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 Monday, April 17
Spotlight: Hornets not yet contenders
 
 By Dr. Jack Ramsay
Special to ESPN.com

Derrick Coleman, Tim Thomas and Scott Williams
With a frontcourt led by Derrick Coleman, the Hornets might sting a team in the playoffs.
In 1987 Charlotte, along with Miami, Minneapolis and Orlando, were granted franchises in the NBA at a cost of $32.5 million each. Charlotte and Miami became active competitors in 1988, Orlando and Minneapolis in 1989.

George Shinn, the majority owner today, was the driving force behind the move to bring NBA basketball to Charlotte. Shinn originally had three minority partners, but in a transaction that took place in July 1999, he now shares ownership with businessman Ray Wooldridge, who has an option to buy up to 50 percent interest in the club.

The Hornets have been a financial success from the beginning. They claim to be the first professional sports franchise to lead its league in attendance in the first year of operation. They play in the Charlotte Coliseum, which has the largest regular-seating capacity in the NBA (23,799). When the franchise first started, the opportunistic Shinn cut a deal with the Charlotte Coliseum Authority to rent the facility for $1 per game. The team sold over 13,000 season tickets before the first game was played in 1988, and last year had an average attendance of over 19,000 per game.

The Hornets are well-directed by general manager Bob Bass, a veteran of over 30 years of pro basketball experience as a coach and administrator. The affable Bass has run the Charlotte basketball operation since 1995, and is mainly responsible for bringing mainstays Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell, Anthony Mason and Derrick Coleman to Charlotte and acquiring promising new talent like Baron Davis, Ricky Davis and Eddie Robinson. Overall, Bass' trades, draft choices and free agent signings have turned out favorably for the Hornets.

The team's coach, Paul Silas, was an outstanding rebounder in his 16-year NBA career and played on three championship teams at Boston (2) and Seattle. Upon his retirement, he immediately became head coach of the hapless L.A. Clippers ... a job for which he wasn't quite ready. His association with the Clippers dissolved after three seasons, and Silas spent the next 11 years honing his skills as an NBA assistant before stepping in for Dave Cowens last season, after the Hornets started the year at 4-11. Silas got the Hornets back on track, finished out the year 22-13, and has done an excellent job this season keeping the team focused after the devastating loss of Bobby Phills, as well as a series of other injuries and distractions. His steady hand has been largely responsible for the Hornets' existing playoff position.

Trades, Free Agents and Draft Picks

  • 1995: Drafted George Zidek (UCLA), 22nd pick; traded Hersey Hawkins and David Wingate to Seattle for Kendall Gill; traded Alonzo Mourning, Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis to Miami for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger and Khalid Reeves; traded Gill and Reeves to New Jersey for Kenny Anderson and Gerald Glass.

    THROUGH THE YEARS
    Year Record Playoffs
    1994-95 50-32 1-3
    1995-96 41-41 --
    1996-97 54-28 0-3
    1997-98 51-31 4-5
    1998-99 26-24 --
    Totals 222-156 5-11

  • 1996: Drafted Kobe Bryant (Lower Merion High School), 13th pick; Tony Delk (Kentucky), 16th pick; and Malik Rose (Drexel), 44th pick. Traded Bryant to L.A. Lakers for Vlade Divac; traded Larry Johnson to New York for Anthony Mason and Brad Lohaus; signed and waived free agent Jamie Feick.

  • 1997: No draft selections; traded Muggsy Bogues and Tony Delk to Golden State for B.J. Armstrong; traded Scott Burrell to Golden State for Donald Royal; traded Zidek and Anthony Goldwire to Denver for Ricky Pierce.

  • 1998: Drafted Ricky Davis (Iowa), 21st pick, and Andrew Betts (Long Beach), 50th pick.

  • 1999: Drafted Baron Davis (UCLA), 3rd pick; Lee Nailon (TCU), 43rd pick. Signed free agents Derrick Coleman, Chucky Brown, Eldridge Recasner, Brad Miller and Chuck Person. Lost free agents Divac (to Sacramento) and Geiger (to Philadelphia). Traded Rice, J.R. Reid and Armstrong to L.A. Lakers for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell. Signed free agents Eddie Robinson and Todd Fuller.

    The Present
    The Hornets are 47-33, fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a game behind Philadelphia, and appear to have survived the incredible misfortune that's come their way this season. First there was the automobile accident which involved Coleman and Eldridge Recasner -- the latter suffering a collapsed lung.

    Then came the car-crash death of Phills -- the team's on-the-court leader and locker room guiding light -- immediately after a team practice. To have the life of such a strong influence snuffed out under such bizarre circumstances, so quickly and in such close proximity to the group, could well have crushed team morale.

    And then there were the legal charges levied against owner Shinn and Mason that had to be distracting -- at the very least.

    But somehow Silas and his players have kept the Hornets afloat. Silas told me that he used the memory of the respected Phills to help him do this. He told his players that "with or without Bobby we have to go on. There are still games we have to play. Bobby wouldn't want us to give up on the season." They responded and credit their coach for providing the quiet leadership needed to keep their group -- one with such varied personalities -- together.

    On the floor, Silas has a simple game plan ... he looks for post-up mismatches among his big men in every game. He usually finds one with Mason at small forward. Mase has bull-like strength and overpowers most of his opponents down low; but if doubled, he finds the open man (4.5 assists per game). If opponents defend Mason with their big forward, Silas sends either Coleman or Campbell down low and repeats the procedure. Charlotte is dangerous from three-point land when the post players are double-teamed, and also uses a lot of screen and roll action with their big men to generate half-court offense.

    The Hornets are pesky defenders, fifth in the league in steals, and are quick into the open court. Jones (league leader in steals) and David Wesley are tough on-the-ball defenders who force an uptempo game. The absence of Phills has weakened the team's bench and forced Silas to rely on two rookies -- Baron Davis and Eddie Robinson -- more than he'd prefer.

    The Hornets go into the playoffs with momentum -- they've won eight of their last 10 -- and will no doubt face Philadelphia in the opening round. Home court advantage is yet available to them at this writing. If they get it, I give them a good chance to upend the Sixers in the opening round.

    The Future
    The Hornets should be a playoff team for the immediate future. The veteran core -- Mason, Coleman, Campbell and Wesley -- all age 30 or over, should have a couple of solid production years left. But it's critical that the team re-signs Jones, who's a free agent at the end of the season. The loss of Jones and Phills would be hard for the team to overcome.

    The young talent (the two Davises, Robinson and Brad Miller) will only get better, and Todd Fuller should become a valued big man reserve. Silas is a patient teacher with a good track record for developing big men.

    General manager Bass must continue to draft well, pick up some sleeper free agents, and then make productive trades when needed.

    The Hornets are not a contending team right now, but they can sting you if you're not careful.

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