Charlotte Hornets: How the Suns success can serve as a blueprint
By Jason Huber
If the 2020-21 NBA season showed the Charlotte Hornets anything, it’s that the future is bright and there is potential that hasn’t been seen for quite some time in the Queen City.
In the last decade, the league has been dominated by dynasties like the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers with stars joining forces to try and create super teams.
However, this season also showed that superteams aren’t unstoppable. The NBA Finals brought a breath of fresh air and new blood with the Phoenix Suns facing the Milwaukee Bucks. Two small market teams going head-to-head for a title.
Phoenix has had success in the past with the likes of Charles Barkley, Steve Nash, Amare’ Stoudemire and Shawn Marion but has never won a championship.
While Milwaukee is an even smaller market than Charlotte, the Suns should be the best example for the Hornets to look at and have hope that they too can be on this stage in the future.
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The Hornets have already made some of the first steps to follow a similar blueprint that Phoenix has followed.
The first was hiring a good general manager. The Suns took a chance on former NBA player James Jones in 2017 as the new GM. Mitch Kupchak has only impressed since being hired by Charlotte in 2018.
What other steps do the Hornets need to take to surprise the league like Phoenix has?