Final season, the Charlotte Hornets struggled with out their offensive chief, LaMelo Ball, resulting in a disappointing marketing campaign. Nonetheless, the group enters this yr 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-about to be one of many high upcoming head coaches. Then, the Hornets targeted on upgrading their roster and buying invaluable 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 offered 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 group’s enchancment largely hinges on the well being of Ball, who performed solely 21 video games final season however was the group’s main scorer with 23.9 factors and eight assists per sport. 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 Staff after averaging 17.3 factors per sport, provides one other key factor to their offensive firepower. On the defensive finish, Bridges and Mark Williams kind a strong defensive presence, though Williams is at present sidelined with a strained tendon.
