NBA Fantasy Team Analysis: The New Orleans Hornets

This team is all about a stud point guard and a bunch of spare parts. If its big free agent doesn’t re-sign with the team, the New Orleans Hornets could be one of the more unappealing NBA teams for fantasy owners. With nearly half of its roster on the market, the Hornets will be a team to monitor whenever the league resumes.

Depth chart:
PG: Chris Paul, Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks*
SG: Marco Belinelli**, Willie Green*
SF: Trevor Ariza, Quincy Pondexter, Patrick Ewing Jr.
PF: David West*, Carl Landry*, Jason Smith*, David Andersen
C: Emeka Okafor, Aaron Gray*, DJ Mbenga*

* unrestricted free agent
** restricted free agent

Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
– Chris Paul, PG (Rd. 1): 48% FG, 85% FT, 1 Three, 18 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 2.3 Stl, 2.5 TO
– David West, PF (Rd. 5): 50% FG, 85% FT, 18.5 Pts, 7.5 Reb, 2.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.8 Blk, 2 TO
– Trevor Ariza, SG/SF (Rd. 8): 40% FG, 70% FT, 1.3 Threes, 13.5 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 2.5 Ast, 1.7 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 2 TO
– Emeka Okafor, C (Rd. 9): 55% FG, 57% FT, 12 Pts, 10 Reb, 0.5 Ast, 0.7 Stl, 1.7 Blk, 2 TO
– Marco Belinelli, SG (Rd. 13+): 43% FG, 80% FT, 1.5 Threes, 10 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 1 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 1 TO
– Jarrett Jack, PG/SG (Rd. 13+): 40% FG, 85% FT, 0.3 Threes, 9 Pts, 2 Reb, 2.5 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 1 TO

Sleeper:
Jack

Most likely to surprise:
Okafor

Most likely to disappoint:
Paul

Category specialists:
– Threes: Belinelli
– Steals: Paul, Ariza

Things to consider:
– Paul’s health
– West’s free-agency status
– Who the Hornets can re-sign and add to their roster

Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
– Pts: 27th
– FGM: 26th
– FGA: T-26th
– FG%: 18th
– FT%: 15th
– 3PTM: T-22nd
– Reb: T-24th
– Ast: T-21st
– TO: T-1st
– Stl: T-8th
– Blk: T-20th
– Pace: 29th
– Offensive Efficiency: 19th
– Defensive Efficiency: T-8th

Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.

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