Charlotte Hornets

Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Find Winning Formula, Move on From MKG?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:08 p.m. ET

Fansided, Jerry Stephens/FanSided via Swarm and Sting

Buzz City Beat is a daily update for the newest and best news, stories, and articles on the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a blowout victory over the Toronto Raptors as they won their second straight game at home. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the team’s winning formula, moving on from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and how the new CBA affects the Hornets.

Hornets Find Winning Formula

“Decent defense relieves pressure on offense. After a lackluster performance on the road in which they lost all five games and fell under .500 for the first time this season, the Charlotte Hornets have played with purpose at home. Holding Portland and Toronto under 100 points at Spectrum Center, Charlotte stands 8-1 in their last nine home games and 15-1 when holding opponents to under 100 points per game.” (CharlottePost.com)

Steve Clifford has built the Hornets up with good defense. It is the backbone of their success and no matter how many offensive weapons they add, they are still a defense first team. Charlotte’s defense gives them energy and when they are inspired on that side of the ball, they have a much better chance at winning games. That has been clear in their last few outings. They will only go as far as their defense takes them.

More from Swarm and Sting

Is This the Best MKG We Can Expect?

“It may be time to do one of two things, move Kidd-Gilchrist to the bench where the Hornets struggle on defense, or pick up the phone to see what value he has to other teams. The reality is unless MKG can massively improve on offense, the Hornets can’t afford for a hustle guy to be a starter any longer.” (QueenCityHoops.com)

This article highlights the downfalls of MKG and there are many to consider. He is arguably the Hornets’ most inconsistent starter and most offensively inept. While I love the hustle and energy that Kidd-Gilchrist brings to the team, one has to think that a two-way wing could vastly improve this Charlotte team. So unless Michael is going to develop an offensive game, then I say they have to try to move him for a more all-around player.

How the New CBA Affects Charlotte

“The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association made it official Thursday that the two sides have signed a new collective bargaining agreement. That means pro basketball won’t be interrupted by a work stoppage before the summer of 2022 at the earliest. That is great news for the sport and reflective of the exceptional prosperity around the NBA, thanks primarily to new national television contracts with ESPN/ABC and Turner Sports. The NBA distributed a summary of the terms of the new CBA to media Thursday evening. A few key points, and how those terms might affect the Charlotte Hornets:” (CharlotteObserver.com)

Rookie salary amounts rising, cash limits in trades increasing, a shorter waiting period to extend veterans contracts, matching offer sheets, two-way contracts, and a shortened preseason are all the talking points of this article. All of these will slightly affect the Charlotte Hornets in some way over the coming years. All of these are improvements but the two-way contracts are the most intriguing. It allows teams to invest more players, money, and contracts into their D-League affiliates.