Washington Wizards Southeast Division Preview: Wizards vs. Charlotte Hornets

Washington Wizards will look to capture the elusive Southeast Division crown in 2016-17, but the Charlotte Hornets could pose a serious threat.

For most, Michael Jordan is the best player to ever step onto a basketball floor. His greatness will never be duplicated. He captivated the entire world for years and remains an inspiration for other legends that are still in the league, including LeBron James.

Jordan is an icon and words can’t do his playing career justice.

Once he was done lacing up the sneakers, though, things started to go downhill for Jumpman’s basketball endeavors.

As the Washington Wizards‘ team president, Jordan selected Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Brown went on to become one of the biggest – if not the biggest – bust in NBA history. #KwameReturn

In 2010, Jordan became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats and his decision making remained suspect at best. During the lockout shortened season, Jordan’s Bobcats won just seven games, becoming the worst team ever.

To his credit, Jordan did manage to turn the ship around and things have been relatively solid in Charlotte over the past few seasons. The additions of Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, in particular, helped legitimize the Hornets as a competitive team in the East.

This past season, the Hornets won their first playoff game in 14 years.

Jordan and the Hornets’ front office will continue to make head scratching moves, but they’re in a lot better spot today than they were just a few years ago.

Did he take Frank Kaminsky over Justise Winslow? Sure – he did. But, at least the Charlotte Hornets have become a playoff team.

Key additions:

• Ramon Sessions
• Roy Hibbert
• Marco Belinelli

Key losses:

• Al Jefferson
• Jeremy Lin
• Courtney Lee
• Tyler Hansbrough

The core of the Hornets’ team is going to return for another year.

Nicolas Batum, who kind of flirted with the idea of joining the Washington Wizards this summer, is going to be in Charlotte for the foreseeable future. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is finally healthy and will look to build on the impressive seven games he played in last season.

On paper, the Hornets look to be about the same. Lin’s production, at least for the most part, should be replaced by Sessions, who was fantastic in Washington. Belinelli should theoretically space the floor, just as Lee did.

Nothing the Hornets did this summer really sticks out. They will mostly rely on internal development. Sound familiar?

How the Washington Wizards match up

Both the Wizards and Hornets are hoping that their young players improved this summer. If they didn’t, well, the season isn’t going to be enjoyable.

Kidd-Gilchrist, Kaminsky and Walker will all continue to grow as they expand their experience in the NBA.

Steve Clifford, in many ways, has been put in the same spot Randy Wittman was last year.

Whether Clifford likes it or not, the Hornets are going to have to count on their developing talent. The Al Jeffersons of the world are gone.

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Now, it’s time to let the leash go and free Kaminsky.

The old-school “pound the rock” mentality is gone.

He has to learn how to utilize Kidd-Gilchrist and Batum together.

Marvin Williams is an odd man in the equation, but the Hornets paid him a lot of money this summer and they didn’t make that commitment to see his role shrink.

Having versatile players on the roster isn’t a bad problem to have, as long as Clifford can find a way to make it work.

Defense, which Clifford has become known for, won’t suffer with Kidd-Gilchrist, Batum and Williams. Hibbert is a solid rim protector and will help more on that end than Jefferson (granted, he’s certainly going to be a pain to watch offensively).

The Hornets could end up being a threat in the Southeast Division, but they also have the potential to become a real stinker – just like the Wizards were last year.

There are a lot of parallels between last year’s Wizards team and the current Hornets squad. They’ve lost a lot of veterans to free agency and depending solely on younger talent, like we saw in Washington, doesn’t always end well.

With that said, if Walker, Kidd-Gilchrist and Batum continue to produce, the Hornets will battle for a playoff spot in the East, along with at least 10 other teams.

The Washington Wizards should have the slight edge against Hornets because they have something that the Hornets lack: star power.

John Wall is capable of keeping the Wizards competitive, even if he’s the only one on the court playing well. The Hornets don’t have that player.

If Bradley Beal blossoms like we expect him to, the Wizards will have an All-Star duo on their hands. The Hornets have talent, but none of them are game changers (although Kidd-Gilchrist could become an All-NBA player if he can consistently hit the outside shot).

From a viewership perspective, the Hornets should be a lot more enjoyable than they were last year. Playing small with Batum or Williams at the four should create an exciting product. And for the masochists, watching Hibbert attempt to run up and down the floor is always a pleasure.

Next: Wizards vs. Heat Southeast Preview

The Hornets and Hawks are the only two teams in the Southeast that will pose a real threat to the Washington Wizards. The Heat have declined significantly and the Magic are still trying to figure out what kind of team they are.