He may not have led the Charlotte Hornets to the playoffs during the 2018-19 season, but James Borrego proved that he is a young coach that will get better in due time.
Prior to joining the Charlotte Hornets during the 2018 off-season, James Borrego was an Assistant Coach with the San Antonio Spurs and was considered to be one of the top available candidates for a head coaching gig.
Mitch Kupchak was hired as the Hornets’ new General Manager on April 13th of last year, and his first move was firing Steve Clifford. Less than a month later, after interviewing multiple coaching candidates, Kupchak opted to go with Borrego, making him the first full-time Hispanic Head Coach in NBA history.
My instant reaction was that it was a great move by Kupchak and the Hornets, and I still believe that to this day. Charlotte may have missed out on the playoffs this year, but it was only by one game, and Borrego kept the team competitive amid injuries and a simple lack of talent compared to other teams.
Borrego implemented a style of play that is similar to San Antonio’s, which isn’t a surprise at all. All season long, the Hornets moved the ball very well and embraced the three-point shot (10th in 3PA).
The biggest area of weakness for Borrego and the Hornets during the season was on the defensive end of the court. Charlotte ranked just 22nd in the league in defensive rating, 22nd in defensive rebounds, 18th in blocks and 21st in steals.
After the conclusion of the season, the team made it clear that adding some more rim protection is going to be a priority. Bismack Biyombo was the only pure rim protector on the roster, and he played a minimal role.
One popular thing regarding Borrego during the season was his rotations. Borrego liked to change up his rotations often, and at times, that can take players out of rhythm. However, it’s a good way to get a look at the entire roster, but it may be something he should try to tighten up in the future.
Towards the end of the season, Borrego moved more towards the youth, and it payed off. Moving Miles Bridges to the starting lineup was a good call, and giving more time to guys like Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk.
The young kids played a big role in Charlotte’s mini-run towards the end of the season, which saw them just one win away from the playoffs. They finished with a record of 39-43.
At the end of the day, it was kind of an up-and-down season for Borrego, but he did show promise. He’s obviously got a good feel for the game, and if the Hornets keep this core together for next season, maybe he could help them make a jump.
Now, let’s grade Borrego’s first of (hopefully) many seasons in Charlotte.
Missing the playoffs obviously hurts his grade here, but I think Borrego did a good job with player development and playing the game the right away. The players bought into his system and this should be a good partnership for the foreseeable future.
His ability to connect with the players is key, which would make him a good coach for this group even if they do go into rebuild mode this summer. Borrego is still young and improving himself, so both sides will benefit.
Some fans may thing differently, but I think Borrego is the right man for the job, and has a bright future not only in Charlotte, but in the NBA in general. He proved he can coach this year, so now he must make improvements and keep getting better.
If the Charlotte Hornets essentially “run it back” with this group, then the goal will be making the playoffs. If they decide to rebuild, the goal will be to develop talent and compete every night. We’ll see if Borrego can help accomplish either of those goals next season.