That boring reliability Hornets’ Cody Zeller delivers will be missed when he’s gone
Cody Zeller’s best ability is reliability.
He is where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there, to set a screen or take a charge. No wild deviations from the game plan, no foolish judgments that leave others exposed.
Friday against the Indiana Pacers was a prime example. Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego was tempted to sub out center Zeller late, to go small-ball with P.J. Washington at center. That might have amped up the offense and given Indiana a wrinkle to have to counter.
But Zeller made solid, little play after solid, little play. He linked up with point guard Devonte Graham for two layups in the last three minutes and blocked a Jeremy Lamb layup with 58 seconds left in a 108-105 victory.
I asked Graham when he knows Zeller is about to have a good game. Graham’s answer was telling:
“I feel like Cody plays well every game,” Graham replied.
That wasn’t diplomacy, it reflects the defining trait of Zeller’s eight-season Hornets career: He doesn’t have wild swings of 25 points one night and scoreless the next. He knows what he is, doesn’t stray, and finds ways to help.
“Numbers and stuff like that don’t really matter to him. It’s his impact on the floor,” Graham continued. “As a team, you know when he is out there. Pick-and-rolls, finishing, his defensive effort. He brings that every game.”
Body of work
I don’t know that Hornets fans will fully grasp what Zeller contributes here until he’s gone. Zeller was the No. 4 overall draft pick back in 2013; he now has the longest active tenure on this roster.
People tell me Zeller hasn’t lived up to what the fourth pick in a draft should be. I find that absurd. He’s on track to spend a decade or more in the NBA as a rotation center. He’s averaged nine points, six rebounds and 51% shooting, while being one of the better screen-setters in the league. That’s no All-Star, but it’s a solid body of work.
Do you wish he was a better rim-protector or a more dynamic scorer? Sure. But Zeller has the respect of anyone he’s played with or for in Charlotte.
“Cody is one of the most consistent guys you will find in this league,” said Hornets coach James Borrego.
‘That’s what I pride myself on’
Zeller was gratified when I passed on how Graham and Borrego described him.
“That’s what I pride myself on -- playing well every night,” said Zeller, who finished Friday with 12 points and six rebounds. “It took me a while to find my niche in the NBA.”
When the Hornets drafted Zeller, they knew they had a 7-footer who moved well and set precise screens. Every time he springs Graham or Gordon Hayward or Terry Rozier for an open jump shot, Zeller considers it a small victory.
“I tell kids a lot you don’t have to be the guy that’s scoring all the points, getting all the attention and getting the YouTube highlights,” Zeller described. “I’ve carved out a good career by setting solid screens, putting my body on the line, playing hard and doing whatever the team needs.”
This might be his last one as a Hornet; Zeller’s contract expires after this season. To stay, he’d certainly have to take a pay cut from his current $15.4 million salary.
Borrego likes the variety Washington provides as a small-ball center. The Hornets could draft or trade for a starter-worthy center over the next seven months.
But if Zeller leaves, he will be missed: On a team so young, so stocked with maybes, reliable is in short supply.
This story was originally published January 30, 2021 at 8:44 AM with the headline "That boring reliability Hornets’ Cody Zeller delivers will be missed when he’s gone."
