simply because of injuries, a poor draft position and not alot of depth.

But there’s two words that summarize why I’m glad they didn’t get a ring:

Bonzi Wells.

Losing is obviously unacceptable, and Chris Paul is entirely to blame. I think they should trade him for an expiring contract, a couple of back up point guards and a few second round draft picks. But what team would be willing to do that?!

Obviously it closed.

Next year I see injuries being a problem. Maybe I’m just pessimistic about Peja and the other back issues the players have faced.

An interesting comparison is Utah from last year. Utah reached the 2007 WCF with a young, improving team. Although they reached the WCF partly because of their draw in the playoffs (playing the warriors in the second round), it was reasonable to expect that they would improve enough to reach the WCF again this year. They didn’t. Perhaps they missed Fischer. Perhaps they ran into a tough team. But, I also think they lack the talent to be a championship team. Deron Williams is their only player that can score regardless of who is defending him. Boozer is very good, but he’s not great. He can be held in check by a good defender or gameplan. Everyone else on their roster is a step down from Boozer in talent. A lot of “nice” players (Okur, Milsaps, Korver, etc), but no one that is going to dominate a game.

By contrast, the Hornets have two dominate players in West and Paul. With those two guys, I think they could compete for the title for the next 2-3 years, though the Lakers look like the team to beat.

Seriously, I think their future is muddled at best. They’re a bit strapped salary cap-wise, and they don’t have too many trade chips. That big money they paid Peja is going to hurt them in the long run. It looked good at the time, but he has a history of disappearing in big games, which he showed again last night, and now his contract is going to keep them from acquiring more help.

Beyond that, I just don’t see how Paul, Chandler, and West can get any better. They all had phenomenal years, but doesn’t it seem like they played about as well as they could without more help? Aside from Julian Wright taking a quantum leap in the offseason, I think the Hornets might be at their peak.

You never know what might happen, though (see: Pau Gasol/L*kers).

One, two, cha-cha-cha!

Bonzi Wells

HAHAHAHA that’s what they get for allowing him to be included in the trade.

I love CP3 but yea they are gonna be this good no better. West is getting old. Peja,w ell he isn’t young either. Pargo..??? COMMON! LOL

Chandler needs to learn how to stay outa fowl trouble- they are gonna end up like the early 00’s sixers…carried by AI but never really going anywhere.

I disagree about the Lakers, Kobe will start breakin down and is on his way out as a dominating player in every game. He ’s gonna be good regardless but he isnt going to be able to keep the team on his shoulders forever. And, he’s in his 30’s. Look at whats going on w/ Bynum, they wasted this whole season “rehabbing” his knee now , and just now, he’s gonna get surgery. That was not smart.

They don’t have salary cap space for the next 3 years. Peja and MoPete are both no shows in the playoffs. Tyson Chandler cannot score. Unless Julian Wright becomes a bonafide starter on a good team, this team has reach it’s peak for the next 3 years. Peja’s contract is going to be their doom.

You need the experience The Hornets gained. I see no reason to think they would take a step backwards. I checked out a Hornets forum last night after the loss and was impressed with the over all attitude of the Hornets fans. Most of them while disappointed were solidy optimistic about the future. It did not feel like a fan base that had given up or felt the team needed a major overhaul. The Hornets are fine. I think in the N.B.A. you have to try to constantly improve, which I think The Hornets will, but if they take a step back it won’t be because they aren’t a good team or haven’t improved it might be based on the rest of the pack making gains on them. In either case I think The Hornets responded well to a tough but experience laden loss. It’s tough to swallow if you are a fan but I almost a needed medicine for an up and coming team.

In the next few seasons I’d expect a similar playoff run for The Blazers, unfortunately most often you have to lose a few tough ones before going all the way.

But I think the Hornets have been sorta overrated because of their newness, and because CP3 blew every’s freakin’ MINDS with how good he played this season.

They just seem like the new Kings or Mavs to me. Good, not great, will win 50-58 games a year, win a round in the playoffs, but not good enough to win it all. If CP3 has another gear in him, he’ll be inducted into the hall of fame at halftime of the allstar game next year. Chandler is all athleticism, and if he doesn’t got any post moves now, he never will. West will continue to be good, but he is what he is too—a perimeter PF who is good but not great. He isn’t as good as Brand, Duncan, Dirk, Amare, and I’d say he’s equal or a lil’ less as good as Boozer (I know Boozer doesn’t defend anyone, and I can’t recall how West is defensively, but Boozer is better offensively).

I don’t mean to sound negative, because they’re a good team and will continue to be so. I just don’t think they’re in a good position to make any big changes for the better, and internally Julian Wright is the only guy who will greatly improve—I think he’ll be a great SF/PF though, if he ever gets a shot he can hit outside of 5 feet.

They’ll keep having the MLE to get better bench players theoritically, but I don’t think George Shinn is the type to go deep into the luxury tax, which is what it’ll require to sign new good role players who want to play for a winner. Their bench is weak, and if it isn’t improved neither will the team’s chances at making the next step to CONTENDER.

We’ll have some great games against them in the future, and unfortunately for them there are too many good teams in the West for them to sneak into the Finals and beat someone from the East.

Who is their GM? I can’t ever remember who runs the team. Maybe he’s a creative type and can make some magic happen.

I’m happy for their fans that they did so well.

Mortimer