3 Offseason moves the Charlotte Hornets might regret
The beautiful thing about professional sports is that they are about simultaneously having short-term and long-term building projects, with most teams, like the Charlotte Hornets, operating in the middle. You do have outliers, like the Lakers and Nets, who are full-blown contenders with no cares for the future, and others, Oklahoma City, that only care about the team three years from now.
Usually, teams like to have a mix of veterans who can help make the playoffs while also having young talent that the front office and fans can dream will one day be difference-making stars. So, when looking at offseason moves, it is important to see how they impact the team not just for this season, but for the seasons to follow, paying close attention to the ways they can hurt you.
Writing about how decisions can backfire is never fun, especially since last year’s Hornets, when healthy, were one of my favorite versions of the team I have watched since becoming a fan. LaMelo Ball passes, Terry Rozier sniping threes from everywhere, Miles Bridges dunks, and Gordon Hayward being the guy, it was all incredible.
The Hornets then went out and retooled to better deal with injuries, so we hopefully do not have to say “when healthy” for this year’s squad. This is a look at three moves that all have their clear-cut benefits, and this is an exercise in thinking about how these moves can fail. After all, it is always good practice for Hornets fans to keep in mind that even great moves can end in disaster (see Lance Stephenson signing and the 2016 free agency post our 48-win season).