Every offseason, an NBA team has one goal: to improve. The Charlotte Hornets will be no different, especially after missing out on the playoffs for the seventh straight season. The problem is, to improve your roster, you have to make tough decisions.
Perhaps you trade away a fan favorite or decide against bringing a reliable contributor back so that you can free up some additional cap space. Whatever the reasons are, some decisions will never be easy. This summer, the Hornets will have their fair of decisions to make, most notably regarding what direction they want to take in regards to building out their current core.
As such, we can expect some unpopular moves, but as long as we can see those moves are in the best interest of the franchise, we should be able to live with them. With that in mind, here are three tough decisions the Hornets will be forced to make over the summer.
#1 What to do with Gordon Hayward
When the Charlotte Hornets acquired Gordon Hayward in a sign-and-trade that provided the Boston Celtics with one of the biggest trade exceptions in NBA history, it felt like a huge win. Here was an All-Star caliber wing that could provide a scoring punch, be a lead playmaker when required, and would slot into any defensive system. The only problem was that Hayward had struggled for health during his time with the Celtics, and there was a risk those struggles would continue.
As it turns out, that risk was real. Since being with the Hornets, Hayward has missed at least 30 regular season games every season, putting additional weight on his teammate’s shoulders as they looked to fill the void his absence created. The problem is the talented forward is also the team’s top earner, consuming an average of 25% of the Hornets’ total cap space over his four-year contract.
Now, as Hayward enters the final year of his deal, he projects to be a tradeable asset for the Hornets – one that should, and most likely will, be shopped around the league to gauge what sort of return the franchise can get from moving the 33-year-old on to new pastures. The problem is, from a talent standpoint, moving Hayward weakens your team’s rotation. Even with LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, and potentially Mile Bridges, Hayward is currently seen as the most talented and dynamic player on the roster when healthy.
Yet, that talent hasn’t resulted in any postseason appearances, and now, the Hornets need to pick a path forward – a path that will likely see them get younger and look to acquire assets.
#2 Where to draw the line in PJ Washington’s RFA?
Assuming the Charlotte Hornets extend PJ Washington the $8.4 million qualifying offer he’s entitled to, he will become a restricted free agent this summer. There should be no doubt that Mitch Kupchak ensures the Hornets retain some form of control over one of their best young assets, so the qualifying offer is basically a foregone conclusion.
However, it’s what happens when restricted free agency begins that is the real question. The Hornets will certainly have a number in mind and will likely draw a line in the sand so as not to be caught in a bidding war and risk overpaying.
This season, Washington proved to be a valuable member of the Hornets’ rotation, showing that he was capable of handling an increased workload without too much of a drop-off in terms of efficiency on the court.
In 73 games for Charlotte, Washington produced averages of 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 51.8% from two-point range and 34.8% from deep. As such, it would make sense that multiple teams will likely be sniffing around the former lottery pick in the hopes of raising him away from the Hornets in the offseason.
#3 The Charlotte Hornets need to decide who to draft at number 2
Heading into the NBA Draft with the second overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets have a tough decision to make. Currently, the two names being floated around the media are Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller.
However, there are some questions surrounding Henderson’s long-term fit alongside LaMelo Ball and whether selecting the G-League Ignite guard would be the right choice for the Hornets, both in the immediate and in the long term. Still, not everybody is out on the idea of adding Henderson to play alongside LaMelo, most notably ESPN college analyst Fran Fraschilla.
I’m out of the @NBA draft business this year as we focus on @usab3x3. But if you don’t think Scoot Henderson & LaMelo Ball can play together for @hornets, you are out of your mind. 100 possessions times 82 games is a lot to put on one playmaker. Respect for each other’s game will…
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) May 29, 2023
Still, there is certainly an argument to be made that Miller fills a positional need and is more central to providing a diverse roster that can get the best out of LaMelo long-term. After all, every team would like to draft a potential two-way wing with three-level scoring ability and unteachable size.
Fortunately, we’re not the ones who have to make this enormous decision – that responsibility will fall firmly on the shoulders of Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan. Nevertheless, whatever the front office chooses will undoubtedly have a big impact on the team’s ability to become a competitive unit in the near future, which makes it one of the toughest decisions of the summer.