Season in Review: A Tale of Two Seasons

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
If there’s a quote that better represents my take on the last year and half of New Orleans professional basketball, I’m not sure what it is
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It was the best of times
On May 30th of 2012, Hornets fans gathered en masse at Manning’s in the CBD, just in case basketball gods (and David Stern) decided to repay our loyalty and dedication by hooking our franchise up with the consensus number one pick, Anthony Davis.
As the former home of the Hornets was granted the number two pick, their new home exploded. Bottles were popped, alcohol supplies dropped, and the it appeared the Hornets were on a path to excellence that couldn’t be stopped.
it was the worst of times
What might seem like an ideal situation to some wound up being entirely the opposite for Buzz Killington. With the world in front of us– a young roster filled with talent, cap space, a permanent owner, and a dynamic young coach/GM duo– Eric Gordon decided that it was time for him to be the fun sponge.
Despite injuries and the reality that he was a restricted free agent, Buzz just couldn’t get on board the train to glory. Without a max offer on the table he decided to shop himself around (something every free agent in his situation should do if a max offer isn’t on the table).
It was when he decided to tell the world that his heart was in Phoenix (I believe he was trying to live in Emotiontown specifically) that things turned sour for the Hornets and their fans. In an interview that I still chuckle about, Gordon was unable to explain how he had been disrespected personally, yet insisted that he had been. It wasn’t about the money, he said. Yet it was about the money, he also said.
10 minutes (and 10 feet) later, Gordon had established himself a selfish player, caring more about himself and money than his teammates. He insulted them, the management, and maybe most of all– the fans.
I still to this day don’t have anywhere near the respect for him that I had, and frankly I never will. It was like a punch in the gut to be told that around 12 million a year is an insulting salary according to a guy who had made in excess of 12,000 dollars per minute the year before because he couldn’t stay on the floor.
it was the age of wisdom
Dell Demps
Oh, do I have to continue?
Nothing = Gustavo Ayon = Ryan Anderson
Done.
Fine, one more.
David Stern.
it was the age of foolishness
Who thought it was a good idea to sign Eric Gordon to a max deal (especially with the 4th year being a player option) after all the garbage he threw at the organization?
I get why they did it, I just don’t agree. He’s not the personality that I would want to build an organization around, and he pretty much screamed it from the rooftops prior to when the Hornets had to make a decision about him. He made it impossible to confuse him with a franchise player, and even with the limited supply of good NBA players available, I know the Hornets could have found a better use for their money and their energy.
His deal has a 4th year player option, which is particularly troubling considering his health issues.
it was the epoch of belief
We have a chance to become a dynasty! Talk to any Hornets fan and you’ll find that they believe the same thing. We have a collection of young talent on par with the best teams in the league, and we have a coach and GM on a path to greatness.


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Five Things to Look Forward to This Summer
1. The Draft Lottery
2. Free Agency
3. The Draft
4. New Jerseys
5. Summer League

Also, be sure to check out our 2012-2013 player reviews:
Robin Lopez
Brian Roberts
Austin Rivers
Anthony Davis
Lou Amundson
Ryan Anderson
Jason Smith
Al-Farouq Aminu
Roger Mason
Eric Gordon
Greivis Vasquez
Darius Miller
Xavier Henry
Lance Thomas