Expert predictions: N.O. Hornets

Originally Published: October 22, 2010

ESPN.com

Predicted Finish For New Orleans Hornets: 2010-11

ANALYST	COMMENT	PREDICTIONS
	J.A. Adande, ESPN.com \| Adande's picks As long as the payroll costs take priority, Chris Paul will be in purgatory. But at least he'll be in New Orleans for a full season. Doubt we'll be able to say that next season.	Southwest: 4 West:11
	Chris Broussard, ESPN The Mag \| Broussard's picks Obviously, I'm not putting much stock in the preseason. I am a believer in Chris Paul, though, and even though he doesn't want to be with the mediocre Hornets, his talent can lift them to playoff berth. Monty Williams is a good young coach and Trevor Ariza should thrive next to Paul.	Southwest: 3 West: 8
	Chad Ford, ESPN.com \| Ford's picks When healthy, Chris Paul may be the best PG, but can his supporting cast help the Hornets get over the hump? Trevor Ariza, along with veterans like Emeka Okafor and David West, can help the team make some noise. Given the troubles in Denver and Phoenix, the playoff window is open.	Southwest: 4 West: 8
	Zach Harper, Daily Dime Live \| Harper's picks Chris Paul is still the top point guard in the NBA. Unfortunately, his team doesn't seem capable of matching half his talents. Paul is good enough to keep the Hornets competitive and in the playoff hunt. But they are not good enough to validate his efforts and get back into the playoffs.	Southwest: 4 West: 9
	John Hollinger, ESPN.com \| Hollinger's picks Since he was rarely healthy last season, it's easy to forget how dominant Chris Paul can be at full strength. His star-studded play should keep the Hornets above .500 and in the playoff chase despite a paper-thin frontcourt and the usual miserable cap management.	Southwest: 4 West: 9
	Tim Legler, ESPN \| Legler's picks The Chris Paul situation is distracting and demoralizing. This is a team that could be on the brink of collapse, depending on what happens with CP3. They're going to take a significant step back.	Southwest: 5 West: 12
	Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com \| Sheridan's picks This is another team I can see going 4-0 against the Wolves, then losing three quarters of their remaining games. Who ya got for most 3-pointers made: Marco Bellinelli or Peja Stojakovic? I'll take the Italian kid. I'll vote them most likely to purge payroll with the failed sale of the team.	Southwest: 5 West: 12
	Marc Stein, ESPN.com \| Stein's picks Hard to imagine the Hornets having as many health problems as they did last season. But the happiness questions (as in: Can the new regime keep Chris Paul satisifed?) aren't going away just because there's a more immediate focus on Carmelo Anthony.	Southwest: 4 West: 10
	Michael Wallace, ESPN.com \| Wallace's picks Depending on who you talk to, Chris Paul is either biding his time until he can get out of the Big Easy, or he's genuinely interested in giving new GM Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams a shot to salvage things. The Hornets are on hard times. There's no quick fix.	Southwest: 4 West: 10
	Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com \| Windhorst's picks This is a team at the tipping point, and it could go either way. With Chris Paul and David West and a potential trade chip in Peja Stojakovic, there's hope. But with ownership uncertainty, along with a coach and GM who are both rookies, the danger of Paul re-visiting his demands is quite unsettling.	Southwest: 4 West: 10
AVERAGE RANKING Southwest: 4.1 \| Standings West: 9.9 \| Standings