Charlotte Hornets: Does ESPN get it right with 2021-22 NBA standings prediction?
The Charlotte Hornets seem to be on everyone’s league pass watchlist heading into the season. The young Hornets are headlined by a budding superstar in reigning rookie of the year winner, LaMelo Ball, and they play a fun style of basketball that’s sure to draw eyes to the television.
The NBA Insiders at ESPN may be thinking the same thing as they have just released their 2021-22 standings predictions (ESPN+ subscription required) for the upcoming season which sees the Hornets in a similar spot as last year but making improvements that the team should be very proud of.
A quick recap of the 2020-21 season. Charlotte started the NBA season off pretty well, fighting for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. They found themselves ranked in the top five at certain parts of the season, but injuries quickly started to pile up amongst key members of the roster which took a major toll on the team. Charlotte finished the season on a rough stretch and placed 10th in the east with a 33-39 record. This was good enough to earn a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, however, they were destroyed by the Indiana Pacers which ended their season.
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ESPN’s predictions for the Charlotte Hornets 2021-22 season: 40-42, 8th in the East
ESPN forecasts some improvement for the young Hornets which is a welcome sight but also slightly surprising.
On one hand, the Hornets should expect their young core headlined by Ball, Miles Bridges, and PJ Washington to take the next step in their developments. There is a lot of hope that Ball specifically will turn into a franchise-altering player (more so than he already is), but even Bridges and Washington’s next steps should prove to be very beneficial to Charlotte.
On top of that, Charlotte has a nice mix of veteran talent at the top of the roster to help guide this young team. Gordon Hayward returns from injury and if he can stay healthy (a big if), is likely Charlotte’s best player going into the season. Terry Rozier just got paid a big contract and is looking like a true team leader, and Kelly Oubre Jr, Mason Plumlee, and Ish Smith were brought in to provide solid depth.
A mix of young stars and veteran talent can usually be a recipe for success but on the other hand, are the Hornets too young?
This year’s draft class of high potential players, James Bouknight, Kai Jones, JT Thor, and Scottie Lewis tells us that they are building for the future, but the makeup of the current roster does tell us that Charlotte is still ready to compete for a playoff spot and wants to advance. Even general manager Mitch Kupchak said that goal remains. How it all meshes will be interesting to see.
Recently, I predicted every game on the Hornets schedule for this upcoming season and finished with a record of 39-43. So I would have to agree that ESPN got it right with Charlotte’s prediction. In ESPN’s prediction, Charlotte finishes tied with the Chicago Bulls for the 8th seed. Many expect Chicago to be a solidified playoff team this season after their big offseason, so Charlotte being on par with them is a pleasant surprise.
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If this is the outcome for the Hornets this season, then fans, staff, and players should be proud of that outcome. If they can knock off the New York Knicks (predicted 7th seed) in the first round of the Play-In to clinch the 7th seed and advance to the playoffs, then that’s a delightful cherry on top. Although, the Milwaukee Bucks would await them in this scenario.