The Charlotte Hornets seem to have improved their roster quite a bit this offseason, and they should be much more competitive this season. Charlotte's starting lineup is pretty much all set, except for at the power forward spot. Cody Zeller was the starting power forward a year ago, but going into this season he will likely have to compete with Frank Kaminsky for that starting spot, according to Charlotte Hornets PR.
Head coach Steve Clifford named Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Al Jefferson as starters but didn't name a starter at power forward. Zeller is the incumbent, so he may have the edge, but the Hornets certainly have options they can go with at the four spot.
Zeller was the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and did show improvement from year one to year two in the NBA, but he failed to lock down a starting spot. In his second year the 22-year-old averaged 7.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while making 46 percent of his field goals. Zeller does the majority of his work inside, so shooting 46 percent from the field for him isn't exactly what the Hornets are hoping for.
Kaminsky brings something completely different to the table in that he can stretch the floor and give Jefferson space to post up. Kaminsky might make the most sense in the starting lineup just based on the way he would fit with the rest of the starters. Of the other four starters, none of them are really great three point shooters. Walker will hit some threes and so will Batum, but they don't really have many perimeter threats. Kaminsky would give the Hornets a huge threat from deep while also being able to score down low, and there won't be much of a fall off in terms of rebounding.
Kaminsky and Zeller aren't the only options, though, as Clifford could decide to go small and start Marvin Williams at the four which Williams has done before. Other options include Tyler Hansbrough and Spencer Hawes, but they are less likely because Hawes is the backup center and Hansbrough is a worse version of Zeller at this point.
Kaminsky is only a rookie so he might have growing pains in the beginning of the season, but he was a four-year college player and has a great basketball IQ, so starting is something he would likely be able to handle. Zeller would still be useful off the bench but from the looks of it, Kaminsky seems like the better fit with the Hornets starting lineup.
