Charlotte Hornets’ flood of turnovers: Explainable for now, unacceptable later
New players. A faster pace. More guys empowered to start the offense. A truncated preseason.
Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego knew all that would make execution look sloppy initially. Not this sloppy — not 24 turnovers-per-game sloppy.
Borrego said Wednesday he’d be patient for now with his team constantly throwing away possessions. But that must improve; he expects no worse than a 15-turnover average in the regular season.
“I’m going to live with it a little bit to start the season,” Borrego said. “But for us to win in this league, we cannot turn it over at the rate we’re turning it over.
“I like everything but (turnovers) on film right now.”
The Hornets flew to Orlando on Wednesday for the second pair of preseason games before the season opener Dec. 23 at Cleveland. The Hornets play the Magic on Thursday and Saturday before a final couple of practices preceding the 72-game regular season.
Over the two home losses to the Toronto Raptors, Devonte Graham committed eight turnovers. The others with five or more: LaMelo Ball (seven), P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges (six each) and Gordon Hayward (five).
Hayward suffered a fracture at the base of his right pinkie finger and will miss Thursday’s game. He is not expected to need surgery and will be listed as day-to-day beyond Thursday.
There are many underlying factors for the Hornets’ turnovers, beyond simple carelessness:
▪ They have added two new players in rookie Ball and free agent Hayward who will have the ball in their hands a lot. They’re still learning new teammates’ tendencies and skills.
▪ Borrego is looking to speed up this team’s pace, after it was last in the NBA last season in possessions per game.
▪ More different players — including forwards Washington and Bridges — have been empowered to start the offense off the rebound. The days when the ball was always in the hands of guards Graham and Terry Rozier to start a possession are over.
▪ Borrego wants to run fewer scripted plays this season and more read-and-react concepts-based offense, which inherently requires an adjustment period.
Borrego said he understands that for now that makes the offense more turnover-prone. But that liability must improve over time.
“In the end, we’re going to be more dynamic, more versatile and tougher to guard if I let this grow. I don’t want to stifle their growth,” Borrego said of the risk/reward of what he is tolerating for now.
“That’s tough to scout if multiple guys are touching it.”
The Hornets committed 19 or more turnovers in four of their first five regular-season games last season, then finished at a more acceptable 14.6 per game.
“We cleaned it up as we went. I want it see it cleaned up sooner than” last season, Borrego said.
“There is a fine line there” between aggressive and reckless, Borrego said. “I want to trust them to play with pace. I want to trust their decision-making. Ultimately, that’s what is toughest to guard in this league — when it’s not a set, it’s not a play. We want to be very unpredictable and versatile.”
Biyombo, the mentor
Veteran center Bismack Biyombo first said in March he saw an important purpose in him sticking around the Hornets to mentor young players.
He was a major asset to Malik Monk that way last season, and he’s quickly taken to watching out for rookie Ball this preseason, after Biyombo signed a one-year contract with the Hornets.
During a timeout in the first preseason game, Biyombo could be seen on the scoreboard with his arm wrapped around Ball, offering advice. That’s become a constant the past couple of weeks, to the delight of Borrego.
“I’m talking and showing some film and those two are behind me hugging, arms around each other,” Borrego said. “I love what I’m seeing there: The partnership, the mentorship. That’s huge for LaMelo and his growth.”
Ball called Biyombo’s advice a “blessing” when asked about it postgame Monday.
Several players have said Ball frequently asks questions in practice or timeouts to better understand what he is seeing. Biyombo, who played professionally in Spain before being drafted into the NBA, said Ball playing overseas makes him more NBA-ready now than he might have been had he taken the college route.
“You adjust faster. You learn faster,” Biyombo said of Ball’s pro experience in Lithuania and Australia. “You’re treated like a pro. You live like a pro. He got that at an early age, and that helps him a lot coming into the league, adjusting.”
“I think I can help him, because I came in (to the NBA) at the same age,” said Biyombo, entering his 10th NBA season. “He’s a very good listener, he asks a lot of questions.”
