Matty Writes Sports

The Charlotte Hornets currently own the longest Playoff Drought in the NBA, since the Sacramento Kings ended their own drought after returning to the playoffs as the 3rd seed in the 2022-2023 NBA Season. The Hornets last experienced postseason play in the 2015-16 season, when Barack Obama was still the US President, and Kevin Garnett was still on an NBA Roster. Since then, the Hornets have been stuck in a long cycle of rebuilding and retooling, getting close to the playoffs, before falling off again, usually through no fault of their own.

The Hornets have had a signature point guard on the roster since their last playoff visit. From 2016-2020, Kemba Walker was the leader of the Hornets, and since his exit to the Celtics, LaMelo Ball has taken the reigns, albeit without a return to the postseason in sight. However, for the first time in a long time, there seems to be hope in North Carolina that the Hornets could rise and potentially grab a postseason berth.

Coaching:

The Charlotte Hornets have a new coach for the 2024-25 season; Charles Lee. The newly appointed coach was most recently a lead assistant on the Boston Celtics, helping them to reach the NBA Finals in his lone season with the C’s. Previously, he was a member of Mike Budenholzer’s staff on the Milwaukee Bucks, also helping lead them to NBA Glory in the lockdown shortened 2021 season. Its safe to say that Lee knows what he is doing as an assistant. However, it is yet to be seen if Lee can have the same success with the Hornets, a franchise that has been searching for basketball success forever.

Lee replaces outgoing head coach Steve Clifford, who finished his second tenure as Charlotte Head coach after a 21-61 season, which Lee will be looking to improve upon in his first season with the Franchise. It might not seem like it, but these are big shoes to fill. Clifford holds the all time record for wins as a Charlotte Head Coach, so Lee will look to better that during his tenure.

The Roster:

If the Charlotte Hornets have any chance of returning to the postseason, in an Eastern Conference that is stronger than it has been in years, then keeping star point guard LaMelo Ball healthy is the key. Ball, the Rookie of the Year in 2021 has showed flashes of excellence during his 4 prior NBA Seasons. He was an All Star in 2021-22 leading the Hornets to the Play-Ins, but since then, the superstar has been unable to remain on the court. After playing 75 games during his All Star year, Ball has only played 58 games in the next two; 36 in 2022-23 and only 22 last campaign, which is a real worry for Charlotte. When he is on the court, Charlotte always look promising, but the issue has been that Ball cannot stay healthy. If Ball can play 75 games again, the Hornets will have all the more chances for success.

Away from Ball, Charlotte do still have a lot of very promising young players, most notably in the form of Brandon Miller. Miller was excellent for Charlotte, finishing 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 17.5ppg in his rookie season, showing huge promise for the future. The development of Miller is another huge factor for the Hornets, especially if Ball does miss time with injuries next season, as Miller will be expected to step up and carry the load for the team.

Another player who has struggled with injuries, is Mark Williams, who Charlotte drafted in 2022. Williams only played 19 games in 2023-24, but showed immense flashes whilst on the court. A 7 foot big man who can defend the rim and grab rebounds is an invaluable asset for Charlotte, and whilst the 3 point shooting isn’t there just yet, Williams is still an excellent young player. Additionally, Tre Mann showed strong potential after being traded at the deadline, and other young guns like Tidjane Salaun should be given the green light to show their abilities.

Veterans on the roster include Miles Bridges who, despite the fact he should be in jail, has been a consistent 20ppg scorer for the Hornets, whilst Nick Richards has proven to be effective as a bench or stand in big, especially whilst Mark Williams has been injured.

Season Outlook:

The Hornets finally have something going for them. They have suffered for a long time with injuries, poor drafting and more issues, but now, it seems that Charlotte may have found the formula to return to the playoffs, or, at least the Play-In. However, all of this relies on the health of their key men, especially LaMelo Ball.

If the Hornets can remain healthy, they may be able to move up the Eastern Conference, and finally make a good go at returning to the Post-season.

My Prediction: 35-47 (11th in the East)