Charlotte Hornets: Their one big problem and how Myles Turner could be an answer

The one big problem with the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Charlotte Hornets are quickly becoming a feisty little team that can no longer be ignored. Their pace and quick-hitting style of play has captured the attention of league pass viewers across the nation and now the once thought to be mundane franchise is being seen by some as a serious contender to make a run in the playoffs.

The Hornets are currently third in the league in pace and 28 games into their season they are also second in offensive rating. LaMelo Ball has proven he is the real deal as the quarterback of the Hornets offense and will be a force to reckon with for years to come.

With all that said, why are the Hornets still not in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference? What makes them different from top-tier teams in their conference. Well, a wise man once said that defense wins championships, and that sentence alone gives all you need to know about the shortcomings. of the Buzz City boys.

The Hornets are currently 30th in the league in defensive rating. With what should theoretically be solid defenders across the board in the various long, athletic wings and guards on the squad, we now look to the center of the court to find the center of these defensive issues.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Mason Plumlee. The clip of him causing his defender to stumble with a smooth one-handed ball fake and taking it to the rack for the slam has lived in my head for months whenever I hear his name uttered.

He is a solid rotation big and is valuable to this team. Now, let’s look at the numbers. Charlotte allows 49.2 points in the paint so far this season, 29th in the league. They allow 15.4 second-chance shot opportunities, 29th in the league.

They allow the 29th most rebounds per game at 47.8. I could go on and on with more statistics but my main point is that much of the lack of assertiveness on the defensive end seems to point to a lack of a true rim-protecting and rebounding presence.

I want to be clear I am not putting the responsibility of the Hornets defensive anchor upon one person. The other bigs on the roster are Nick Richards, PJ Washington, JT Thor, Vernon Carey, and Kai Jones. PJ Washington is a good player and I have a lot of stock for him in the future. He is the most qualified out of this group but personally, I don’t see him fitting the mold that they need in a tough-nosed, rim-protecting rebounder at his size and play style.

The rest of the bigs on the roster have potential but are all seemingly too young and raw at the moment. I believe Kai Jones could possibly be what they need down the road but his development will take time before that day comes.

This team is competitive night in and night out. They have pushed the best teams in the league right to the end and have been victors in several big games. The parity of the league is at a very interesting place right now and Charlotte has pieces to acquire a big via trade. Myles Turner is the most intriguing name that seems to reoccur when talking about potential moves. His shot-blocking presence along with steady offensive game would be a picture-perfect match on this talented young team.

The future is bright in Charlotte and it’s only looking up from here for the up-and-coming franchise. In an ever-changing league landscape, the front office should always be aggressive in searching for ways to improve the roster while they have a talent like Ball leading it.

Superstars don’t come around often, and if Ball is going to keep improving and be as good as many think he will be, then constantly searching for ways to surround him with more supplemental talent should be on the top of the front office’s list.