Hornets mailbag: Why isn’t Mark Williams playing and what’s happening with Miles Bridges?
It’s been quite an interesting start for the Charlotte Hornets.
A bevy of injuries have zapped away some of the promise they displayed at the season’s outset, setting the backdrop for an eight-game losing streak that was snapped with Monday’s victory in Orlando. There are plenty of story lines revolving around the Hornets and it sparks several questions.
In this mailbag, we tackled reader queries about the center position, the eventual number of players in the Hornets’ rotation once fully healthy, the status of Miles Bridges and more.
What was the point in drafting Mark Williams if he isn’t playing for the team? What’s the point in playing Mason Plumlee? I’d understand if we were winning but we aren’t. – @jncoboi via Twitter
The Hornets drafted Williams because they thought he could fill a void at some point in the future. I don’t think they were ever considering putting him out there as a starter or key rotation piece right away. Spending some time in Greensboro was part of the plan and he fared well in his second assignment, averaging 24 points, 14 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He made a game-winning putback layup to lift the Swarm to a win last week and then the next day he hit a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
Mason Plumlee was always going to get the nod over Williams. Plumlee is earning $9 million this season in the final year of his contract and there’s no way you could’ve thought they were just going to bench him. If the Hornets wanted to do that, they could have simply waived him back in June before the rest of his salary for 2022-23 became fully guaranteed.
And while Plumlee won’t bowl you over with his play, he can be solid. He posted three double-doubles in the past four games and get this: He joined rare company last week. Plumlee became just the third player in NBA history to post at least two games in his career with 10 or more points, 15 or more rebounds and five or more assists while also shooting 100% from the floor. The others? Wes Unseld and Wilt Chamberlain.
So besides liking what Plumlee gives them, as I’ve mentioned previously, it doesn’t sound like they think Williams is quite ready to guard the pick-and-roll 100% effectively. He should be soon. But he’s not there yet and understanding that basic NBA play is a requisite of him for getting on the court.
What are the chances Steve Clifford will stick with his plans for a 9 man rotation? I don’t see how you could leave out either DSJ or Jalen. – @SlickPropaganda via Twitter
The possibility of a nine-man rotation is very real. For now. Besides the starting five of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington and Plumlee, there’s obviously Jalen McDaniels, Kelly Oubre and Nick Richards. Throw in Dennis Smith Jr. and that makes nine. Add Cody Martin once he returns from arthroscopic surgery and they’re at double digits. Everyone else is on the outside looking in. That includes JT Thor and James Bouknight.
Why haven’t the Hornets made a move on Miles Bridges? They never rescinded his qualifying and the legal process is over. There’s an open roster spot and Theo Maledon may need to be converted to full time mid season. Easier to do if they move on from Bridges. – @TalmadgePatt via Twitter
Who said they haven’t made a move trying to get something done? Just because you don’t hear about something publicly doesn’t mean there is nothing happening behind the scenes. Remember, several factors are at play here – he is a free agent after all – and this is a unique situation. All I’ll say is this: It’s more complicated than you and a lot of others think. This is not so cut and dry, particularly since there could be some form of punishment handed out by the league.
As for Maledon being converted to a full NBA contract mid-season, I wouldn’t completely bank on that because the Hornets really like Smith and what he brings to the team with his size and toughness.
Curious on minutes for Kai Jones vs. JT Thor. I wouldn’t say their positions are completely interchangeable, but with JT struggling a bit, I wonder if it’s time for Kai to get some minutes? – @TalmadgePatt via Twitter
Their positions are not really interchangeable. At least not in the eyes of the coaching staff. Kai is viewed by the staff as a center while Thor is more of a wing player. That’s why Clifford went to Jones in the second quarter of Monday’s win when backup center Nick Richards was in foul trouble.
Jones played a little bit of power forward in training camp but that was partially because they wanted to take a look at him there with some of the regular players not logging that many minutes. Clifford told me he’s pleased with how Jones is picking their offense and defense, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him used in a pinch if foul trouble presents itself with Plumlee and Richards.
Why hasn’t Clifford tried small ball with PJ at the 5? – _oGate via Twitter
The Hornets were one of the worst teams in the league at giving up points in the paint last season and I’m not sure going small is something Clifford prefers to do. Not at the moment, anyway. Perhaps that could change depending on matchups, but he seems to favor size and rebounding to better help finish off possessions. They are still allowing far too many offensive rebounds at times where they aren’t able to close things out. But Richards is continuously gobbling up rebounds on the offensive glass and Clifford definitely likes having that size on the floor with the Hornets’ second unit.
LaMelo Ball minutes restrictions? – @HKSavage25 via Twitter
There are none. He’s going to play as long as he doesn’t show any significant effects of lingering pain in his left ankle. The Hornets will obviously also closely monitor his conditioning given he hadn’t played in a game in nearly five weeks until getting on the court for the final two contests of the Hornets’ three-game Florida road trip. But he’s full go.
