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Welcome to Swish Tell!
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The show that recaps some of the stories you might have missed on
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thePeachBasket.net.
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Alright, let's dig into Mark Williams and this wild turn of events.
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The guy was practically out the door, you know, with the trade to the Lakers
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falling apart and Jusuf Nurki stepping in.
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And now?
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He's thrown back into the Hornets' starting lineup, scoring ten points,
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grabbing nine boards, and helping upset the Lakers 100 to 97.
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It's, uh, it's like something straight out of an NBA comeback storybook.Man,
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that's the league for you!
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One minute, you're packing your bags, right?
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And the next, you're putting up numbers in crunch-time minutes.
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It's wild, but Jose-lemme ask you-does this say more about Williams or the state
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of the Hornets right now?Great question.
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I think it speaks volumes about both.
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Let's start with Williams.
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When you're talking about a 23-year-old center with his, uh, athleticism and
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potential, there's always going to be room for a turnaround-even after so many
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setbacks.
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The injuries definitely cast a shadow, though.
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I mean, over 330 days missed in three seasons, Marcus?
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That's an ominous sign if you're building long-term plans.Yeah, but this is where I
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gotta jump in, because-look, injuries suck, we all know that-but players have
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bounced back before.
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Remember Derrick Rose?
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Different situation, sure, but people wrote him off after, what...
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the second ACL tear?
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And dude's still finding ways to contribute.
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It's the fight in the player, and from what I've seen, Mark Williams has that
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fight.
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He just needs to stay healthy long enough to show it.Valid point, Marcus.
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But here's the flip side.
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The Hornets-look at their situation.
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They're, what, eight games out of the play-in?
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It's not exactly a hopeful outlook.
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This sudden return puts them in a tight spot.
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Do they gamble on Williams staying healthy, or focus on extracting value
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through a trade?Man, I think the real gamble is giving up early.
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These last 28 games?
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Those are Williams' playoffs.
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He's playing for his Hornets future, maybe even his career trajectory.
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You saw that crazy game he had against the Wizards-21 points, 25 rebounds, 15
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offensive boards?
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I mean, those numbers are historic!True, but consistency is key, right?
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A flash of brilliance doesn't outweigh the looming risk of injury.
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And if I'm the Hornets front office, I'm looking at this next stretch as a
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make-or-break moment for him.
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If his performance picks up and stays steady, maybe his trade value recovers,
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or-you know-they decide to reinvest in his potential......Exactly!
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And let me just say this-we've seen this story before.
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The guy finds consistency, stays on the court, and suddenly, the narrative flips.
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I mean, players get tagged as
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"injury-prone"
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way too fast these days.
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But heck, the league's full of late bloomers, comeback kings, whatever you
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wanna call it.That's a fair take.
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At the end of the day, though, this decision will probably come down to what
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the team values more-potential or immediate assets.
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The Hornets are in a precarious rebuild, and Williams adds another layer of
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complexity.
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Still, it's up to him to prove that he's not only worth the investment...
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but that he can sustain it.Sustainability, man.
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That's the word.
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And hey, if Williams can stay in the lineup and-what did the article
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say?-dominate, he might just secure a win for himself and the Hornets.
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But it's a tightrope, ya know?It definitely is.
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And with that, all eyes are on him and these final games.
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The Hornets have tough calls to make.
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It's, well, a high-stakes end to an unpredictable chapter for sure.Man, Jose,
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talking about the unpredictability of these players' futures makes me think
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about the Wembanyama news.
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A blood clot in his shoulder?
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That's not just a speed bump-that's a roadblock for the Spurs this season.
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What're your thoughts here?
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Is his season really a wrap?Unfortunately, Marcus, it does look
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that way.
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The diagnosis is serious, and, uh, the treatment plan means he'll be sidelined
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at least three months.
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The Spurs are being cautious, as they should be, since we're talking about not
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only his career but his long-term health.
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It echoes what we saw with Chris Bosh, doesn't it?Exactly!
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And we all know how that turned out.
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Bosh, man, his career was never the same after the blood clots.
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I mean, it ended way too early.
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But what makes this different?
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Do we have, like, a better reason to hope here?Well, the Spurs caught this early,
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which is crucial.
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Quick intervention means less chance of long-term complications.
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With modern medical advances and ongoing monitoring, there seems to be more
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optimism around Wembanyama.
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But you're right-Bosh's case is, uh, a stark reminder of how serious this
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condition can be.Man, I hope the kid bounces back.
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Dude's a phenom, you know?
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Like, they don't make 'em like him every day.
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Seven-foot-four with that kind of grace?
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Ridiculous!
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But the Spurs-how do they fill this massive hole he's leaving?That's the
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dilemma.
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His absence reshuffles everything.
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The Spurs had high hopes for him as the centerpiece of their system, right?
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Now they need to rely on other players like De'Aaron Fox to pick up the slack.
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The coaching staff will likely realign their vision and focus more on player
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development for the rest of the season.
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It's about, uh, adjusting the sails when the wind changes direction.Adjusting the
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sails-love that!
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But, yo, let's talk about the fans for a second.
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Spurs Nation's gotta be feeling this one.
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What's the vibe like there, Jose?The vibe is mixed but leaning positive, actually.
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The Spurs community has, uh, a reputation for rallying behind their players, and
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with Wembanyama, it's no different.
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There's disappointment, of course, but it's paired with a strong sense of
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resilience.
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A lot of support messages are flooding social media-#GoSpursGo and all that.
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It's inspiring to see how they're embracing the adversity alongside
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him.Yeah, man, that's what makes this game so great.
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It's not just about wins and losses-it's about the stories, the people, the
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community.
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And you can see Spurs fans are, like, standing tall with him.
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I respect that, big time.Absolutely.
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It's moments like these where the connection between players and fans truly
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shines.
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Wembanyama's recovery journey will likely become a rallying point for the whole
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organization.
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It's, uh, a testament to how adversity can unite a team and its
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supporters.Couldn't agree more.
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And hey, if anyone can turn this into a comeback story for the books, it's Victor.
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I mean, his nickname's
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"The Alien"
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for a reason!
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Let's hope he channels some of that otherworldly resilience and comes back
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stronger than ever.It's true, Marcus, stories like Wembanyama's show
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resilience-but on the flip side, not every team's story this season is
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uplifting.
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Speaking of challenges, let's talk about the Hornets because...
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wow, what a season they're having, huh?
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They're rewriting history-but not in the way any franchise wants to.
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Three straight losses by 35-plus points?
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That's unprecedented.Yeah, man, it's brutal.
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Like, historically bad.
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And it's not just the margins-the whole vibe of the team feels off.
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You've got injuries piling up, LaMelo Ball's struggling...
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it's like everything that could go wrong is, you know?Exactly.
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Ball's recent numbers?
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Nine points on 17% shooting over the last two games, and just 9% from distance.
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When your franchise player is putting up numbers like that, it's...
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a major red flag.
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And, uh, with all these blowouts, it begs the question: Is this team even trying
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anymore?Trying, sure, but at what?
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That's the real question.
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Look, Jose, from where I'm sitting, it feels like they've gotta lean into this
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tank.
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Embrace it!
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This could be their chance to snag someone like, say, Cooper Flagg or Ace
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Bailey in the draft.
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Those kids are game-changers.True, true.
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Cooper Flagg's defensive potential alone could anchor a team for years, and Ace
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Bailey?
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A dynamic scoring talent.
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But tanking-it's not just about losing games, right?
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It's also about setting a direction for the future.
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The Hornets haven't been able to find that direction for years.Exactly!
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And you know what?
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They wouldn't be the first team to hit the reset button hard.
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Remember when the 76ers fully embraced
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"The Process"
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?
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It was ugly-real ugly-but they turned it around.
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Okay, maybe not into a championship yet, but they're competing at least.Right, but
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let's not forget-the "Process" was also heavily criticized for how long it took
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and the toll it took on fans.
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If the Hornets go that route, they need to commit fully.
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No half-measures.
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That means focusing on player development, accumulating assets, and
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finding clarity in their rebuilding vision.And you know what?
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They have some pieces to build on.
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Brandon Miller, for one, has shown flashes.
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Pair him with Ball, assuming Ball gets his mojo back, and maybe a top prospect...
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they're not as far off as it feels right now.Fair, though that's a big "if" for
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Ball.
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His health and consistency are key.
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The Hornets also have to, uh, look at their leadership and culture.
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Historic losing streaks like these hint at problems that run deeper than injuries.
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Can this organization effectively build for the future?Man, that's the
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million-dollar question.
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You know, there's a narrow window in this league.
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Either you're building upwards or spiraling downwards.
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The Hornets can't afford to stay stuck in mediocrity.
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They gotta pick a lane-fast.Exactly, Marcus.
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The next few months will be critical.
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Whether they embrace the rebuild or attempt another retooling around their
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current core, these decisions will define the franchise for years to come.
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The stakes couldn't be higher.Absolutely, and-listen, Jose-the beauty of this
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league is how quickly fortunes can change.
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One good draft pick, one bold move, and this mess of a season could be just
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another chapter in the Hornets' big comeback story.Let's hope that's the case.
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Because if they don't play their cards right, this could be the start of an
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extended stay in the NBA's basement.
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And on that note...
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let's leave it there for today.
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Marcus, as always, it's been a blast breaking it all down.For sure, Jose!
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Can't wait to see how it all plays out.
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Alright, everyone, keep watching, keep rooting for your squad, and we'll catch
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you next time on Swish Tell!
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