The Hornets have just guaranteed themselves a playoff spot
 

Atleast in my opinion. With the addition of T. Chandler they now have a legit starting 5.
PG-Paul
SG-D. Mason
SF-Peja
PF-D. West
C-Chandler
Don't forget the fact that West is coming off of a huge year, and now he is getting some more offensive help. This lineup has a lot of potential for the future, and hopefully B. Scott can bring it all together. One area of concern may be the bench but Bobby Jax is a pretty good sixth man. This lineup also benefits from the fact that no one is selfish. Which will go along away in helping them gel quicker. I'm also counting on Chris Paul improving on what he did last year by making this assumption.

if Armstrong and Simmons are solid rookies who are NBA ready, i can't see the Hornets missing the playoffs. they'll grab the 7th or the 8th.

Mason is not that great. he's ok, but not much of a starter.

yeah...mason?! need an upgrade there. this team is still too young to seriously compete IMO.

The West is tough:
SA-1
Pho-2
Dal-3
Den-4(best NW team)
Hou-5(T-Mac healthy)
Sac-6
LAC-7
LAL-8

NO/OKL is maybe the9th best team.

If Peja is healthy he is pretty much an All-Star so yeah I def see the Hornets in the playoffs next year!!!

this is how i see it......

Pho-1 (im still intrigued by seeing this years squad with Amare)
Dal-2
SA-3
Den-4
LAC-5
HOU-6
SAC-7
NO-8

LAL-9

If and only if the Lakers miss the playoffs, I can definently see the Hornets stealing the last spot in the playoffs.

No love for Utah

Deron / Fisher
Brewer / Harpring
AK 47
Boozer
Okur

Utah is going to be good.

I say they win that division, not Denver.

Should be interesting. Chandler is actually not as good a player as Brown, but may fit better on this team. Mason is a fine starter, he just needs to actually play hard, he seemed to be dogging it last year.

The West's 5-12 range are all fighting for those 5-8 POs spot.
1. Dallas
2. Suns
3. Spurs
4. Clippers

5. Denver
6. Kings
7. Grizzlies
8. Rockets
9. Lakers
10. Hoochies
11. Jazz
12. Sonics

The Hornets are making some serious off-season noise, picking up some real talent. In the end, the West is just too damn stacked. At this point, I still don't have the Hornets making the playoffs, but if in fact they did, it wouldn't surprise me. If there was a darkhorse in the West, it has to be them.

not buying it, Paul is really good, like really good, Mason can dunk.. and rebound,Peja can shoot from the bus we all know but not from 22 feet out during games, West is good but undersized, and Tysons a bust.. maybe Paul will make him better. Damn i wanted to see H. Armstrong start too.

Barring major injuries, I'd pick Utah and the Lakers for the last spot in the West over the Hornets.