2008-2009 Finish: 44-38

What went well

The New Orleans Hornets looked to gain some consistency going into the 2008-09 season. In 2007, they stunned 1st seeded Phoenix and became the little team that could. In 2008, high expectations led to collapse. So which Hornets would should up for 08-09? The sneak attack from 07 or the trade crazy mayhem of 08?

The Hornets repeatedly find themselves in an enviable position each offseason. They have tons of cap and tons of GM points to attract top FAs. All the team needs is to dominate and they are all set. Malik Allen and Dahntay Jones took off after the disappointing 08, but so what? The more important news is that Andre Iguodala, Michael Finley and Marcus Camby re-signed, while Corey Maggette and Mike Miller came onboard (as well as smaller names like Quinton Ross, Kevin Ollie, Othello Hunter and Jawad Williams). Then came a small scandal involving Andris Biedrins and the Knicks, but New Orleans brass were proven innocent of any wrongdoing.

The Hornets then shipped off the aging Finley and the freshly signed Maggette (this guy gets around) to the Wizards for Shawn Marion. As opposed to the season prior, GM DaveD made no other trades during the season but did sign big man Erick Dampier after a few weeks to backup Camby.

What went bad

The good news is that the Hornets finished with a winning record and managed to nab 6th seed in a competitive Western Conference. But that success was short-lived as the Mavericks ripped them apart 4-1 in the first round. Back to the drawing board for DaveD and the Hornets but at least they finished with a winning record.

Stars

- Andre Iguodala - GF

Iguodala is continuing to come into his own in New Orleans. He played in all 82 games this season and averaged 18.9 points on 44% shooting. While some questions still linger whether he can carry a team, Iggy is proving just fine that the Hornets is his franchise.


- Rajon Rondo, G–

Though Rondo's did drop off from the 07-08 season, he still scored a respectable 10.2 points. However, watching his assists drop 7.0 to 3.9 might be a cause of concern, especially with shooters like Marion, Miller and Iggy on board. Rondo is still very young (only 23) and is already one of the best point guards in the league. DaveD


Looking to the future

Once again, the Hornets will be big players on the free agency market. Camby, Rajon, Miller and Iguodala make a good starting four and perhaps Maresse Speights will make good on his promising rookie season. Marion has already asked for a trade, so DaveD will look to nab something good for his forward.

Rookie-wise, the squad has two somewhat promising young players coming in. Pittsburgh senior Sam Young is a great scorer but is stuck between being too slow for a two guard and too small for a forward. DaJuan Summers is one of the more intriguing players in the draft. The Georgetown junior is loaded with potential but right now that's mostly raw skill.

The Hornets are still searching for an identity and there is some talk that Iggy may not be the star the team is looking to promote. GM DaveD is in a powerful position with tons of cap space and a lot of GM points. If the free agency market is not hot, he can easily absorb a contract from one of the fat cat lux teams or buy a great player with points.