Charlotte Hornets forward Jeff Taylor's 2013-2014 season ended in December when he ruptured his Achilles. Recently he told the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell that he has fully recovered and feels great as 2014-2015 approaches.
Taylor had a recent family emergency in his native Sweden, so he missed a handful of the optional workouts the team holds after Labor Day. For that reason, Clifford said last week he couldn’t really judge Taylor’s readiness heading into camp.
Taylor’s response? Nothing to sweat.
“It’s not an injury anymore. It’s healed,” he said. “It’s not weighing on my mind."
Taylor said he weighed 230 pounds earlier this offseason, but he's now down to 215 so he can run and jump without putting too much pressure on his knees. He's been playing pickup with his teammates in Charlotte, per the Observer.
In Taylor's 26 games last year, his shooting numbers dropped across the board from his rookie year -- he shot just 38 percent from the field, 27 percent from the 3-point line and 55 percent on free throws. While he is a solid defender, he'll need to bounce back offensively if he hopes to get meaningful minutes for the Hornets. The additions of Lance Stephenson and P.J. Hairston likely mean that Taylor won't be guaranteed playing time anymore.
