland, and Christon has been traded for cash considerations to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The reason I like the Powell pick actually has nothing to do with Powell himself, but rather that he was packaged with Brendan Haywood in a deal that has sent the two big men to Cleveland for Alonzo Gee and his fully non-guaranteed contract. This allows for the Hornets to get an extra $2 million below the salary cap by getting rid of the oft injured Haywood and waiving Gee, giving the Hornets a total of roughly $20 million in money to spend during the offseason this summer. Overall Draft Performance: A-

At the end of the night, Charlotte had successfully set itself up for what is being considered by many as the most important offseason in the young history of the franchise. To guarantee any success going forward, Charlotte must continue to build on the momentum it has gained by the playoff finish from last season and a draft that has been considered a unanimous success amongst its fan base. 

Here are a couple of thoughts on what the team should do with their roughly $20 million dollars in cap space:

1. Make Lance Stephenson the priority: While bigger name teams are busy clearing out space for names like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Charlotte should be putting all of its energy on bringing in the 23-year-old shooting guard. Stephenson has developed extremely well so far in his three seasons in the league, averaging nearly 14 points per game last season while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range. Offering Stephenson, an unrestricted free agent, a 4-year deal worth $40 million dollars might be enough to get him in a Hornet uniform.
2. Address the backup point guard spot: Free agent Ramon Sessions has publicly welcomed the idea of returning to Charlotte for a second stint near home (he is from Myrtle Beach). A 2-year deal worth $8 million should be fair to Ramon, while also leaving the Hornets with a little wiggle room below the cap line.
3. Re-Sign Josh McRoberts: McRoberts was critical in the Bobcats offense last year, playing the role of distributor from the power forward position. Offering McRoberts a 3-year deal worth $15 million seems fair for the value he provides to the Hornets. McRoberts is a unique free agent in that his value largely depends on him being allowed to play a Boris Diaw type role that he currently enjoys in Charlotte. McRoberts is quoted as saying he wants to be back in Charlotte and the Hornets front office has been quoted saying they want to bring him back. Get this done. 
4. Bring back Anthony Tolliver: Tolliver was one of the few bright spots for the Bobcats last season from 3-point range, shooting an incredible 41 percent from beyond the arc. Tolliver made $975,000 last year and presumably could be brought back on a similar, non-guaranteed deal. Tolliver makes sense as a savvy veteran to keep on the roster that can also step in and play SF or PF in a pinch. 
   

If the Hornets are able to pull off each of these four transactions, you could see the following lineups on the floor next year:

That starting lineup has a very good chance at retaining its position as one of the top defensive teams in the league, as adding an above average defender like Stephenson should do nothing to hinder their efficiency on that end. Moving Henderson to the second unit seems to make a lot of sense for both sides, although I believe that Charlotte will be actively shopping his contract at the trade deadline this year. 

Getting Taylor back will be an enormous boost for a unit that really struggled to score the basketball at times last year. Overall this roster is much improved while remaining slightly under the salary cap. 

Looking Ahead

This lineup should be good enough to challenge Washington for the second spot in the Southeast division (Assuming Miami is able to retain their “Big 3” this offseason). If LeBron and Co. leave Miami, Charlotte would have a serious chance at winning the division and obtaining a top 4 seed in the beleaguered Eastern Conference.

'14-'15 Prediction: 50-32, 2nd in the Southeast division and a No. 5 seed in the East. 

 If Miami is able to retain their free agents as expected, a second place finish in the division is certainly not out of the question. Still, although this team may be drastically improved next season, Charlotte fans know better than to expect a Conference Finals appearance for a team that has struggled mightily in recent years. 

Throughout the NBA offseason, Season's Over will be examining which perennial bottom feeders may be rising. The opening features of The Path to Prosperity series look at Charlotte's recent futile history and how the Hornets could go from a seven-win team to a potential conference contender .

By Drew Vandemore
Guest Columnist

It's no stretch to say that all 10 seasons Charlotte's basketball team played under the monicker Bobcats were tough for the city and its fans. From their opening game against the Wizards in 2004 to their final playoff game against Miami in 2014, Charlotte ran through the gauntlet most new franchises must face. But there just might be a light shining brightly at the end of the tunnel.

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series that will look at how the Charlotte Bobcats failed and succeeded in recent years to reach the position it is now in today. Part 2 will look to the future of the Charlotte Hornets, how they fared in the 2014 NBA draft, and some ideas for the 2014 free agency period, which starts on Tuesday. 

Looking Back

Kemba Walker had to expect something different. 

Coming off of a national championship run at the University of Connecticut in 2011, Walker skyrocketed up NBA draft boards. Teams loved his pure athleticism and ability to create his own shot, and that made up for what he lacked in the height department (Walker is barely over 6 feet). 

"I told him it’s time to move on," said then UConn head coach Jim Calhoun told NBA.com. "He’s ready to move on as a man. He’s ready to move on as a basketball player- emotionally and physically." 

The Bobcats, who were coming off of a 34-48 season and were led mostly by then interim head coach Paul Silas, selected Walker No. 9 overall. But with talented players on the roster such as D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, and Gerald Henderson, the Bobcats seemed poised to be able to remain competitive while undergoing a minor rebuilding job for the next few seasons.

Instead, Charlotte chose to go the complete opposite direction and totally empty the cupboards. The Bobcats traded Stephen Jackson to Milwaukee in what was a three way deal between Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Sacramento. That landed the Bobcats SF Corey Maggette and the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 draft, which the Bobcats used to select big man Bismack Biyombo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (On Biyombo's resume is the only triple double performance in the history of the Nike Hoops Summit game, so he seemed as good of a place to work into some rebuilding as any.)

Still, in the 2011 offseason, the Bobcats made absolutely zero effort to improve their roster outside of Kemba Walker. Majority owner Michael Jordan tried to warn the fan base of what was about to happen, but even he could not have envisioned where the upcoming season was heading. 

Herein lies the issue with this decision making: Not only was the season shortened due to a lockout that lasted until Christmas Day (Thank goodness for Charlotte's sake), but because of the inefficiencies of the Bobcats front office – and the old CBA – Charlotte was perfectly content with sucking until they had enough “pieces” to try to contend. 

At one point in this absolute embarrassment of an NBA season, the Bobcats had a starting lineup as follows:

1. D.J. Augustin
   
2. Gerald Henderson
   
3. Corey Maggette
   
4. Eduardo Najera
   
5. Desegana Diop

In his first NBA season, Kemba Walker won about 22 percent of the number of games that he won in his final season at UConn. The 10.6 winning percentage is the worst in NBA history and the seven wins is the fewest by any team if you exclude the 1948 Providence Steamrollers, who were also apparently a professional basketball team.

The Bobcats began to show some competent signs the next offseason despite what the fan base may have thought. GM Rich Cho (The mastermind behind the Biyombo and Walker picks) had a full year on the job and was beginning to show some of the savvy that he had become known for in Oklahoma City, where he established a record as an elite decision maker by drafting Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. 

Charlotte traded Corey Maggette’s expiring contract to Detroit for two years of Ben Gordon’s monster contract and a future first round draft pick. In that draft, Charlotte selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist No. 2 overall (*cough* After the lottery was rigged so the league could entice a high bidder to buy the league owned New Orleans Hornets *cough cough*) before then getting a steal with Vanderbilt’s Jeff Taylor at No. 31 overall.

Charlotte then let Augustin sign with Indiana in free agency to clear the way for Walker to take control of the team. Paul Silas resigned (Fired? Resigned? Forced out? Same thing.) and the team Hired Mike Dunlap, who was an assistant on Steve Lavin’s St. John’s Red Storm team at the time. 

From the George Karl coaching tree, Dunlap was long thought to be head coaching material, but his style seemed to be more applicable to college players.

"Mike Dunlap absolutely elevates every player and team he comes into contact with," said Karl to the Charlotte Observer. "He will take you from good to great. Name any top-level, elite coach in the game – the only difference between Mike and them is their address."

This is what attracted him to owner Michael Jordan at the time due to the fact that the Bobcats had one of the youngest roster’s in the NBA. Jordan felt that this hiring would help progress his young guys while motivating whatever veterans were stuck on this God-forsaken team to give their all. 

While the season started well – the Bobcats were a surprising two games over .500 after the first 12 games of the season – the tide turned quickly. Charlotte finished the season an improved 21-61, but only won 14 of their last 70 games en route to tripling their win total from the previous season. 

Despite this improvement (No NBA team had ever tripled their win total before), the Bobcats fired Mike Dunlap after just one season due to what Rich Cho said was “not a great fit”. Dunlap had become unpopular with a majority of the roster due to his tendency to micromanage and bench veteran players for long periods of time. 

The 2013 offseason then brought a renewed spirit to an absolutely beaten up fan base. Not only did the city of Charlotte manage to acquire the Charlotte Hornets name back for the 2014-2015 season, but the organization made the biggest signing, maybe both literally and metaphorically, in team history: Al Jefferson. 

Big Al has been a dominant low post scorer in the NBA for 10 years, coming straight from high school in Mississippi to the league. Signing a player of Jefferson’s caliber signaled that Charlotte could become a popular destination for free agents if the right pieces were put into place. 

Steve Clifford, a long respected NBA assistant and a disciple of Jeff Van Gundy, was hired as head coach and made an immediate impact on the team. The Bobcats were able to acquire Josh McRoberts at the 2012 trade deadline for Hakim Warrick in what seemed to be a minor deal at the time. However, McRoberts ended up almost being the perfect pairing with Jefferson and Walker, essentially becoming a second point guard on the floor: He averaged 4.3 assists per game from his power forward spot while knocking in a respectable 36 percent from 3-point range. 

In the 2013 draft, Charlotte selected PF Cody Zeller out of Indiana with the No. 4 overall pick. Despite the weak draft class, the Bobcats were able to find arguably the best player selected in the top seven picks. This led to optimism for the upcoming NBA season in  Charlotte for the first time since Larry Brown led the way. 

The Bobcats started the 2013-2014 season rather slowly, at one point falling to 17-25 and again eyeing a lottery selection. Jefferson was dealing with lingering ankle issues from a preseason injury and Zeller was struggling to adapt to the speed of the NBA game. The team limped into the All-Star break at 23-30. 

But something changed midseason in Charlotte. Jefferson got the rest he so badly needed for his ankle and was able to use his All-Star snub as motivation. The team came out blazing in the second half of the season winning their first four games out of the break. In March, the Bobcats beat both the Pacers (Top seed in the East) and Blazers (No. 5 seed in the West) by 30 points. The team went 20-9 after the All-Star break and finished with a record of 43-39, good enough to earn the Bobcats their second ever playoff appearance. 

The Bobcats earned the No. 7 seed in the East, drawing a first round matchup with the two-time defending champs. In the first quarter of the first game against Miami, Al Jefferson tore the plantar fascia in his right foot with the Bobcats leading 21-14. The Bobcats never really stood a chance in the series to begin with, but the injury to Jefferson all but sealed Charlotte's fate. In Game 4 at Time Warner Cable Arena, the Bobcats gave a valiant effort without Jefferson in their final game under the infamous moniker, but ultimately fell to the Heat 109-98.

Now having the ability to judge these decisions, it is obvious where the Bobcats began their misfortunes. Not only has Biyombo failed to turn into anything remotely close to an efficient player in his three full NBA seasons, but players drafted in the same range as him such as Klay Thompson, Alec Burks, and 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard have proven their worth all while doing things that the now Hornets desperately need in order to advance to the next level. 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, while a fan favorite, has a long way to go as an offensive player to live up to the hype of a No. 2 overall pick despite being one of the top young defenders in the league. Zeller struggled heavily in the first part of the 2014 season but seemed to progress nicely after the All-Star break, finding his groove by playing closer to the basket and finding garbage baskets and making hustle plays. 

There may be some well-justified buzz surrounding these new Hornets, but whether the moves in recent years have indeed set Charlotte up for success still remain to be seen.