After entering the 21st century, if the competition is worse, the Hornets may be qualified to compete for this title. The last time they passed the first round was already a generation ago. Although the team has inherited it, I am not sure whether it can be regarded as the Marsh Ben of the same team. During the era of Jamal Mashburn and Baron Davis, he came full circle and returned to Charlotte. In recent years, he has missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons. As the owner, Michael Jordan finally This season, he decided to sell his equity in the Hornets, ending his Hornets era.
The Hornets have such a miserable record, so naturally they have high draft picks almost every year, but the “God of Basketball” is also quite famous for his drafting skills… Not so good, the Hornets’ draft results are still miserable, and the players are not injured. It is the failure of development, coupled with the limited attraction of the small market for stars in the free market, that has also prevented the Hornets’ record from improving.
However, in recent years, the Hornets’ draft has improved slightly. P.J. Washington, the 12th overall pick that year, finally performed well until he was sold to the Mavericks in exchange for other assets last year, and the third overall pick in 2020 LaMelo Ball, who is considered the current main force of the Hornets, produced very good data in his first and second years, and successfully won the Rookie of the Year title. However, injuries began to catch up with him in his third year. The total of 58 games played in the two seasons was less than half, which also prevented the Hornets from taking off in the past two years.
Then there is Jordan’s last choice before selling the team last year. What is gratifying is that the results of Brandon Miller, the second overall pick in 2023, did not disappoint. Although the spotlight is not on him at all, he also performed well in terms of statistics. A sense of future anticipation.
The Hornets did not make any moves in the free agent market this year. The main thing was to re-sign Miles Bridges. This contract extension should have been completed last summer. However, due to the impact of Bridges’ domestic violence lawsuit, it was not completed until this year. The Hornets’ lineup has also been set to be dominated by the young core of Ball and Miller.
The biggest change for the Hornets this year is that Josh Green, who was traded from the Mavericks last year, can play normally. However, switching from Washington to Green is a downgrade in any case. Even if Ball can return with full blood this year, the Hornets are still generally not optimistic about it. It is a bit difficult to be a challenger in the playoffs and maybe even grab the play-offs.
Whether it’s offense or defense, the Hornets have many problems to solve in their lineup. Especially their offense last year was at the bottom of the league. The main offensive points they can rely on are Ball Jr., Bridges, and Miller. Stable, the offensive abilities of other players are relatively unstable, and the lineup also lacks stable outside shooters to help open up space. The transactions the Hornets have made in the past year or two are more like hoping to put their expectations in the next season.
It is true that 2025 is another big year for the draft, with many highly talented newcomers, but the Hornets’ current lineup still needs more additions in terms of future expectations and talent, whether through subsequent drafts or the free agent market. Reinforcement, so the Hornets’ growth this season may be more important than their record, but the growth of Miller and Ball Jr., but at least compared to their previous state, the Hornets should be on a relatively correct path.
