Chris “The Bird Man” Andersen has been re-instated by the NBA after a 2-year suspension for substance abuse. He will help them off the bench with his defense and energy. He has played in 253 games (8 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.6 minutes, 5.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Andersen has shot 46.8% from the floor but only 60.2% from the free throw line.

The Hornets have acquired Bonzi Wells and Mike James from the Rockets in a 3-team, 7 player deal. The Hornets traded Bobby Jackson, Adam Haluska and a 2nd round pick to the Rockets and Marcus Vinicius to the Grizzlies. Bonzi Wells played in 51 games (7 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 22.0 minutes, 9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Wells has now played in 569 games (275 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 25.8 minutes, 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He could wind up pushing Morris Peterson to the bench in New Orleans. Mike James played in 33 games (1 start) this season for the Rockets and he averaged 16.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He was having a poor shooting year for the Rockets as he only was hitting 35% from the floor and 78.6% from the free throw line. James has now played in 442 games (213 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 25.9 minutes, 11.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. James has hit 42.6% of his shots from the floor, 37.9% from three point range and 80.2% from the free throw line in his career. James was a good addition to the Hornets as he can give Chris Paul a breather every night.

Bobby Jackson played in 46 games (0 starts) this season for the Hornets and he averaged 19.4 minutes, 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Jackson has only shot 39.2% from the floor and 81.6% from the free throw line. Marcus Vinicius played in 13 games (0 starts) for the Hornets this season and he averaged 5.3 minutes, 2.2 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Adam Haluska has been injured all season and has yet to make his NBA debut.

The Hornets are a better team now than when the day started and that’s a good thing.

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.

The Hornets have signed free agent big man Melvin Ely to give them depth along the front line.  Ely has nice size at 6′10″, 261 pounds but he has never developed into the player many forecasted him to be.  He played in 30 games last season for the Bobcats and Spurs last season and he averaged 10.3 minutes, 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  He did not shoot well as he only made 36.3% of his shots from the floor and 66% of his free throws.

Ely has now played in 260 games (48 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.8 minutes, 6.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  He has made 46% of his shots from the floor and 63.1% of his free throws.  Don’t expect a lot out of Ely this season or you will be disappointed.