National Basketball Association

Charlotte Hornets: Top Five Preseason Performers

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:30 p.m. ET

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Oct 10, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; A general view of Time Warner Cable Arena prior to the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Hornets didn’t have a great preseason this year but they did have some outstanding individual performers who made their mark.

The Charlotte Hornets only had a 3-4 record in their seven preseason games this year but the record for meaningless games isn’t important. After losing their first three games, the team came back to win three straight before dropping their final match. A few players were able to make a good impression with their play during the exhibition games.

The Hornets had to endure a good amount of injuries during the preseason as they were already without Cody Zeller who had a prior injury. They also lost Marvin Williams after four games and Brian Roberts who was limited to only two games. Perry Ellis only appeared in the preseason finale and Frank Kaminsky suffered a minor injury in that one as well.

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The team as a whole played well enough and Steve Clifford should be pleased with their performances ahead of the regular season. Charlotte’s preseason wasn’t as good as last year when they went 7-1 and won their first seven exhibition games but it wasn’t a disaster either this season. The record isn’t as important as the team and individual players performances.

This list isn’t so much for players like Kemba Walker or Nicolas Batum who already have secured starting spots and are the team’s star players. It is to point out the surprising play from role players or bench guys who rarely get their chances. These five players made the most of the preseason and for whatever reason impressed. They needed to play well and did so this year.

Their great preseason play should give them momentum and confidence going into the regular season opener. With new players this year and guys returning from injury, the preseason was a great chance for them to build chemistry. These five players really stood out and may have earned themselves some extra playing time this season.

Oct 8, 2016; Uncasville, CT, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Christian Wood (35) goes up against Boston Celtics forward Jordan Mickey (55) in a preseason game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

5. Christian Wood

Christian didn’t play as well as she of the other players on the team but in his first season with the Hornets, he did just enough in the preseason. The young, athletic power forward has plenty of potential and that’s what we saw from him. It wasn’t all good and he only played 14.8 minutes per game in five matches but he was good enough.

The 6’11 big man only averaged 5.6 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game but he was able to showcase his upside in a few instances. In the team’s third game, Wood scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds for his best performance. That game is exactly why fans and the Hornets’ organization are excited about Christian.

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The 21-year old will likely spend the majority of the season with the Greensboro Swarm in the D-League where he can continue to improve his skills. In the preseason finale where he got 27 minutes of game action, Christian only scored seven points and had three rebounds. He is simply not consistent enough yet.

It would’ve been nice to see more of Wood during the preseason but coach Clifford only played him in a limited fashion. If a big goes down with an injury this season, Christian will fill in for them in the rotation. He is somewhat of an emergency big man for the Hornets this year.

Oct 20, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert (55) tries to shoot as he is defended by Miami Heat center Willie Reed (35) during the second half of the game at the Spectrum Center. Hornets win 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

4. Roy Hibbert

After a career-worst season with the Los Angeles Lakers last year, Hibbert is looking to bounce back this season. He showed what he was capable of during the preseason when he started in all seven games for the Hornets. With Cody Zeller’s injury, Roy very well could be the team’ starter for opening night and for the entire season.

The former all-star averaged 6.3 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 1.9 blocks per game. His rebounding ability and interior defense are the main reasons why Charlotte signed the big man this summer. If Hibbert can keep up his outstanding work on the boards and continues to block shots at a high level, he will enjoy a successful season with the Hornets.

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Roy needed a strong preseason to secure a big role and possibly a starting spot under Steve Clifford. In my eyes, he did enough to lock up the starting center role for not only opening night but for the entire regular season unless Zeller returns and begins to outplay him.

I think the breakout showing from the 7’2 center was unexpected but a welcome surprise. If he can return to near all-star level form, Hibbert could be one of the most important players for the Hornets. He will need to keep up his great play to help lead Charlotte to success.

Oct 21, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

After suffering a serious injury last preseason, all eyes were on MKG this year. Many were worried that he would get injured again or that he would have lost a step because he hasn’t been fully healthy in some time. Kidd-Gilchrist came out with no restrictions and played at a high level every game.

The 6’7 small forward averaged 7.9 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in 24 minutes per game. MKG started in all seven preseason games and was usually the most active player on the court. Although his shooting was lacking at only 31.4% from the field, the rustiness is expected and that should improve once the regular season begins.

Michael’s best game came against the Miami Heat when he had a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. He almost had second double-double versus the Chicago Bulls as he scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds. That should be regular occurrence from MKG this season as he is active on the boards night in and night out.

Even though his shooting was disappointing, just seeing Kidd-Gilchrist back on the court and staying healthy is enough to place him on this list. He will be the starting small forward so a strong preseason performance was necessary for his confidence and for Steve Clifford to be comfortable playing him. His hustle play, defense, and rebounding will be on display every night as it was in the preseason.

Oct 21, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb (3) dribbles past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jeremy Lamb

Lamb is a scoring machine and he showcased his offensive ability in the preseason but that’s not enough for Steve Clifford. The Hornets’ head coach was publicly vocal about the poor defensive play of Jeremy this preseason. That was a low point but Jeremy bounced back and continued to play well.

The 6’5 wing player averaged 10.1 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game. He was one of only four players on the team to average over 10 points per game. Lamb needed a strong preseason to counteract him being benched at the end of last year.

He scored 16 points on two occasions this preseason and had a double-double with 10 rebounds in one of those games. Although he played well on offense, there wasn’t much of an improvement to his defense. That could be upsetting to fans and the coaching staff alike. Lamb may be fighting for minutes with Marco Belinelli this season.

While I think that the hornets need Jeremy’s scoring ability this year, Clifford won’t play guys that he doesn’t trust on defense. The talent is there and Lamb showed that he is an athletic wing who can contribute to this team. Hopefully he can put it all together and have a career season and continue his scoring that he had int he preseason.

1. Frank Kaminsky

The Hornets’ second year big man was easily the team’s best player this preseason. Kaminsky was the most consistent player and was the leading scorer. Charlotte will both be looking for him to have a breakout season after a sub-par rookie year.

Frank averaged 11.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 1.1 assists per game in 25.8 minutes of play. He played in all seven of the team’s preseason games and started in place of Marvin Williams after he went down with his injury. The former Wisconsin Badger may be the Hornets’ starting power forward if Marvin’s injury lingers.

His great performance in the preseason is a promising sign for the season ahead. Many were critical of Kaminsky coming out of college and that continued into his rookie season. He was able to answer some questions about his strength, rebounding, and offensive post game this preseason as he played better than expected in all of those facets.

Fans, coaches, and the organization are hoping for Frank Kaminsky to be an important player for the team this year. He is an important with the second unit as the first big man used off of the bench. It will be interesting to watch him pay this season.

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