Final season, the Charlotte Hornets struggled with out their offensive chief, LaMelo Ball, resulting in a disappointing marketing campaign. Nonetheless, the workforce enters this 12 months with a projected win whole of 30.5, a major enchancment from their earlier two seasons (21 wins in 2023-24 and 27 wins in 2022-23). This summer time, they employed Charles Lee, who many thought of to be one of many prime upcoming head coaches. Then, the Hornets centered on upgrading their roster and buying beneficial draft belongings. They re-signed Miles Bridges to a three-year, $75 million deal, traded for Josh Inexperienced, and chosen Tidjane Saluan and KJ Simpson within the draft.
Whereas the Bridges signing was notable, the important thing strikes got here from a sequence of trades that supplied Charlotte with much-needed flexibility. Regardless of being over the wage cap, the Hornets managed to amass Inexperienced, all whereas including seven second-round picks within the course of. The Hornets acquired three of these second-round picks together with DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown, and Duane Washington Jr. to assist facilitate the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves’ commerce of Karl-Anthony Cities for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
The workforce’s enchancment largely hinges on the well being of Ball, who performed solely 21 video games final season however was the workforce’s main scorer with 23.9 factors and eight assists per recreation. His return is the first supply of optimism, because the offense will as soon as once more revolve round his playmaking. Brandon Miller, named to the All-Rookie 1st Group after averaging 17.3 factors per recreation, provides one other key aspect to their offensive firepower. On the defensive finish, Bridges and Mark Williams type a strong inside presence, though Williams is presently sidelined with a strained tendon.
