Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford said Thursday morning it's dramatically harder now to hide a player who is a distinct defensive liability than it was in the NBA just a couple of years ago.
"A lot of these guys who are really good offensive players, and they are poor defenders, they weaken your team more than other guys" with less offensive skill, Clifford said at shootaround before Thursday's home game against the Brooklyn Nets.
"The floor is so spread now (with long-range shooters) that you have got to be able to guard your position at least somewhat. And you've got to be able to play some level of team defense. You just can't hide guys like you could even my first year here or my second year here. You could scheme up (to hide a player on defense), and you can't do that as much anymore. You can a little bit, but it's hard."
Clifford was talking generically about the trends in NBA basketball, but his point could easily apply to how little Hornets rookie Malik Monk has played of late. Monk, the 11th overall pick in June, has sat out 13 of the past 24 games by coach's decision, and averaged six minutes in the 11 games he did play in that span. The Hornets knew when they drafted him that Monk, who played one season at Kentucky, was going to struggle at least initially on defense at the NBA level.
Clifford said the NBA is trending toward an increased emphasis on players proficient at both offense and defense. Prominent examples of that in this rookie class are Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Donovan Mitchell with the Utah Jazz.
"To me, it's about total skill package: Guys who can play well at both ends of the floor are what you need - interchangeable parts, like Golden State" has, Clifford said.
Clifford said this is related to teams leaning toward power forwards, and even centers, who have long-range shooting skill. The response to that is having to ask your players to cover more area defensively.
"When (teams) get behind now, what do they do?" Clifford asked rhetorically. "They play five guys who can shoot 3s. It changes things."
Cody Zeller recovery
Hornets backup center Cody Zeller is no longer on a minutes restriction, after missing 27 games with a torn meiniscus in his left knee. Zeller played seven games before the All-Star break. He's still getting back to where he was before the injury.
"He's trying to get back into rhythm," Clifford said of Zeller. "He's so smart, and such a good natural athlete, I think guys like him can get there quicker.
"A lot of things have to come back when you miss that much time, and it's not just offense or shooting, it's everything: your concentration level, your intensity, your readiness, and those are all big strengths of his."
Nets updates
▪ This is the first meeting between the Hornets and Nets this season. Former Hornets guard Jeremy Lin isn't available, still recovering from a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee. Lin has played only one game for the Nets this season and was limited to 36 last season by multiple injuries.
▪ Former Duke center Jahlil Okafor is averaging 6.2 points and three rebounds for the Nets in 22 games following the trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. Okafor was the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, but got crowded out of the 76ers' plans, particularly by the emergence of big man Joel Embiid. In Brooklyn, Okafor is sharing time at center with starter Jarrett Allen and another reserve, Timofey Mozgov.
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