Charlotte Hornets: What Does The Championship Timeline Look Like?

It’s fair to assume to assume that while the Charlotte Hornets are an impressive up-and-coming, young team, they probably won’t be raising their first championship banner this year. With that said, what’s the championship timeline for a squad in search of its first ring?

When it comes to future championship runs, having a young core with developmental abilities is crucial. LaMelo Ball is only 20 years old, and Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington are both under 25 and have yet to reach their primes. While this trio isn’t comparable to, say, the Nets’ Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons, they are a promising young group that could be the key to a championship roster.

Also of significance is the presence of veteran players, whose presence stabilizes the locker room and shows the young guys how to carry themselves on and off the court. The recent signing of fan-favorite point guard Isaiah Thomas was a good move in that direction, and Gordon Hayward, although unlucky with injuries, is a respected leader and a capable role model.

IT has been in search of an NBA home for years now. Ever since his run with the Celtics, things have been up-and-down for the journeyman, but a shot with Michael Jordan’s team is sure to set Thomas up with a terrific leadership role.

Just look back to Ball’s retweet of @Meloleague‘s post, which showed Thomas praising Melo’s ability to control the game.

Having Thomas is great, but it seems like the only way to win a championship in the NBA these days is to have at least one superstar, and while LaMelo could eventually blossom into that player, he’s not quite there yet. Melo was a deserving All-Star this year, and his stats and play have shaped him into a cornerstone piece for a title contender, even at a young age. If the Hornets are looking to contend for a chip in the next two-to-three years, they may need to bring in a higher-caliber player via trade or free agency.

Luring disgruntled Lakers star Russell Westbrook to Charlotte may be enticing, assuming he has superstar level gameplay left in the tank (and that the Lakers experiment was a fluke). Wizards star wing player Bradley Beal, who has been always loyal to Washington, may start to acknowledge the need for some new scenery if things continue to go south in the nation’s capitol.

Even Beal and Westbrook reside below the superstar tier of NBA talents, but acquiring a proven player like one of them, who can shoulder a scoring load and lead the team, will be the difference between a Hornets squad that remains average, and one that rises to the ranks of contender.

All in all, the team may have to continue to make moves for the next two or three years before a title run is a realistic possibility. With a strong, young core, the Hornets have one of the brightest futures in the NBA. If they can lure another All-Star level player to Charlotte, they may just raise their first championship banner into the rafters sooner rather than later.