Borrego Lays Out Hornets Season Goals

Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego spoke at the team's annual media luncheon on Tuesday afternoon, touching on a multitude of subjects from the team's goals, offseason moves, and player's offseason development. 

The entire coaching staff will return and every player is currently at 100 percent health. 

With the loss of All-Star Kemba Walker, Borrego made a big point that this year's team will have to find it's identity, play as a team and distribute as a group.

Borrego says the team will hire an assistant coach that will travel with the Hornets and their Greensboro Swarm G-League team full-time. This will help the culture stay consistent when players are playing for both teams, such as shooting guard Dwayne Bacon and point guard Devonte' Graham last season. 

When asked who he thinks will be the team's leading scorer this season, Borrego said he isn't sure, but if he had to guess it would be either Bacon or new point guard Terry Rozier. 

Last season, Borrego said the team knew their offensive identity with Walker ahead of the charge. This year the defense will enter the year more defensively driven and focus on-the-ball defending. 

The biggest thing was a lack of defense in the paint and Borrego says that will be executed better. 

Rozier will replace Walker at point guard but Borrego says he doesn't expect Rozier to do the same things.

Second-year forward, Bridges is expected to be more of a playmaker and could play small forward or power forward.

Borrego is leaning towards the four spot for Bridges, but will need to be better defensively. 

Borrego wants every player to study the game more and that will be pivotal for Bridges' growth. 

Washington, the team's 12th overall pick in June, will play power forward and center with the four being his main position.

Borrego believes Washington can be a stretch big that is skilled rebounding, handling the ball on the break and can shoot threes. 

On Malik Monk:

The shooting guard gained 20 pounds of muscle this offseason and Borrego says he is very committed to having a breakout year. 

The center told Borrego that feels the best he has in his career after missing 30 games last year to injury.

Zeller has been working on his 3-point shot this offseason and hopes to spread the ball more alongside center Willy Hernangomez as "rim-runners," which means being able to play the basket on both ends. 

Borrego wasn't afraid to admit that there is a big loss of leadership with Walker and Tony Parker no longer around and players like Marvin Williams, Rozier and Nic Batum will be relied upon to fill that role. 

Batum will be looked upon as a factor on the defensive end and as an overall playmaker. 

Borrego said even though the team's goal is player development, veterans like Williams and Batum will have a chance to get even better when developing and will still have to fight for minutes just as hard as the young players. 

There are currently no concerns about the team for Borrego and they're, "full steam ahead." 

Borrego doesn't expect to use the message of the media/expectations of Charlotte not having a good record or being a bad team as a driving force. 

Borrego said if players want that to be a motivation then he's all for it, but he believes a good coaching staff will help the team continue to follow their goals.