A lot of players on the Hornets bench were forced into starting duties last season because of injuries and they held their own. Backup small forward Rasual Butler played the best of his NBA career last year and the Hornets hope he can keep up the good work. Butler played in 81 games (38 starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 27.5 minutes, 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Bobby Jackson will be the backup point guard for the Hornets this season and he is still a good player. Jackson played in 56 games (2 starts) and he averaged 23.7 minutes, 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Jannero Pargo can handle either the point or shooting guard positions and he’s a valuable reserve for the Hornets. Pargo played in 82 games (7 starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 20.8 minutes, 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Hilton Armstrong will be the backup at both power forward and center this season. He played in 56 games (5 starts) for the Hornets last year and he averaged 11.4 minutes, 3.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Rookie forward Julian Wright out of Kansas will also figure in as a backup in the frontcourt and he will inject athletic ability into the reserve unit. Reserve power forward Melvin Ely was signed as a free agent in the off season and the Hornets hope he can provide some muscle and defense. Ely played in 30 games (0 starts) last season for the Clippers and Spurs and he averaged 10.3 minutes, 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Bernard Robinson was acquired in a trade with the Nets and he will be a back up swing man for the Hornets. He played in 31 games (0 starts) for the Nets and Hornets last season and he averaged 9.0 minutes, 2.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

Don’t laugh at the headline, the Hornets are going to sneak up on teams and sting them this season. It all starts with 3rd year point guard Chris Paul who is awesome. Paul played in 64 games (all starts) last season and he averaged 36.8 minutes, 17.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Morris Peterson was signed away from the Raptors and he will start at shooting guard. Peterson played in 71 games (12 starts) with the Hornets last season and he averaged 21.4 minutes, 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. David West is one of the up and coming stars at power forward and they Hornets just need him to stay healthy. West played in 52 games (all starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 36.6 minutes, 18.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. The Hornets need Peja Stojakovic to stay healthy because he still has game. Stojakovic only played in 13 games (all starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 32.8 minutes, 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists. He will help the Hornets spread the court as he shot 40.5% from three point range last season. Center Tyson Chandler had the breakout season that everyone knew he was capable of and the Hornets need him to repeat it this year. Chandler played in 73 games (all starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 34.5 minutes, 9.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.

The Hornets turned around and traded guard David Wesley to the New Jersey Nets before he even played a game for them. The Hornets got center Mile Ilic and guard/forward Bernard Robinson in return for Wesley from the Nets. Ilic is 7′2″, 230 pounds which is pretty nice size but he didn’t get much of a chance last season to show what he could do. He played in 5 games (0 starts) last season for the Nets and he averaged 1.2 minutes, 0.0 points and 0.2 rebounds per game. Don’t expect miracles out of him this season. Bernard Robinson is a swing man that can handle either shooting guard or small forward. He played in 31 games (0 starts) last season for the Nets and Bobcats and he averaged 9.0 minutes, 2.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Robinson has now played in 128 games (19 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 14.9 minutes, 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He could help the Hornets off the bench this season.

The Hornets have traded 2nd year forward Cedric Simmons to the Cavs for guard David Wesley.  The Hornets felt that many players on their roster had passed up Simmons on the depth chart, so they decided to move him to Cleveland for Wesley’s soon to be expiring contract.  Simmons played in 43 games (4 starts) in his rookie season with the Hornets and he averaged 12.4 minutes, 2.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  Speculation is out there that the Hornets will release Wesley after Simmons passes his physical with the Cavs.  Wesley only played in 35 games (5 starts) last season with the Cavs and he averaged 10.1 minutes, 2.1 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.1 assists per game.  For his career, Wesley has played in 949 games (796 starts) and he has averaged 31.9 minutes, 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.