2010 Summer League Rosters: New Orleans Hornets
July 2nd, 2010
Darren Collison Last year at this time about Darren Collison, I wrote this: Big fan of Collison. He’s like Chris Duhon except with a mid range game and the ability to recognise when to shoot. And Chris Duhon with those things added to his game would be a fine player. Turns out he was even better than that. Duhon’s career has been peppered by games in which he plays outrageously well, mired amongst weeks of mediocrity. Those are called, by me at least, “Duhon Games.” Collison’s rookie season was made up solely of Duhon games. It was a beautiful thing. But don’t be mistaken. Collison’s awesome rookie season does not make Chris Paul available for trade. The only way Chris Paul gets traded is if Chris Paul demands it. And if the Hornets succumb to that pressure before they do everything possible to better the team – which includes, but is not limited to, getting value for that Peja Stojakovic expiring – then they should be ashamed. Darren Collison is good, but Chris Paul is an all-time calibre point guard. You don’t trade all-time calibre point guards just to move Emeka Okafor. Aubrey Coleman It was a surprise to see Coleman go undrafted, and as such, if the Hornets have the room under the tax, then he figures to be a candidate for a roster spot. Coleman’s numbers last season – a Division I-leading 25.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game – make him appear faultless. Of course, he is not faultless. Coleman has a good pull-up mid range game, but is not much of an outside shooter, and is also only about 6’3. He also dominates the ball (which he can’t do at the NBA level), takes wild shots, turns it over too much, and […]
2009 NBA Summer League round-up: New Orleans Hornets
July 15th, 2009
– Earl Barron: Barron had played three straight seasons with the Miami Heat from 2005-2008, but his luck with that ran out last offseason. He next signed with Upim Bologna in Italu, but got injured before the season started and never played for the team. Barron didn’t reappear until March, when he was acquired by the L.A. D-Fenders of the D-League. He averaged 28 minutes, 9.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 blocks and 3.5 fouls per game, shooting 41% from the field and scoring 128 points on 131 shots. For a seven-footer in the D-League, that’s pretty inefficient, and Barron is a finesse long-twos merchant. Still, if the Hornets decide not to re-sign Sean Marks, then Barron has a chance. – Earl Calloway: Calloway went undrafted in 2007, but instantly put up a blistering season in the D-League, averaging 19/5/6 on 49% shooting (40% 3pt, 88% FT). He still didn’t make the big league, and signed in Croatia with Cibona Zagreb, for whom he averaged 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Counting against Calloway’s NBA prospects is the fact that he’ll be 26 by the time next season starts, and that he has only a couple of good seasons under his belt. The numbers are good, though, and he keeps landing these gigs. Why he’s chosen the Hornets is a valid question; as thin and skint as the team is, small guards are the last thing they need. Then again, it shouldn’t really matter to Calloway, who has already signed for Khimki next season as the replacement for Milt Palacio. – Jaycee Carroll: Carroll was a spectacularly efficient scorer for Utah State, leading the WAC in his senior season with a 22.4 points per game scoring average on percentages of 53%/50%/92%. His NBA prospects suffer from […]
