On today’s show, we borrow a premise from The Athletic’s John Hollinger to identify the Charlotte Hornets’ most important “hinge player.” This is the non-star player with a wide range of outcomes whose performance could be the difference between a 20-win and a 30-win season. We make the case for several candidates, with Tre Mann leading the list as a potential Sixth Man of the Year contender. We also explore the unique impact that rookies Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tidjane Salaun could have if they are ready to contribute right away.
Then, we turn our attention to the latest win projections from Kevin Pelton of ESPN, who has the Hornets finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference with 28.5 wins. We examine his reasoning, which is rooted in the idea that “things can’t go as badly as last season” with injuries, plus the addition of Collin Sexton and the expected development of Brandon Miller. We discuss whether this projection is fair and look at how injuries to other Eastern Conference teams could open the door for the Hornets to potentially outperform that number and make a surprising jump in the standings.
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧
Become an official member of the Locked On Hornets Sicko Brigade and get Hornets news, rumors and pictures of Byron Mullens sent directly to your phone via Subtext (14 Day Free Trial):
Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧
Get Doug’s gamenotes, special articles and a podcast on Hornets history at the Every Hornets Boxscore substack: everyhornetsboxscore.com
Get more Walker on Wes and Walker 12-3pm on WFNZ 92.7 FM
Top 35 Hornets Nicknames of All-Time According to Doug Branson:
Top 35 Hornets of All-Time According to Walker Mehl:
📲 Follow Locked On Hornets on Twitter
Locked On Hornets
Walker Mehl
Doug Branson
For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Rediscover your curiosity with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.
eBay Motors
From brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.
Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.
FanDuel
Now through September 22nd, ALL FanDuel customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get a THREE WEEK free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#Hornets #LaMelo #LaMeloBall #CharlotteHornets