Charlotte Hornets: Group Effort is Necessary With Cody Zeller Out

With Cody Zeller out for the Charlotte Hornets, a group of players will need to step up in order to replace the big man’s production.

It is unclear how long Cody Zeller will be out for with his concussion but the Charlotte Hornets face a pressing issue without him. They will need to replace his production on both ends of the floor and the impact that he has on games. It will take more than just one player to do so as the team will need a collective effort from their front court players.

Roy Hibbert is the easy choice to replace Zeller in the starting lineup but he will not be the main beneficiary of Cody’s minutes. Frank Kaminsky, Spencer Hawes, and even Christian Wood could all receive added playing time. This group of big men has the talent to help keep the engine roaring but none of them individually can handle the weight of replacing Zeller.

With Hibbert a part of the starting five, it changes the look and style of the first unit. Roy will slow things down as he does not have the speed and agility of Cody. Despite that, he can provide a great impact on the defensive end as an anchor down low. That will replace Zeller’s shot blocking ability and interior defense. He hasn’t quite played up to expectations so far this year but this is his chance to make a positive impact.

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Spencer Hawes has played well in spurts this season but he hasn’t gotten consistent minutes with Hibbert manning the backup center role. He can help replace the offensive production that the team loses with Zeller out. He isn’t as much of a pick-and-roll threat as Cody is but he can spread the floor and knock down outside shots at a high clip. He has also been an underrated defender and rebounder so that will play huge for the team when Hawes is on the court. A strong showing with Zeller out could lead to added playing time for Spencer going forward once Cody returns.

While Frank Kaminsky is a seven-footer, he doesn’t play at center under Steve Clifford. He played 96.4% of his 1,626 minutes at the power forward position last season and that trend has continued this year. Even though Frank may not directly impact the spot Zeller controls, he will still play a huge part in replacing his production and more onus will be on him to score as the main big man off the bench. He will also have to adjust to playing alongside Spencer as opposed to Roy. This may be a chance for Clifford to try out a small-ball lineup with Kaminsky at the five spot.

As for Christian Wood, his role is yet to be determined. He will likely be the emergency big man and not see a lot of game action as coach Clifford and the team is still bringing the prospect along slowly. He is also more of power forward but with his athleticism, versatility, and speed, Wood may be the player that mostly resembles Zeller’s style of play. While it is unlikely that he receives many minutes, I would love to see him get valuable learning minutes with the second unit. He could receive his first regular playing time.

While it is unclear who will have the biggest jump in their game and impact with Zeller out, each frontcourt player will get their chance. Steve Clifford and the Charlotte Hornets need to find a replacement and lucky for them, they have a number of talented big men that can fill in until Cody returns. Each player must stick to their strengths and play their roles. That is the best way for all of them to pitch in and help make up for the loss because it will take contributions from everyone as opposed to just one guy replacing everything that Cody Zeller does.