The Charlotte Hornets have been struggling to climb out of the bottom half of the Eastern Conference, with more than ten games away from the leading Cleveland Cavaliers. While the likes of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan find ways to mesh well in the hardwood court, the Michael Jordan team struggles to execute plays perfectly. Moreover, the Charlotte Hornets appear to have redundant players on the roster.
This is the case for Jeremy Lin and Kemba Walker. In the absence of Walker in the hardwood court, the Charlotte Hornets turn to the Christian star to carry the NBA team. However, the 2011 NBA Draft top pick for the Al Jefferson squad has recovered from his injuries. His presence, therefore, leaves the former Los Angeles Lakers star stuck on the bench.
"Lin has struggled to adjust to his unclear role with the Hornets, as his minutes are constantly shifting," noted Andrew Snyder of Hoops Habit. He added, "When Kemba Walker is healthy and starting, Lin is relegated to backup duty or playing shooting guard while Walker or Nicolas Batum run the show. When Walker is hurt or playing poorly, Lin occasionally is allowed to settle into his favored role of creator and floor general."
Meanwhile, Doc Scheppler noted some differences between Walker and Lin. The legendary coach said in an interview via Hoops Habit, "Jeremy makes sure he gives players easy shots. He creates those shots in penetration. Kemba doesn't work at doing that. If a guy is open, Kemba will throw it to them. But he doesn't work to get them open. Lin knows if he draws a double team somebody has to be open and he has the vision to find them. A great point guard gives other people advantages when they shoot. Steve Nash was like that. He made everybody around him better."
With this in mind, rumors are now surfacing that the Charlotte Hornets might use Lin as a trading chip to lure Dwight Howard in the team. The Houston Rockets star is currently the topic of NBA trade rumors. Teams including the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are looking into adding the All-Star into their rosters before the trade deadline closes.
Should the Charlotte Hornets attempt to get into the action as well, the addition of Lin in the package would certainly be attractive to the Houston Rockets. However, it must be noted that the Christian star has already been with the James Harden team. Hence, this deal might not sound great for Lin.
Another target for the Charlotte Hornets is Bojan Bogdanovic. The Brooklyn Nets star is reportedly looking for a way out of his current NBA team due to the issues related to their general manager. Bogdanovic, according to Sportando, does not feel comfortable with the uncertainty brought about by the situation.
Incidentally, the Charlotte Hornets are reportedly searching for a wing to add to their roster. Should Bogdanovic be traded to the Jordan squad, he is expected to play as the substitute to the injured Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
