2010-2011 New Orleans Hornets NBA Preview:
The New Orleans Hornets disappointed some fans last season when they failed to qualify for the postseason. After their star point guard Chris Paul flirted with trade talks during the offseason, the front office made some moves to surround him with talent. Now, the Hornets should have enough depth and star power to carry them to the playoffs, but how far they go remains to be seen.
The biggest issue with the Hornets last season was that Paul was gone for nearly half the year due to an injured knee. With Paul healthy and the addition of forward Trevor Ariza, who is coming off the best season of his career, New Orleans has a solid offense. The team's leading scorer from a year ago, David West, is also returning.
New Orleans will have to improve on defense, however, as they ranked 21 in the NBA in points allowed. Former NCAA Player of the Year Emeka Okafor was brought in to stabilize the frontcourt, but was somewhat disappointing. If he can prove to be a stable player down low, the defense should get better. Peja Stojakovic needs to improve as well, as the 6-foot-10 forward was underwhelming.
2009-2010 New Orleans Hornets NBA Preview:
The New Orleans Hornets head into the 2009-2010 NBA season with big expectations in the Big Easy. The Hornets slipped a bit last year, so Head Coach Byron Scott will be hoping to return to their top form from the 2007-2008 season. Scott has all-star point guard Chris Paul back to lead the talent New Orleans roster. Paul, Peja Stojakovic, David West and new acquisition Emeka Okafor will look to put the Hornets back on top of the SW Division of the Western Conference.
2008-2009 New Orleans Hornets NBA Preview:
The New Orleans Hornets are a team to beat in the Eastern Conference of the NBA this season. With star scorer Peja Stojakovich back, and sporting the NBA's finest point guard in Chris Paul, the Hornets will give the big teams in the West a tough fight come playoff time this year. Watch a Hornets game at New Orleans Arena and you’ll see a physical team rebuilding itself to past glory in a city celebrated for doing the same.