How will Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum and the Charlotte Hornets do in 2016-17?
Here are our player scouting reports and analyses.
Projected starters
Kemba Walker
Position: Guard
Experience: 5 years
Age: 26
Scouting report
+ Shoot-first point guard just hitting his prime
+ Showed improved efficiency via a more prolific and accurate 3-point game last season
+ Average playmaker with exceptional ball-protection skills
Analysis
Coming off his best season, Walker is one of the bargains of the NBA. Charlotte has Walker on the hook for three more seasons at $12 million annually, including 2016-17. This for a player who just finished 13th in the NBA in WARP and nearly carried the Hornets to a first-round win over Miami. That is, before Walker had a Game 7 clunker, scoring just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting.
Still, Walker is just hitting his prime, has climbed into the upper tiers of his position and sports RPMs that are positive on both ends of the floor. To have him under that bargain contract in this salary-cap environment -- it's kind of like finding a Van Gogh sitting in a rack under a flashing blue light.
And yet, as the Hornets continue to cede more of their offense to Walker, you wonder how far he can take them. With an offensive game more focused on the 3-point line, he was more efficient than ever, even as more of his game shifted toward scoring.
His 37.1 percent mark from deep marked the first time he surpassed the league average, though you have to worry whether that means he's ripe for regression. He shot well from the corners, but that's not usually a priority for point guards, and with Jeremy Lin gone, Walker is likely to spend less time off the ball in 2016-17.
His efficiency also was boosted by a career-best campaign around the basket, both in drawing fouls and finishing. He remains below average as a finisher, and if a clean-up procedure that was done to his knee after the season lingers in the form of in-the-paint struggles, that's another area where a regression in efficiency could be a concern.
With an assist rate forecast that ranks just 42nd at point guard, Walker remains at his best looking for his own shot. However, he's a very low-turnover player for his position and a big reason why the Hornets have led the league in this area over the last three seasons under Steve Clifford. Walker has also fit Clifford's similar do-no-harm approach to defense by putting up very low foul rates.
With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returning to the lineup full time, bringing with him more athleticism than his 2015-16 stand-ins but less shooting, Clifford might want to push the tempo. That initiative would show Walker in a different light and put his ball-protection and playmaking skills to the test. The latter is the next frontier in the development of a second-tier star still young enough to get better.
Nicolas Batum
Position: Guard
Experience: 8 years
Age: 27
Scouting report
+ Long, versatile wing with efficient jump-shooting game
+ Skilled passer who sometimes is too unselfish, leading to flurries of turnovers
+ Solid, versatile defender a tick better than average
Analysis
The Hornets took a gamble last offseason when they sent away lottery pick Noah Vonleh to Portland in a deal that brought Batum to Carolina for the last year of his contract. Batum's offensive role had been shrinking for the Blazers for years; his usage rate peaked in 2011-12 and declined each season before he reached the Hornets. Charlotte needed shot creation and shooting alike, and not only had Batum's contribution been marginalized, but his efficiency had slipped to a career-worst true shooting percentage of .516 in 2015-16. But Hornets GM Rich Cho felt like Batum could do more and do it better.
Cho must have also figured that once Batum revisited the sensations of being a featured player and got to know Charlotte coach Steve Clifford, he'd be able to keep Batum around even with money flying all over the place during the summer. Cho was right all around: Batum enjoyed his best season in years and then re-upped with the Hornets on a five-year, $120 million deal. Now the pressure is really on.
Batum pulled off the nifty dual trick of not only jumping his usage rate nearly 7 percent in the prime of his career but also improving his efficiency. Part of it was simply a more accurate catch-and-shoot game: He had roughly the same rate of unassisted 3-pointers as the season before, but his overall percentage from deep climbed from 32.4 percent to 34.8. However, he was a lot more aggressive off the bounce, taking more shots inside the arc and creating more of them on his own. If Batum can convert more of those pull-up midrange jumpers into damage in the paint, his efficiency can continue to climb.
The larger role didn't lead to a spike in Batum's turnover rate, which was up only a few ticks from his complementary gig in Portland. On the other hand, Batum remains one of the more turnover-prone wings in the NBA. That he didn't do better in this area under Clifford, who is a successful practitioner of ball-protecting offense, is a concern. Batum did put up a career-best assist rate and is in the upper end of the scale among wings. With Jeremy Lin gone, Batum's playmaking might be featured more prominently going forward.
This season, Batum will form a long, athletic defensive wing combo with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as opposed to the more 3-and-D types he was typically paired with last season. Batum is a solid defender with the versatility to defend both wing spots and certain stretch 4s, the last trait allowing Clifford to play fast when needed. Of course, that might be MKG's best role as well.
We got a teeny 70-minute preview last season of Charlotte's projected lineup this season, with Batum at 2 next to Kidd-Gilchrist, and according to 82games.com, that configuration outscored opponents by 25 points per 100 possessions. Since the Hornets' bench might be thinner this time around, Clifford will be looking for a similar impact from his starting five, so in a group with less spacing, Batum will have to show he can retain last season's gains.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Position: Forward
Experience: 4 years
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Dynamic playmaking defender and rebounder
+ Elite floor-runner and foul-drawer when on the attack
+ Has shown progress fixing poor form on jumper but remains reluctant to shoot
Analysis
The offseason of 2015 went well enough for Kidd-Gilchrist. He worked on his herky-jerky jump shot and late in the summer signed a four-year, $52 million extension to his rookie deal that begins this season.
From there, it all went south. Kidd-Gilchrist suffered a torn labrum during the preseason, returned for seven games before the All-Star break, then suffered the same injury, wiping out the rest of his campaign. Meanwhile, the Hornets rode their new offensive system to a playoff slot and nearly escaped the first round, all without their most talented defender. Yet, even in his limited minutes, Kidd-Gilchrist showed signs that he's about to ascend to a higher performance tier.
First, he has to stay on the court. Here's the progression of games played during MKG's first four pro seasons: 78, 62, 55, 7. The injuries are bad enough, but it's even worse that they have piled up while Kidd-Gilchrist is at an age when he should be maxing out on development.
Still, on a per-possession basis, he was better than ever in his small sample of minutes. While Kidd-Gilchrist has remained reluctant to shoot outside of the paint, when he did he shot pretty well, going 3-of-7 from 3-point range and 4-of-9 from midrange. He became a more efficient finisher, hitting 62.2 percent in the restricted area, per NBA.com/stats, and retained a high foul-drawing rate.
MKG doesn't have to be a great offensive player to be a star in the NBA, but given his natural ability and still-tender age, you don't want to write him off as a specialist yet, either.
Kidd-Gilchrist is projected for a defensive RPM of 2.5, ranking third among small forwards. He has been as high as plus-3.6 and has all-NBA talent on that end. He's a high-level rebounder and shot-blocker for his position, though his ability to play the passing lanes is reined in by Steve Clifford's disciplined defensive scheme. Still, Kidd-Gilchrist is a game-changer on defense, and if he shows that he's shaken off the injury woes and built on the offensive progress we saw a glimpse of a season ago, this could be a breakout campaign for him.
Marvin Williams
Position: Forward
Experience: 11 years
Age: 30
Scouting report
+ Versatile combo forward who has developed into more of a stretch 4 in recent years
+ Plus defender and improved defensive rebounder
+ Excellent standstill shooter from midrange to the corners
Analysis
Williams enjoyed the best of his 11 NBA seasons in 2015-16, stepping up just at the right time to help Charlotte withstand injuries to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The timing was good for Williams as well: He signed a four-year, $54.5 million deal to stay in Charlotte after hitting unrestricted free agency over the summer.
Reports were that Williams could have made more elsewhere but that he likes Charlotte and coach Steve Clifford. Given that fellow returning UFA Nicolas Batum stuck around for less than a max deal, the Hornets are emerging as the kind of franchise that players want to play for. It has not always been that way.
A combo forward who now mostly plays as a stretch 4, Williams put up a career-best true shooting percentage of .585 last season. He had career bests on 2s and 3s and even upped his free throw percentage from .713 to .833, all while turning the ball over at near-career-low levels.
About one-third of Williams' looks come on corner 3s and midrange shots, which gives you an idea of where his sweet spots are and why his offensive RPM (plus-2.08) reflects that of a good floor-spacer. According to NBA.com/stats, Williams had a .591 effective field goal percentage in catch-and-shoot situations and ranked seventh overall in points on those looks. He's not going to do much off the dribble these days and is a finisher, not a facilitator. But his stand-still shooting has become so good that he doesn't have to force things, keeping his turnover rate low.
What makes Williams' skill set work is his improvement as a rebounder. He grabbed 18.6 percent of opponents' misses last season, the best rate of his career. It's not an elite rate for a power forward, but the upgrade, in conjunction with his ability to hold up defensively against even burlier power forwards, has helped make Williams a valuable cog for a playoff team.
Cody Zeller
Position: Center
Experience: 3 years
Age: 24
Scouting report
+ Athletic banger at best crashing the boards and running the floor
+ Hornets' best at drawing contact and getting to the line
+ A solid team defender but not a great rim protecting option
Analysis
Is he a forward or a center? Is he a banger or a spacer? Is he a little bit of all the above, or none of them?
As Zeller enters his fourth NBA season and becomes eligible for an extension, we're still trying to figure out what he is and how his game will develop. Mostly, that's because so much of his impact currently seems hidden. Here's what we know: With Al Jefferson now in Indiana, this will be a big season for Zeller.
Zeller started 60 games last season and posted a career-best 2.7 WARP, ranking 119th in the league, largely functioning as the Hornets' primary pivot with Jefferson ailing. He remains a complementary offensive player largely tasked with throwing his body around and clogging up the middle despite a weight deficit against most NBA centers. While his per-possession stats don't jump out at you, the Hornets were 2.8 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor, per 82games.com.
On offense, Zeller primarily sets screens and runs to the rim in transition and in pursuit of offensive boards. He's effective in those capacities and has a knack for drawing frequent contact in the paint. Zeller's jumper is a work in progress, and it was less frequent and less effective last season. He shot just 26.4 percent from midrange and was 1-of-10 from 3-point range. Since Zeller hasn't developed as a post or isolation player, it's imperative that his face-up game come along. Reportedly, that was an area of focus for his offseason workouts.
On defense, Zeller was Charlotte's best rim-protecting option in the middle, which is the primary reason he ran with Steve Clifford's starting five. He's well below average as a shot-blocker, and while his .481 percentage allowed at the rim, per NBA.com/stats, ranked second on Charlotte, it was well down the list of centers and power forwards across the league. In other words, Zeller played the middle because he was Clifford's best option, not because he's great at it.
Still, Zeller is a quite capable all-around defender, with a defensive RPM forecast (plus-3.2) that ranks fourth at his position.
Reserves
Frank Kaminsky
Position: Forward
Experience: 1 year
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Slick-shooting big man with legitimate catch-and-shoot skills
+ Needs to get stronger inside the arc to become a factor in the post
+ Was overpowered too often on defense as a rookie
Analysis
The skill side of the pro game came a little more quickly to Kaminsky during his rookie season than the physical side. Expected to be the rare floor-spacing center as he was at Wisconsin, Kaminsky more or less lived up to his billing as a rookie, or at least he did if you think he'll build on his 33.7 percent mark from 3-point range. He showed a knack for finding teammates and rarely turned the ball over. Good starting points.
Kaminsky needs to be stronger inside the arc if he's going to take advantage of opponents seeking to hide a smaller defender on him. He shot just 45.5 percent on 2-pointers and posted a middling foul-drawing rate.
Kaminsky needs to make even more progress on the defensive end. He had defensive rebound and block percentages lower than combo forward teammates Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams. According to NBA.com/stats, he allowed 54.5 percent shooting at the rim. Word at training camp is that Kaminsky beefed up over the summer and now is about 20 pounds heavier.
Kaminsky underwent a minor, if odd, procedure over the summer to relieve a pocket of air in his chest wall. The malady isn't expected to linger into preseason, though it did cut down on his summer workouts. Still, we should get a better idea of what kind of NBA player he is going to be during his second season.
Marco Belinelli
Position: Guard
Experience: 9 years
Age: 30
Scouting report
+ Effective long-range shooter, albeit a bit too inconsistent to be a specialist
+ Below-average playmaker for a wing
+ Terrible defender, especially in the team concept
Analysis
In one of the more perplexing moves of the summer, the Hornets traded for Belinelli to fill the void left by Jeremy Lin, who was seeking a starting opportunity in the free-agent market. Whereas Lin was a perfect fit for Charlotte's bench last season, Belinelli might not be the ideal replacement for him, or anyone else for that matter. A nine-year veteran who has turned 30, he has compiled 1.8 WARP in his career, with his only truly effective campaigns coming during his two seasons with the Spurs. His season in Sacramento was his worst yet, and he struggled badly from 3-point range. Since he is increasingly less active in the paint, usually settling for midrange jumpers if he's trying to create for himself, much of his offensive value is tied to his 3-point accuracy. A normal regression would help, and SCHOENE projects him to rebound to 34 percent, which would still be below league average.
Slow-footed and uninterested, Belinelli has always fancied himself a more capable playmaker and all-around scorer than he really is, and sometimes that hurts his efficiency. He's a middling passer even for a wing, and when he tries to do too much, turnovers are a problem. Worse yet, Belinelli is a train wreck on defense. His combined rebound, steal and block rates are among the worst in the league. His defensive RPMs have ranged between minus-2.2 and minus-3.2 over the past four years. He has the length to defend shots, but because he doesn't force mistakes and fouls when opponents put the ball on the floor, he allowed 1.05 points per isolation last season, ranking in the bottom 15 percent of the league, per Synergy Sports Technologies.
Belinelli's production, when it happens, tends to occur in a vacuum. The latest example of this came during his one season with the Kings, who were outscored by 6.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. Sure, but that's the Kings, right? They're terrible. Maybe, but get this: With Belinelli off the floor the Kings were outscored by just 15 points over 2,289 minutes -- basically break even. That's why SCHOENE projects him to put up a minus-5.2 RPM in the coming season. There's a reason why Vlade Divac was so quick to unload Belinelli, who is on the books for just $13 million over the next two seasons.
Ramon Sessions
Position: Guard
Experience: 9 years
Age: 30
Scouting report
+ Quick, shoot-first backup point guard who runs the pick-and-roll effectively
+ Capable playmaker, though he's most comfortable getting own shot
+ Lack of defensive acumen has long limited his role in the NBA
Analysis
The well-traveled Sessions inked a two-year, $12.3 million deal over the summer, though the second year is a team option. This was a low-risk acquisition for the Hornets, and it might turn out to be a key one. Sessions might be more apt than Marco Belinelli to provide some of the off-the-bench playmaking and scoring Charlotte got last season from Jeremy Lin. Like Lin, Sessions is a solid playmaker for a shoot-first point guard and has always been able to get his own shot and run the pick-and-roll. He's one of the best foul-drawers around once he gets into the paint. If Sessions could improve his perimeter shot as Lin did, he might enable Steve Clifford to use Kemba Walker-Sessions lineups that replicate what he got from Walker-Lin configurations last season.
The shooting spike might be wishful thinking, but it really depends on whether Sessions' percentages last season were a fluke. He hit only 32.4 percent from 3-point range, which is good for him, but shot 41.4 percent from the corners and 50.6 percent from midrange. His catch-and-shoot numbers were average. Still, Sessions-John Wall lineups outscored opponents by 5.8 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com/stats, 2.8 points better than what the Hornets got from Walker-Lin groups. Sessions is a consistently poor defender who at least does a solid job of rebounding for his position. But you have to be worried about Charlotte's perimeter defense from any second-unit lineups that feature a Sessions-Belinelli pairing.
Roy Hibbert
Position: Center
Experience: 8 years
Age: 29
Scouting report
+ Lumbering traditional center with declining rim-protection skills
+ Rebounds more like a small forward than a center
+ Has long been inefficient as a post scorer; now has increasing difficulty getting touches and looks
Analysis
There was a time not so long ago when Hibbert was among the most impactful defenders in the league. Nevertheless, even when Hibbert was at his best, smart teams could game-plan him off the court with effective floor-spacing unless he made them pay on the offensive end. Eventually, he just became obsolete in a league that now values size but not too much size. Hibbert's block and rebound rates continue to fall. His percentages on the glass would not be out of place for a good rebounding wing. His defensive RPM slipped to plus-1.05 last season, not nearly enough to off-set his minus-3.9 showing on offense.
In relative terms, Hibbert immediately becomes the best rim protector the Hornets have. If he is able to recover some of his Indiana-era mobility, Steve Clifford has to love the idea of Hibbert at the back of a defensive unit that features Michael-Kidd Gilchrist and Nicolas Batum on the perimeter. Yet it's hard to see a soon-to-be 30-year-old, 7-foot-2 center suddenly finding untapped wells of spring in his knees. His 13 percent usage rate last season was a career low by orders of magnitude, yet another bit of evidence that he's lapsing into a prolonged end-of-the-bench backup role to close out his career. Clifford is a terrific coach who gets production out of players who have flailed elsewhere. Hibbert signed a one-year, $5 million deal to resurrect his career in Charlotte. You get the feeling that if it doesn't happen for him this season, it's not going to happen again.
Jeremy Lamb
Position: Forward
Experience: 4 years
Age: 24
Scouting report
+ Bouncy wing with ability to create shots for himself with middling efficiency
+ Improved defender with a stronger body; uses athleticism to his advantage
+ Inconsistent catch-and-shoot threat with the potential to be good in that role
Analysis
During his first season with the Hornets, Lamb took a different route to the same bottom line. While that might read like an indictment of his development, it might lead to him becoming a more well-rounded and effective player going forward. The Hornets hope so, because not only do they have Lamb for three more guaranteed seasons, but they desperately need his production on a depth chart that looks a little thin at the wing positions. His 2.3 WARP last season was a career best, though on a per-possession basis, his winning percentage (.505) was nearly identical to what he did his last season in Oklahoma City (.504). Nevertheless, the way Lamb went about getting those numbers worked for the Hornets and might bode well for his immediate future.
Lamb became more focused on creating offense for himself after spending much of his time as a spot-up player for the Thunder. His usage rate climbed 2.3 percent, and a higher portion of his possessions were used inside the arc, where he proved to be an effective midrange shooter. His floor game improved as well, and his rebound, steal and block rates climbed. Lamb is more physically mature now, and it shows in his defensive numbers. His RPM climbed to plus-1.87, putting him above break-even overall. All of this improvement happened even while his 3-point percentage (.309) was down from his OKC levels. If Lamb consolidates all of these improvements and gets over the league average from deep, the Hornets will have a long-term rotation player on their hands.
Spencer Hawes
Position: Center
Experience: 9 years
Age: 28
Scouting report
+ Perimeter-shooting center with 3-point range
+ Takes too many midrange shots and is a low-efficiency post player
+ Skilled passer who you can sometimes run the offense through
Analysis
Hawes has always been an enigmatic player. He's capable of putting up numbers if you give him the minutes, but if you give him the minutes, you're probably not that good. He has a clear set of strengths. First and foremost, he's a legitimate seven-footer with a 3-point stroke, albeit a fickle one. He's a league-average shooter in the long haul, but within seasons he's up and down to a maddening extent. Still, he'd be fine if he were better inside the arc. Hawes is consistent there, but that's not a good thing. He shot just 42 percent on 2-pointers last season, and SCHOENE projects him to finish 86th among 88 centers in that area this season.
As a rebounder, Hawes is merely adequate on the defensive end. He's not a high-level rim protector, though his defensive RPM last season (plus-2.1) reflected his place on a second unit that defended better than Charlotte's first unit. Overall, you'd like to see Hawes cut some of the fat from his game: Take fewer chances with the ball, though that could undermine some legitimately fine passing skills. Ease up on the midrange shots and get on the glass. He's a fungible player but not a bad one. His place on this year's Hornets is uncertain. Charlotte surely hopes that Frank Kaminsky develops into a better version of Hawes, and the Hornets added Roy Hibbert as a defensive presence in the pivot.
Position: Guard
Experience: 4 years
Age: 30
Scouting report
+ Quick, streaky offensive point guard
+ Plays under control
+ Undersized and ineffective defender
Analysis
Roberts signed a one-year minimum deal in an attempt to keep his NBA career going after he got a career-low 474 minutes a season ago. Roberts is a third-string point guard who has always tantalized with streaky scoring ability. He has the ability to create shots, particularly against fellow reserves, but what keeps him employed is the wisdom to save his aggression for when it's needed. He plays under control, a trait reflected not just in his shot selection, but in his solid turnover rate. He's a small, ineffective defender, and the Hornets would love to see young Aaron Harrison usurp Roberts on the depth chart. A basketball survivor, Roberts will make sure that's easier said than done.
Aaron Harrison
Position: Guard
Experience: 1 year
Age: 21
Scouting report
+ Attacking guard good at drawing contact and taking defenders off the dribble
+ Has defensive versatility to play three perimeter positions
+ Needs to develop catch-and-shoot game to play on the wing
Analysis
With a little offensive acumen, Harrison has a chance to become a defense-oriented combo player who brings size and physicality to the Charlotte backcourt and wing mixes. He didn't get much court time as a rookie, logging most of his minutes in the D-League. Harrison showed some impressive scoring and off-the-bounce skills in that circuit, logging averages of 21.2 points and 8.2 foul shots per 36 minutes. His playmaking is a work in progress, but he is at his best with the ball in his hands. Still, his ability to develop off the ball might dictate Harrison's immediate playing-time prospects. If he can develop a pull-up shot and demonstrate the ability to run the pick-and-roll, Harrison could eventually be used at all three perimeter positions.
Christian Wood
Position: Forward
Experience: 1 year
Age: 21
Scouting report
+ Rangy, thin big-man prospect
+ Skilled interior scorer with potential to become a face-up spacer
+ Needs to add strength as rest of game develops
Analysis
The Hornets signed Wood on a make-good contract to see if he can become a force as a stretch big in the NBA. Early in his pro career, he has shown he has a long way to go. He hit just 25 percent from 3-point range in the D-League last season, though he showed a full range of scoring skills at that level. Wood averaged 21.6 points and 11.8 boards per 36 minutes for Delaware. He showed solid skills as a team defender but struggled in isolation and in the post. He's a long, capable shot-blocker, which only adds to his intrigue as a possible 3-and-D prospect. As he adds strength and hones his shooting stroke, Wood could emerge as a bargain acquisition for the Hornets. He might spend a lot of time in the D-League again, but Wood remains a player to watch.
Perry Ellis
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Experienced, skilled player from big-time college program
+ Tweener body and skill set; needs to show he can shoot from range at pro level
+ Will have to earn his keep with defense and hustle
Analysis
An experienced, accomplished college player at Kansas, Ellis went undrafted in June and accepted a training-camp invite from Charlotte after playing for Dallas during the summer. Ellis projects as a defender/glue player type eventually, if he can prove himself as a shooter. He has a big-man game in the body of an oversized NBA wing. Ellis is unlikely to break in at the NBA level initially, a status cemented by a sports hernia that limited his action during preseason.
Andrew Andrews
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Shifty point guard with explosive scoring skills
+ Plays inside and out but tends to be a ball dominator
+ Undersized defender who moves well enough to play in isolation
Analysis
An undrafted training-camp invite, Andrews led the Pac-12 in scoring as a senior. Putting the ball in the hoop from the point-guard position is what Andrews does best, giving him a set of comps full of offense-oriented wings, even though he's only 6-foot-2.
Treveon Graham
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Aggressive, physical scoring wing
+ Defends and rebounds like an interior player
+ Shooting potential might be limited, as evidenced by poor free throw accuracy
Analysis
Graham is a typical Shaka Smart product: an aggressive shooter and hard-nosed defender. The offensive part of the equation depends on his 3-point accuracy. He hit 33 percent last season in a prolonged D-League stint but just 62 percent from the line, which doesn't bode well. As for the defense, he rebounds well for a wing but struggles in space. The Hornets will give Graham a look-see during training camp, but he's going to have to develop his game further at the lower levels before he has a chance to stick.
Rasheed Sulaimon
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Combo guard with promising catch-and-shoot skills
+ Athletic floor-runner and finisher
+ Better at facilitating than creating own shot
Analysis
Undrafted out of Maryland, Sulaimon is a combo guard sort that will log some time in the D-League to see if he can become something. Sulaimon is a good passer and projects as a floor-spacer with reasonable ability to make plays against close-outs. If he plays in the league, it will be because he proves himself on defense. That might well happen. During his senior season at Maryland, Sulaimon rated in the top 5 percent of all defenders on a per-play basis, according to Synergy Sports Technologies. Sulaimon played his first three seasons at Duke, where off-court issues led to him becoming the first player to be dismissed from Mike Krzyzewski's basketball program. As a talented player with a lot to prove, Sulaimon is an intriguing prospect.
Mike Tobey
Position: Center
Experience: Rookie
Age: 21
Scouting report
+ Active, board-crashing big man
+ Protects the paint but lacks quickness on the defensive perimeter
+ Needs to develop face-up shot
Analysis
Tobey is one of several experienced college players from high-profile programs the Hornets monitored over the summer and invited to camp. As with Rasheed Sulaimon, Perry Ells and Andrew Andrews, Tobey could end up on the Hornets' D-League entrant in Greensboro. Tobey is a rim-running center who will have to prove himself as a rebounder and rim protector. At Virginia, he was a solid, if not prolific, post scorer and good passer when double-teamed. He defended well around the basket but struggles out on the floor. He might need to develop a face-up shot to stick in the NBA.