Bear Territory Friday: What is Tyrone Wallace's NBA potential?

                                         (Credit: George Nikitin-Associated Press. Click here for link)

     Cal junior point guard Tyrone Wallace is off to a sensational start this season, averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists going into Friday night's contest against Eastern Washington, a game which Cal won by the score of 78-67. Because my blog is an NBA blog which features Cal basketball every week, I thought it would be good to synthesize Cal basketball with the NBA and give my thoughts on what Tyrone Wallace's NBA potential is.

     When looking at a player's NBA potential there are several things to consider, but I will list a few of the key essentials: #1. You want to consider the player's size for his position. #2. You want to consider the player's skills as they pertain to his position. #3. You want to evaluate the player's defensive abilities. #4. You want to evaluate the player's ability to create his own shot. #5. You want to evaluate the player's overall athletic ability. When looking at these five essentials, I think that Tyrone Wallace has the potential to be a really good NBA player, likely landing in the middle to late first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

     Right out of the gate, Tyrone Wallace has great size for his position: 6'5 and 200 lbs. He's a long lanky kid who can use his length to score in the post over taller defenders. For a shooting guard, he's average size, but for a point guard, he's considered big in the NBA, and that is a huge plus for his draft stock and NBA potential.

     When looking at his skills for his position, he's got a lot of great tools to work with if you are an NBA team. He handles the ball really well, gets in the lane to attack the basket, finishes well around the rim, and he has a great IQ. In addition, he rebounds extraordinarily well for a guy of his size and also can facilitate and distribute the ball. His weaknesses are foul shooting and three-point shooting, though his three-point shooting has improved a lot. His free throw percentage hovers around 50% which is abysmal for a point guard. If he wants to succeed as an NBA point guard he will have to shoot better from the foul line, especially since getting into the lane is his major strength.

     As for the defensive side of the ball, he's very good, getting 1.4 steals per game. He holds his own defensively against smaller and quicker guards laterally while also bothering them with his length. A player's ability to play defense in the NBA is huge in terms of determining his draft stock and long-term potential. If a player can't defend, that's a huge mark against a player and fortunately for Wallace his defense is a plus in terms of his NBA potential.

     As for creating his own shot, Tyrone Wallace is fantastic. He plays well in the pick and roll as well as in isolation, giving him the ability to create his own shot from anywhere on the floor. If he wants to pull up for a three, he can do it; if he wants to slash to the basket for a layup, he can do it. A player with this kind of versatility is a hot commodity in the NBA. Last season, he was much more dependent on slashing to the basket to score, but this year he is getting more comfortable with his three-point shot, which I think is really key to his rising draft stock.

     As for athletic ability, he definitely has all the tools of an NBA athlete. He has the size, the quickness, and the leaping ability. When he steps on the floor in college, he is clearly one of the best athletes on the court. He stands out like all NBA prospects do.

     Now what does this all mean for his NBA potential as a whole? Long-term, I think he could be a solid starting point guard in the NBA producing 14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals per game. Because of that long-term potential, I think he likely lands in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. I could see him going as high as #15 in the 2015 NBA Draft if he keeps on improving like he is. NBADraft.net has him going #27 at the moment in their current mock draft for 2015, but if he keeps on improving, there's no reason why he couldn't be a top 15 pick. Especially in a weak draft.

     Ironically, there was chatter of him being this high of a pick when he was a freshman, but that talk cooled when it was clear he needed some development. But now, two years later, he is emerging into one of college basketball's brightest stars and a premiere star in the PAC-12. If you hear Tyrone Wallace's name called early on in the 2015 NBA Draft, don't be surprised. He has the tools to be very effective in the NBA.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Friday Fresh NBA Power Rankings: December 19, 2014

Here are my NBA power rankings for December 19, 2014. Enjoy!

#1. Golden State Warriors (22-3): The loss in Memphis was expected, at least by me. They're still playing the best basketball of any team in the NBA right now, but I wouldn't say they are heads and shoulders above everybody else. Hence, they're going to lose a game every now and then. Especially in the vicious Western Conference.

#2. Memphis Grizzlies (21-4): They are nipping at the heels of the Warriors and after beating them and the Spurs in back-to-back nights, I would say they sent a strong message that there will be no easy wins against them in the "Grind House" or in any building. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Mike Conley look like a championship caliber big three and they also seem to have a championship caliber supporting cast.

#3. Houston Rockets (19-6): James Harden is averaging 26.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. The man is absolutely worthy of being in the MVP conversation. As for the rest of the team, the addition of Corey Brewer could make a difference. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in.

#4. Portland Trail Blazers (20-6): The loss of Robin Lopez is potentially huge. The depth of this team will be tested over the coming weeks that he is out.

#5. Toronto Raptors (20-6): Even though they are playing Eastern Conference teams, going on a 4 game winning streak with DeMar DeRozan out speaks highly of this team.

#6. Washington Wizards (18-6): They are on a five game winning streak with games upcoming @Miami, vs. Phoenix, vs. Chicago, and @New York on Christmas. I bet they win all of those games. They are playing that good.

#7. Atlanta Hawks (18-7): Back in July, I wrote the Hawks would be a contender. I'm glad to see my prediction getting backed up by their fantastic play. The Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, and Al Horford  quartet is for real. Note:  If you want to read that blog post from July, click here.

#8. Dallas Mavericks (19-8): The addition of Rajon Rondo could be huge enough to vault them into championship contending status. We'll have to wait and see.

#9. San Antonio Spurs (17-9): Injuries to Kawhi Leonard have to concern this team. They need him healthy to repeat as NBA champs.

#10. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-10): They have slowed down a bit, losing three out of their last four games. They need to pick it back up and I'm confident that they will.

#11. Los Angeles Clippers (18-7): What makes these guys scary is that Blake Griffin is starting to develop his range as a shooter. He is even knocking down threes on occasion. Look out.

#12. Chicago Bulls (16-9): Glad to see that Derrick Rose's body is holding up. As for Taj Gibson, he is having ankle issues. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Injuries is the only thing holding this team back.

#13. New Orleans Pelicans (13-12): So long as Anthony Davis plays like a monster, they will remain a threat. And by threat I mean they could win a first round series given the right match up.

#14. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-14): We can stop asking if these guys will make the playoffs. They will. The only thing that has to worry them is that they really have to make up for lost time and do better than the 6-8 range in the West. Any injury they get, even if it's Durant or Westbrook missing just one game, is a huge deal.

#15. Milwaukee Bucks (14-13): They could still make the playoffs, but the soul of this team has been sucked out of them thanks to the loss of Jabari Parker for the season. Best wishes to him on a speedy recovery.

#16. Miami Heat (12-14): The loss of Josh McRoberts is huge. Wade and Bosh don't have much support now that he is gone. Even with him, I think it was becoming apparent that this team isn't going anywhere.

#17. Phoenix Suns (13-14):  I have a feeling these guys are going to be on the outside looking in come playoff time. With the Mavericks making a move for Rondo and the Thunder getting healthy, it just looks like these guys are gonna get squeezed out.

#18. Brooklyn Nets (10-14): So long as this team doesn't have a permanent centerpiece for the future (and yes, Brook Lopez is reportedly on the trade block or at least potentially), they will flounder.

#19. Denver Nuggets (10-15): This team is once again skidding, but I expect them to wake up and push back towards that .500 mark. Maybe they can get some wins against the Hornets, Nets, and Timberwolves. It could happen.

#20. Sacramento Kings (11-15): They are a laughing stock right now with all that has happened over the last week. Their coach Mike Malone got fired to everybody's surprise and their owner Vivek Ranadive is telling Tyrone Corbin to use "Cherry Pickers" on defense. The sad thing is that the front office is making this team look bad when in reality, the on court improvement has been enormous.

#21. Boston Celtics (9-14): I said they needed to trade Rajon Rondo and they did. They dealt him and Dwight Powell to the Mavericks for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, and Jameer Nelson. My only concern is that I think they could have perhaps gotten more for him, but all the same, the starting point guard job now belongs to Marcus Smart, which for them is a good thing.

#22. Utah Jazz (7-19): Everybody is worried about their point guard situation, but I honestly think both Trey Burke and Dante Exum have the potential to be fantastic point guards. It's just not likely they keep them both for the long haul.

#23. Los Angeles Lakers (8-17): The Lakers are starting to look like an ok team thanks to Kobe Bryant and Nick Young. With them on the floor they are not a free win, but there are enough good teams out West to keep them bogged down right around the level they are at.

#24. Orlando Magic (10-18): It would be great if they could get Aaron Gordon back soon, but that doesn't look likely.

#25. Indiana Pacers (8-18): They are lottery bound, which is actually ok. But whatever they do, they should not bring back Lance Stephenson.

#26. Charlotte Hornets (6-19): It is officially a lost season in Charlotte. I'm saying it now. The only good part about this season for them is that "Buzz City" is back. Beyond that, this season has been a disaster.

#27. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-19): They may be bad, but they gotta feel good knowing they got the best rookie in the 2014 draft class and possibly the best two. Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins both look legit.

#28. Detroit Pistons (5-21): Greg Monroe isn't coming back. They need to trade him and I think they will.

#29. New York Knicks (5-23): Maybe they should trade Carmelo Anthony and just blow the whole thing up. Why not?

#30. Philadelphia 76ers (2-22): They are back at the bottom where they belong. Here is what I can tell you about the 76ers beyond the fact that they stink: They actually have a bright future with all the young talent and assets they are acquiring. E.g. Dario Saric playing for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Turkey is looking good and has won a Euroleague player of the month award.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord   

Friday Fresh NBA Power Rankings: December 12, 2014

     Here are my NBA Power Rankings for Friday December 12, 2014. Enjoy!

#1. Golden State Warriors (19-2): The Warriors have now won 14 straight games and it hasn't been due to a herculean effort by Stephen Curry. Everybody is chipping in and contributing, making this team even more scary. That being said, Stephen Curry is putting up a strong case for league MVP at this point of the season (23.0 points, 7.7 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game).

#2. Memphis Grizzlies (17-4): The game against the Warriors on Tuesday could decide who is ranked #1 next week. It should be fun to see if Tony Allen and Courtney Lee can slow down Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the perimeter. I can't wait!

#3. Houston Rockets (17-5):  James Harden is playing some fantastic basketball right now. He had 44 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals against the Kings on Thursday, and the previous three games, he scored 34 points, 15 points, and 38 points. If you want to know how the Rockets are still winning without Dwight Howard it's because of James Harden and his sensational play.

#4. Los Angeles Clippers (16-5): Nobody is talking about the Clippers' nine game winning streak that they have going into tonight's game in D.C..  These guys are playing really well right now.

#5. Portland Trail Blazers (17-5): Even with the Thunder getting on a roll, these guys still are in prime position to win the Northwest division. Their focus now needs to be on getting the #1 seed in the West, which will be no easy task.

#6. Atlanta Hawks (15-6): The Paul Millsap/Al Horford combo is starting to look good. They've won eight straight games and are gunning for nine straight wins tonight against the Magic.

#7. San Antonio Spurs (16-6): I know it doesn't feel like these guys are moving up the ranks, but in reality, they are doing all that they need to be doing in order to get back to the NBA Finals. All these guys care about is May and June, but unfortunately for them, caring only about that still requires them to be winning games at a solid clip.

#8. Toronto Raptors (16-6): They need DeMar DeRozan back. That simple.

#9. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-8): These guys are starting to wake up, having won eight out of their last nine games. With nobody in the East really taking control, I'd say the Cavaliers are the front runners to win the East at this point.

#10. Washington Wizards (15-6): The maturation of Bradley Beal and John Wall is fun to watch. They aren't as good of a backcourt duo as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but they are in that same zip code.

#11. Dallas Mavericks (17-7): Saturday's game against the Warriors at home is huge. If they beat the Warriors, that will really send a strong message to the rest of the NBA.

#12. Chicago Bulls (13-8): What really helps this team is that their conference is weak. If they get healthy, they have all the makings of a team that could run the table. They just need to stay afloat and get healthy by April.

#13. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-13): They are only a couple of games out of the #8 seed in the West. I'm confident they'll make the playoffs.

#14. Phoenix Suns (12-11): If Alex Len can actually become a productive center, he could vault these guys into championship contending status in the coming years.

#15. Milwaukee Bucks (11-2):  They will be tested on their upcoming Western Conference road trip: @Phoenix, @Portland, @Sacramento, and @Los Angeles Clippers. The trip starts on December 15.

#16. Sacramento Kings (11-12): Just like the Raptors, they need their star back. So long as DeMarcus Cousins is out, the Kings will struggle.

#17. New Orleans Pelicans (10-11): Eric Gordon has really let this team down.

#18. Denver Nuggets (10-12): I have faith in this team's ability to stay the course as a .500 team. I'm not worried.

#19. Miami Heat (10-12): Remember when people were like "Don't sleep on the Heat"? I may have been one of those people, haha. But it looks like they aren't going to be much of a threat. They obviously are not the same team without LeBron James.

#20. Brooklyn Nets (8-12): If they really are open to trading Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, and Brook Lopez, they might as well waive the white flag.

#21. Orlando Magic (9-15): Amazingly, they are staying in the playoff hunt as I predicted that they would.

#22. Boston Celtics (7-13): Marcus Smart's 23 points against the Wizards was a definite bright flash that this team needed in terms of giving them some hope.

#23. Indiana Pacers (7-15): They've lost six straight games and likely will have seven straight losses after tonight's game against the Raptors.

#24. Utah Jazz (6-16): They beat the Spurs at home. That says something good about this team.

#25. Charlotte Hornets (6-15): Several teams are interested in Lance Stephenson. These guys probably should listen to some offers.

#26. Los Angeles Lakers (6-16): Ronnie Price and Ed Davis starting over Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin is all you need to know about the current state of the Lakers.

#27. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-16): Andrew Wiggins is the real deal. These guys have a future with him on their team.

#28. New York Knicks (4-20): These guys are awful.

#29. Philadelphia 76ers (2-19): They went up a spot in my rankings!!!! Congrats to them!!!

#30. Detroit Pistons (3-19): They have fallen below the 76ers in my Power Rankings. It is that bad right now in the Motor City.


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord  

Bear Territory Thursday: Could Cal be better than last year?

   
     Before the season started, I thought that Cal was going to have a drop off from last season. It wasn't that I didn't believe in the team or didn't have faith, it just had to do with who was no longer on the team.

     Last season, Cal was led by Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon. Cobbs averaged 15.6 points and 5.8 assists per game and Solomon averaged 11.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Both guys were truly the heart and soul of the team even though they had talented players around them like Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, and David Kravish. When Cal needed a basket in crunch time, Justin Cobbs was there to make a play. When Cal needed to make a big stop defensively, Richard Solomon was patrolling the paint ready to grab a rebound.

     With them now playing professionally, I wasn't sure if Cal had anybody who could fill their shoes. But now it looks like Cal does thanks to the emergence of Tyrone Wallace as a superstar. Wallace is averaging 19.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest and in the process is willing to takeover games in crunch time. In addition, David Kravish, Jabari Bird, Sam Singer, and Jordan Mathews are all improved players from last year.

     The combination of Wallace's sensational play, the improvement of players around him, and Cal's fantastic 8-1 start has me thinking that perhaps this year's team is better than last year's team. I know it's early in the season and also that Cal has had some shaky wins, but the wins over Nevada and Wyoming this past week were really solid. Cal certainly seems likely to be 10-1 when #5 Wisconsin comes to town on the 23rd and should Cal stun Wisconsin, there will be absolutely no reason for Cal to not be ranked in the Top 25, which is something that last year's team never accomplished.

     Right now, Tyrone Wallace is doing more than Justin Cobbs was doing last year, and given that basketball is such a star driven sport, that in and of itself is enough of a reason to say that Cal has a better team this year. In addition, the freshmen from last year (Jabari Bird, Sam Singer, Jordan Mathews, and Kameron Rooks) all have a year under their belts, making them more mature and ready to contribute. The only real knock on this year's team is that they don't have as much size up front as last year, but actually, the emergence of freshman center Kingsley Okoroh has surprisingly given this team a more sound presence in the paint than anticipated.

     I know we have a long way to go in the season and that there is still plenty of basketball to be played before the final verdict is in, but right now I believe that Cal has a better basketball team than last season. Don't at all be surprised if instead of making a deep run in the NIT, you see Cal making a deep run in the NCAA tournament. They might actually be that good. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Friday Fresh NBA Power Rankings: December 5, 2014

                                          (Credit: Matthew Addie. Click here for full image and source)

Here are my NBA Power Rankings for December 5, 2014. Enjoy!

#1. Golden State Warriors (16-2): The Warriors have won 11 straight games and are seeded #1 in the Western Conference.  The most impressive part about this run is that they are doing this without David Lee.

#2. Memphis Grizzlies (15-3): The Rockets got even with them earlier this week, handing them just their third loss of the season. I do not doubt that the Grizzlies will bounce back from this, but they have some tough opponents coming to town like the Spurs, Mavericks, and Heat.

#3. Houston Rockets (14-4): Defeating the Grizzlies without Dwight Howard is beyond impressive. That is a really encouraging win for this Rockets team.

#4.  Portland Trail Blazers (15-4): The Portland Trail Blazers are playing some really good basketball right now. They just need to hope the other good teams in the Western Conference like the Rockets, Warriors, and Grizzlies cool off.

#5. Toronto Raptors (15-4): The loss of DeMar DeRozan for the foreseeable future is a blow to this team, but it's a blow they can withstand due to the Eastern Conference being garbage.

#6. Dallas Mavericks (15-5): They have two legit closers in Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki. That makes them really scary.

#7. San Antonio Spurs (13-5): I rarely say that there are "big games" in December, especially for teams like the Spurs. But I actually think tonight's trip to Memphis is a huge game for the Spurs. They need to remind people that they are still the defending champs.

#8. Los Angeles Clippers (13-5): They are currently riding on a six game winning streak. With games against the Pelicans and Suns at home coming up, that streak should extend to eight before they head out on an Eastern Conference road trip.

#9. Atlanta Hawks (11-6): Remember how we wondered how good these guys would be with a healthy Paul Millsap and a healthy Al Horford? I think we are starting to have that questioned answered. These guys look pretty good.

#10. Washington Wizards (12-5): Bradley Beal may be back, but now Nene is hurt and Paul Pierce has been dealing with a toe injury. Injuries are the only thing holding this team back from perhaps being the best team in the Eastern Conference.

#11. Chicago Bulls (12-7): Speaking of injuries, this team too needs to get healthy. Derrick Rose is back, but now it's Taj Gibson who is out indefinitely with an ankle injury. This team needs to get all its key players healthy so that we can know how good they actually are.

#12. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-7): During his last three games, Kyrie Irving has scored 24 points, 28 points and 37 points. If he keeps playing like this, these guys will be as scary as we thought they would be. Evidence of this is that they are currently on a five game winning streak.

#13. Phoenix Suns (11-8): They have a three game road trip starting tonight: @Dallas, @Houston, and @Los Angeles Clippers. These three games will tell us a lot about how good these guys actually are.

#14. Denver Nuggets (9-9): If they can consistently figure out how to win on the road, they could be a playoff team. Denver is always a tough place to play even when the Nuggets aren't terribly good and this year, the Nuggets are pretty good.

#15. Milwaukee Bucks (10-10): With the way these guys are playing under Jason Kidd, maybe the Nets made a mistake in letting him go.

#16. Miami Heat (9-9): People were buying the Heat as a sleeper team to win the East at the beginning of the year, but now it looks like that was wishful thinking. They are still a competitive team, but not a team we should take seriously as a contender.

#17. New Orleans Pelicans (8-9): Getting blown out by the Warriors on Thursday is just a reminder that even with Anthony Davis playing like a beast, this team still needs to get a lot better and provide him with more quality players.

#18. Sacramento Kings (9-9): Hopefully they can get DeMarcus Cousins back soon. I heard it was only a two game absence, so odds are good that they'll have him back by Monday.

#19. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-13): Why the sudden jump in the power rankings? Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are back! These guys should be able to make the playoffs and start climbing up the power rankings. #19 is where they are gonna have to start.

#20. Brooklyn Nets (8-9):  Paul Pierce did well to get out of Brooklyn. These guys seem destined for another mediocre season.

#21. Indiana Pacers (7-12): They've been trying to tread water without Paul George and they are starting to look tired. I don't see them making the playoffs and perhaps another high draft pick would do this team some good. Yes, I just mentioned the draft in December!

#22. Orlando Magic (7-14):  The loss to the Warriors at the hands of Stephen Curry was heartbreaking given they actually played a championship contending team really well on the road.

#23. Boston Celtics (5-11): There isn't a lot for Celtics fans to be happy about. Rondo is still around and the team has lost 8 of their last 10 games.

#24. Utah Jazz (5-14): I honestly like what I've seen from this team. Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, and Dante Exum look fine. They are just in a brutal conference.

#25. Los Angeles Lakers (5-14): For all this talk about Kobe Bryant playing so well for his age, his team still sucks.

#26. Charlotte Hornets (4-15): I wrote a blog piece about their struggles earlier this week, so feel free to check it out. The short version is as follows: Lance Stephenson, Kemba Walker, and Gerald Henderson are struggling.

#27. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-13): Losing to the 76ers is depressing.

#28. New York Knicks (4-16): Amare' Stoudemire is finally playing like he's worth one-third of his contract!

#29. Detroit Pistons (3-16): I actually think they'll lose to the 76ers on Saturday. That's how bad it's gotten.

#30. Philadelphia 76ers (1-17): They won a game!!! Next goal for them to is get out of the #30 spot in my power rankings. A win over Detroit on Saturday might do the trick!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: Should Cal feel encouraged by close wins?

     Cal had a really close call on Wednesday night against Montana, winning 78-76 in double overtime. If it wasn't for a timely three by Jordan Mathews and a little bit of luck, Cal would have suffered an embarrassing home loss. The absence of Jabari Bird due to a foot injury didn't help, but even with him resting, Cal still should have defeated Montana by more than 2 points. Cal played sloppy basketball all night against the Grizzlies, turning the ball over at inopportune times while also finding ways to fall behind. But amid all these errors and mistakes, Cal still won the game, and that in and of itself is enough of a reason for Cal to feel encouraged.

     I don't doubt that Cal should feel like they have a lot to improve on after their close call against Montana as well as their single digit win over a mediocre Fresno State team on Sunday. Cal showed that when you don't make your free throws and in the process get careless with the ball, it's going to be hard to win games. If they continue to make those same mistakes, they will struggle once PAC-12 play begins.

     Fortunately, turnovers and foul shots are fixable mistakes. They are more mental errors than they are errors of being outplayed or outmatched. Tyrone Wallace for example repeatedly got to the foul line over these last two games and yet he really struggled to make his free throws. He can change that by practicing his foul shots and being more confident.

     The ability to correct these mistakes as well as the fact that they still found ways to win is why Cal should feel encouraged by these past couple of victories. They know that even when they have bad days and play poorly, they can still find ways to salvage the victory. I think experiencing wins like this will serve Cal well in the long-term provided they fix their mistakes and get better. It's never a bad thing to get tested early in the season. Especially when you still walk away with the win. Cal's next couple of games are Sunday at Nevada and Wednesday at home against Wyoming.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Wednesday Windmill: The Charlotte Hornets Need To Wake Up

     The Charlotte Hornets are currently 4-15, playing far worse than anybody expected. The expectations put on this team weren't terribly high, but they weren't low, either. Most basketball analysts including myself expected this team to be a threat to win an opening round playoff series, which is why this 4-15 start has all of us scratching our heads and asking "What is going on with this team?".
 
      One might point to the fact that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Noah Vonleh, and Gary Neal have been injured, but that doesn't explain such a poor start. What explains their poor start is that their "money players" haven't stepped up.
   
     Al Jefferson is averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, so he is doing his part, but the other three main players on this team (Lance Stephenson, Gerald Henderson, and Kemba Walker) have all played well below their expectations. Kemba Walker is scoring only 14 points per game, which just won't cut it for a guy who is supposed to be the #2 player on this team.
   
     As for Lance Stephenson, his 9.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest is beyond disappointing for a guy who signed a three-year, $27M contract. Stephenson was supposed to be the #3 option on this team who would change them from a playoff pretender to a playoff contender. He has instead done nothing but disappoint and leave Charlotte fans wondering if he was really worth the money or if he was just a good system player in Indiana.

     Gerald Henderson, who averaged 14 points per game last year, is averaging only 6.8 points per game while also producing fewer rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. His drop off has been staggering and nothing short of alarming. Out of all the players who have been struggling, his struggles seem to be the most perplexing.

     Whatever the problem is, whether it's Lance Stephenson failing to deliver or Kemba Walker not playing like a legit #2 option, the Hornets have to change something and make a move to energize themselves. The return of the nickname "Hornets" has energized this city, but it looks like more needs to be done to make "Buzz City" a place where playoff teams don't want to go.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord