23 Days: Orlando & Charlotte Preview

Team 30: Orlando Magic

 Projected Starting Lineup:


1.) Jameer Nelson

2.) Aaron Afflalo

3.) Hedo Turkoglu

4.) Glen Davis

5.) Gustavo Ayon

Key Reserves:
-Al Harrington
-J.J. Reddick
-Josh McRoberts
-Nikola Vucevic

Where do you even start with how bad this team is? Not only is their starting line-up filled up with maybe one legitimate NBA starter, their bench is just as pathetic. Jameer Nelson simply put, is not good. He averaged 11.9 points last season and couldn’t get an assist-turnover ratio of 3:1, which is a necessary stat for a good point guard to reach. A large part of the reason he has became a “name” in this league is due to Dwight Howard, who will no longer be his alley-oop muse. Not only that, but he’s the only PG on the roster not named Ish Smith. Aaron Afflalo is a good player. He is an excellent on ball defender and has the ability to guard bigger guards like Kobe and smaller guards like Eric Gordon. He has decent range, but is very streaky from deep and is at his best working off the ball making rim cuts and coming off picks. The only problem is, with this roster Afflalo will be forced to become the focal point of this offense. Hedo Turkoglu is a washed up shooter who cannot shoot anymore. While averaging 10.9 points last season, he only connected on 35% of his attempts from deep, the lowest percentage he’s had since his rookie season in 2000-2001. Glen Davis is an undersized power forward who has shown an incapability throughout his career to shoot 50% from the field, shooting a career low 42% from the field last year. He is a liability on the defensive end as well as a below average rebounder for his position. Davis is in the running for worst starting PF in the league this year. Gustavo Ayon, the 6’10″ Mexican will be asked to play out of position for a team that has nobody to fill the position. I literally mean nobody. According to ESPN, this team does not have a single Center on the roster. Ayon is an above average back-up PF, but will struggle mightily at the Center position. He is a solid rebounder, but nobody in this front court has the ability to protect the rim. Expect the Magic to be at the top of points given up at the end of the season. First time coach Jacque Vaughn will have a lot on his plate throughout the season with this roster.


Team 29: Charlotte Bobcats

Projected Starting Lineup:

1.) Ramon Sessions

2.) Ben Gordon

3.) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

4.) Bismack Biyombo

5.) Brendan Haywood

Key Reserves:

- Gerald Henderson
-Tyrus Thomas
-Kemba Walker
-Byron Mullens

Now, this team is nothing close to a good team that could be competitive this year. But my god, how much better is this team than last years team? It was well publicized that Charlotte was host to the worst NBA team in the history of the league last season. Michael Jordan has done a good job of making this team look more competitive, but not good enough to get them out of a chance at getting that lucky lottery ping pong ball. Ramon Sessions is a solid point guard who relieved Kemba Walker of his undeserved starting role. Sessions is much more of a pass first point guard who still has the ability to create off the dribble for himself. Ben Gordon adds a wing player who can stretch out the defense, shooting at a 43% clip from beyond the arc. He is a defensive liability, but with the league shifting towards smaller two-guards, he might have been ahead of his time. Either way, he takes the starting spot away from Gerald Henderson, the teams leading scorer from last year (I told you they were bad). The bright spot for Bobcats fans this year is watching the growing-up process for the youngest player in the league, the second overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The motor and competitive fire for this kid were unmatched in college last season and he was a large part in getting John Calipari his first national championship. He can guard three different positions, be a menace in both offensive and defensive transition, and is an excellent slasher who can get to the rim. His shooting stroke is going to need vast improvement, but the energy he brings to this team will also lead to the Bobcats vast improvement. Their inside game is still suspect at best with a Russian Roulette of posts. Bismack Biyombo is an above-average shot blocker, but his one on one defense and overall offensive game need vast refinement. Brendan Haywood is not good at anything other than claiming that he is good at everything. Their back up post situation is just as rough with Tyrus Thomas who is an athletic specimen and nothing else and Byron Mullens who couldn’t find a spot on OKC’s 15 man roster just a season ago. They will be better than last season, but it won’t get them out of the basement of the league.

Joshua Jackson


@JoshJackson_TID