The Charlotte Hornets are in a great spot for a team on the rise. A young core, cap space, and a high draft pick. But how should they fill out the roster in free agency? Is it time to gamble on free agents to bring some buzz to Charlotte next season?
Where things get interesting for the Charlotte Hornets is in planning for the future. The whole league is in a weird place right now with a salary cap in flux and a partial season feeling shoehorned in this December. Having no fans in the stands, or at least reduced attendance, is going to impact the revenue stream heavily.
Free agency is going to be a bit of a scramble this offseason. It doesn’t begin until Nov. 20, almost exactly a month before the season starts. For teams that didn’t play in the Orlando bubble, this couldn’t come soon enough.
While the Hornets franchise is financially on the rise according to the Charlotte Observer, Statista lists the team in the bottom third of the league in valuation. Ownership is doing something right but needs to put some butts in the seats when that becomes safe to do.
One surefire way to draw eyes to your team is to win. We know how exciting a roster featuring Devonte’ Graham, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, and P.J. Washington can be. We also know the road to the playoffs in the East is only going to get tougher with teams like Brooklyn and Atlanta on the rise. Charlotte’s current group won’t be enough without major progression.
Another way is to bring in some name value.
Now it’s time to fill out the roster with players that can add depth or provide a spark to get over the hump. That means management has to be smart here to preserve its healthy financial situation, build continuity, and compete. We’ve looked at some free agents that fit the mold of financially realistic with upside.
Now let’s look at some players that are harder to project. Some have that name value and others are have unreached potential. Go big or go home, right?