Party Like It's 2008

Party Like It's 2008

Every now and then, The Daily Hat Trick needs to "get its homer on" an discuss Louisiana sports. The NBA's Southwest Division, after a month of action, appears poised for a dogfight for the 2011 division title and positioning in the Western Conference playoffs.

As of Sunday, November 28, 2010, the San Antonio Spurs were in first place with a record of 14-2. The Dallas Mavericks were tied for 2nd place with a record of 12-4, also not surprising. What does raise an eyebrow is the team with whom the Mavericks are tied, the New Orleans Hornets.

The Hornets won its division for the first time ever in 2008, also the team's first year back in New Orleans, full time, since Hurricane Katrina. There was an aura of optimism surrounding the future of the franchise.

In 2009, the success story began unraveling quickly. The team was decimated by injuries. The unsuccessful attempted trade of center Tyson Chandler (now with the Dallas Mavericks) threatened to break up the core of the team and drove a wedge of of distrust between players, who, according to sideline reported Jordy Hultberg, were promised that the key players the team would be kept together.

The team barely made the playoffs and were embarrassed at home in game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs in a fifty-plus point blasting at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Head Coach Byron Scott was fired less than 10 games into the following season and the Hornets missed the the 2010 playoffs.

Chris Paul reportedly called the commitment of the team to win into question. Reported by ESPN and other outlets, Paul expressed a desire to leave New Orleans should the team fail to demonstrate a commitment to winning. Paul met with new General Manager Dell Demps, newly hired, first time Head Coach Monty Williams, and other members of management to discuss the direction of the franchise.

My perception, at that time, was that Paul was giving the fans the needed lip service to avoid a firestorm, but with the contracts of Peja Stojakovic ($17 million), James Posey ($6 million) and Morris Peterson ($5 million) weighing the team down under the salary cap, it appeared unlikely that the Hornets could make any moves needed to bring real change to the team.

Apparently, Demps knew what he was doing. He said he would find "creative" solutions to the Hornets roster issues and, frankly, I have to wonder if the rookie GM enrolled for night classes at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter movies with some of the roster magic that he worked. To date, Stojakovic, Peterson, and Posey (and their albatross-like contracts) are gone. NBA Finals hero from 2009, Trevor Ariza, was acquired from the Houston Rockets in a trade. The team secured a valuable backup point guard in Jarrett Jack. And valuable, young (and inexpensive). Role players were acquired through trades and free agency.

The Hornets won their first 8 regular season games. At 12-4 they have as viable a chance as the Mavericks or Spurs of winning the Southwest Division. Demps and Williams, thus far, have demonstrated that they can compensate for a lack of experience with resorcefulness and visionary thinking. Time will tell if the Hornets can copy their 2008 success in 2011, but they are a force to contend with and may be one of the most interesting stories to watch develop in the NBA this season.


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