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Five Things to Look for in Hornets' Preseason Opener

What to watch for in Hornets’ preseason opener versus New York.

Austin Leake

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The Hornets will be back buzzing in the Queen City on Sunday as they take on the New York Knicks. It’s been a long off-season for the team, especially for players like LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams, who have missed substantial time with injuries. The preseason should be a great way to get a look at this new Hornets squad with Charles Lee leading the team.

Let’s take a look at five things you should keep an eye on in the Hornets’ first preseason game.

1. LaMelo Ball with Ankle Braces

LaMelo Ball
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

It’s well-known that LaMelo Ball has been using ankle braces throughout the off-season and training camp. However, this will be the first time that Ball will be seen playing with them in a competitive game. It will be something to watch to see if it affects his play and how many minutes he does play since he hasn’t appeared in a game since early February. The preseason game should be a good test to see how well Ball reacts to the braces and if it becomes something he sticks with long-term.

2. Charles Lee and the Defense

Charles Lee

Charles Lee’s main emphasis in training camp was all about defense. Lee, coming from the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach, won championships through defensive toughness and physicality. The Hornets have a tough match in front of them with the new-look New York Knicks, who acquired Karl-Anthony Towns last week. The game should be a way to see what the defense looks like with Lee's new defensive technique and style. It was evident in Sacramento during the Summer League when Lee was the head coach, how he was able to get his players to buy into the defensive end, which is exactly what fans will want to see on Sunday.

3. Josh Green/Tre Mann Minutes

Tre Mann
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

One of the most intriguing stories in training camp was regarding Tre Mann and Josh Green. Green, was acquired in an off-season trade and Mann was acquired at the deadline in February. Now, both guards should have a significant role with the team heading into the preseason. It should be something to watch to see how Charles Lee distributes the minutes between these players. Lee raved about both players during training camp as you can see below.

4. Who Replaces Cody Martin In The Rotation?

Seth Curry
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

On Thursday afternoon, the Hornets suffered another key injury as Cody Martin suffered a injury to his hand and wrist. The injury is day-to-day, the team announced, but he will still miss time, which means someone else in the rotation will have a chance to play more minutes. It could leave the possibility of hometown hero Seth Curry receiving more minutes or a rookie like K.J. Simpson, who was unable to play in the summer league due to an hamstring injury that kept him out. This should be an early way to see if the added depth will make a significant impact this year.

5. How Does Tidjane Salaun Perform?

Tidjane Salaun
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Tidjane Salaun is easily one of the most important players to look at during the preseason as it will be the best test to see how close he is to competing to be in the rotation. Salaun was drafted as a project player, which means it's completely fine if he isn't getting significant minutes early on into his career, since he is still in the early development period. However, it will be intriguing to see where the 19-year-old currently sits in the rotation and how much of an impact he can or can't make in his rookie preseason campaign.

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Austin Leake
AUSTIN LEAKE

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