Charlotte Hornets: Outlook on 2021-22 season

On the heels of a season that saw the Charlotte Hornets qualify for postseason basketball for the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Queen City is buzzing with excitement for 2021-22.

The question for the next season will be how large the next step will be, and this will depend on both the Eastern Conference landscape and on the Hornets’ offseason moves. With the NBA looking to adopt the play-in tournament on a permanent basis, there will likely be ten postseason spots up for grabs in each conference. It will be important to have an idea of what the Hornets can expect to achieve in the coming season and what the ceiling could be for the team.

The Eastern Conference has an elite tier of teams at the top but is wide open beyond that

A crucial factor for the Hornets’ success next season will be the success of their Eastern Conference foes, who can be divided into three tiers. Barring any serious roster shakeups, it is safe to assume that the top three teams will remain the same with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks, all having championship potential. Heading into next season with multiple MVP-caliber players between them, these three clubs make up tier one.

More from Draft

On the opposite end of the spectrum is tier three. This tier has three incumbent members who figure to still be in rebuilding mode for the 2021-22 season in the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons.

Cleveland has some promising young players on the roster, namely Colin Sexton and Darius Garland, but they do not project to be competing next season.

Orlando appeared to hit the reset button in midseason, trading Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, and Nikola Vucevic to new teams in deadline deals.

Detroit traded Derrick Rose and released Blake Griffin, signaling a desire to start over. While these teams may have some exciting young pieces and will add to their rosters with lottery talent via the draft this summer, they do not figure to be competing by next season.

There are two clubs that could fall into either tier two or tier three depending on whether they decide to rebuild. The first is the Toronto Raptors, who finished 11th in the conference this past season. In an odd year that saw the Raptors playing home games in Tampa, Florida, Toronto never seemed to find their rhythm and considered trading franchise cornerstone Kyle Lowry at the trade deadline. If Toronto decides to keep their core intact, they could play their way into tier two. However, with Lowry headed into a season in which he will turn 36, Toronto may decide that it is time to rebuild.

The Washington Wizards also fall into this group; a hot stretch to close the season vaulted them to the eighth seed, but they underperformed for much of the year and may have a limited ceiling with the current roster.

Of the five teams who failed to qualify for the postseason this past year, the Chicago Bulls appear to be the closest to contention. With a core including Zach Lavine, Coby White, Lauri Markkanen, and Nikola Vucevic, the pieces are in place for the Bulls to make some noise. Chicago appears to be trying to compete for the playoffs next year, which lands them in tier two.

The rest of the conference is in tier two, including Charlotte. At the conclusion of the regular season, only eight games separated seeds four through ten, and the standings were in constant flux the entire season. Without drastic roster upheaval, it appears that the same teams will comprise tier two again next season. Along with Chicago and Charlotte, this tier includes the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Indiana Pacers.

The Charlotte Hornets will look to improve the center position and add depth on the perimeter

Before a slew of injuries forced Charlotte to finish the season with makeshift rotations, the Hornets had risen to the fourth seed in the East. While Charlotte eventually fell to the 10th seed, the Hornets were in the playoff picture for the entire season. LaMelo Ball figures to continue his ascent, while Charlotte will also have a healthy Gordon Hayward back in action. With other pieces such as Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, and P.J. Washington in place, Charlotte has an exciting core to build on. The roster will also see some changes, most likely at the center position.

The first priority for the Hornets should be to solidify their starting center position. Bismack Biyombo (36 games) and Cody Zeller (21 games) shared the role this past season with mixed results. Charlotte finished the season 25th in defensive rebounds per game, 19th in total rebounding, and 16th in blocks per game. With Biyombo and Zeller both entering unrestricted free agency, Charlotte will explore the free agent market for a replacement. Available players include Andre Drummond, Richaun Holmes, and Nerlens Noel.

Charlotte holds their own first-round draft pick as well as second-round picks from both the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets. With just a 8.5% chance to land a top-four pick in the draft, Charlotte’s first-round pick will likely be between fifth and 14th, with the most likely scenario being 11th.

The Hornets could look to use their first-round pick to bolster the center position and use the second-round picks to add guard depth with both Malik Monk and Devonte’ Graham entering restricted free agency. One prospect to keep an eye on is Texas’ Kai Jones, a 6′ 11” center who can stretch the floor as a 38.2% three-point shooter. Jones is currently projected to be the second center selected, behind USC’s Evan Mobley.

Charlotte’s top three scorers, four of its top five rebounders, and three of its top four leaders in assists are all under contract for next year. The Hornets hope to also be able to remain healthy next season, with the NBA likely to return to an 82-game schedule and games being more spread out.

What is the ceiling for the Charlotte Hornets during the 2021-22 season?

After a successful season, Charlotte has many reasons for optimism heading into 2021-22. The Hornets should expect to compete for a playoff spot and could avoid the play-in tournament by earning a top-six seed.

While it would be unrealistic to expect the Hornets to overtake the 76ers, Nets, or Bucks, the ceiling will be competing for the fourth seed and having home-court advantage for a playoff series for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

Next. Charlotte Hornets: 5 Under-the-radar free agents to target. dark