The Hornets Might Have Something in Mark Williams
The 2022/2023 NBA Season has not gone to plan for the Charlotte Hornets. However there have been some positives and the most obvious one is the emergence of Center Mark Williams.
Despite being a rookie before his injury he was the most consistent player on the team. especially on defense as the Hornets have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA until Williams broke into the lineup. Last I checked the Hornets were recently ranked 24th according to Lineups.com. A main reason why is how Mark Williams has played and over the season the Hornets are 5.2 points better defensively with him on the court.
Which poses the question, Why was he not given these minutes earlier in the season? It was probably to sell Mason Plumlee at the deadline, but he should have been given more minutes earlier in the season.
A big improvement with the Hornets is with their blocks, steals, and turnovers. A majority of them have been made by Williams. He is turning into a blocking machine for the squad and is creating opportunities for others on the team to take advantage of.
Williams has also even hauled in 7 Double Doubles which is very good for a rookie, compare that to Utah's Walker Kessler who has 17 but has played in many more games. Williams showed flashes on offense too, but he could definitely use a bit of work, but that comes with time.
https://twitter.com/HornetsPR/status/1633987947354521602
Luckily, the injury Williams suffered was only a sprain, which is good news. However, this season has been an absolute mess when it comes to injuries. Almost every player has missed time with injury on this team including LaMelo Ball, Kelly Oubre, Gordon Hayward, Cody Martin, and many more.
While it is a sprain, I don't want this injury to linger and what use is it for him to play now? I want the Hornets to win basketball games, but long term health is important. It will be intriguing how Head Coach Steve Clifford will decide Williams status for the rest of the season.
For most non-lottery rookies it can take 2-4 years before you can confidently project them as an impact player. Keep in mind that Williams is a rookie and sometimes prospects regress after one season. The question is will he progress or regress?
So far both GM Mitch Kupchack and Owner Michael Jordan have proven us all wrong about it being a mistake trading down and passing on Jalen Duren for Mark Williams. It has been a long time since the Hornets have had a physical presence present at center since Dwight Howard in the 2017/2018 season. If only Howard could have controlled the off the field/locker room issues he had during his time in Charlotte. If the organization keeps developing Williams the way they have, then he maybe another key piece to get the Charlotte Hornets back into the playoffs.
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us
Twitter: Facebook - All Hornets Twitter - @All_Hornets Nicholas Mullick - @Nicholas Mullick
