Charlotte Hornets: 5 Realistic Expectations For 2014-15 Season

Stephenson hit his stride last season averaging almost 14 PPG on the East’s best regular season team. He is now expected to be the premier perimeter scorer for a playoff team. Though he’ll be sharing the ball with his backcourt mate Kemba Walker, there will be games where Stephenson takes 25 shots. He is a confident shooter and strong penetrator. The Hornets will be very happy with his consistent production on the offensive end.

Zeller is going to be Al Jefferson’s backup and will get a chance to earn plenty of minutes early in the season. He should have a very nice sophomore season. His athleticism will help the Hornets with pick-and-roll defense, something they really struggled with last year. Zeller also found his groove offensively a bit late last season. Through the first 57 games, Zeller shot 37.8 percent. In the final 25 games, though, he improved to 53.2 percent.

The most throwback big man in the NBA will have an incredibly productive and efficient season. If he stays healthy, he will be one of the best bigs in the league all season long. Big Al averaged 21 PPG and 10 RPG last season en rout to Third Team All-NBA. With the added perimeter scoring, less double teams will be offered to Jefferson. This will help him get higher percentage looks and improve on his 51 percent shooting from last year.

The franchise has never finished first in their division, but this year could break that drought. With the departure of LeBron James and the still unproven Wizards and Hawks, the dynamic Hornets could make a run. Though they’ll likely fall short to either Atlanta, Washington or Miami, it will be a battle all season long. A Charlotte division championship isn’t farfetched by any means.

The Hornets seem the have the perfect mix of youth and experience. Teams like that tend to be dangerous in the playoffs. The addition of Stephenson might put them over the top and help them win a playoff series or two this year. Outside of Chicago and Cleveland, Charlotte’s roster can go head-to-head with anyone.