Being a Charlotte Hornets fan can be tough. Years of roster mismanagement and poor recruitment have meant Hornets fans rarely get to root for their team during the postseason. As such, there’s always a sense of apathy at the start of a new season, where cautious optimism quickly gives way to the realization that, once again, nothing will be different.
This year feels different. The Hornets’ front office finally seems to have settled on the direction they want to take their roster. A plan appears to be in place.
Sure, neither Gordon Hayward nor Terry Rozier were traded over the offseason, and their roles within the rotation are both questionable in terms of long-term fit, but that doesn’t take away from the restraint shown throughout the free agency period.
While a big splash would have been nice, it would have only confused the apparent vision of developing young talent through the draft. Besides, even without a marquee summer addition, Charlotte features to be much-improved compared to the team we saw last season.
Here are three reasons to be excited about the 2023-24 season.
#1 The Charlotte Hornets are healthy
Injuries ravaged the Hornets last season. I mean, tore them apart like a pack of rabid wolves stumbling upon an injured deer. LaMelo Ball’s ankle injury was the primary shot that took the Hornets off their feet, but injuries to Cody Martin, Gordon Hayward, Kelly Oubre Jr., and others all played their part throughout the season.
Factor in Miles Bridges’ absence from the team, and the Hornets were running a skeleton staff for the majority of the year. No wonder the team finished last in offensive rating.
Fortunately, this year projects to be different. The hope is that Ball’s injury struggles are behind him, and the Hornets’ reliance on Hayward has been lessened by the addition of Brandon Miller. While Bridges is also back in the rotation, and Oubre Jr. doesn’t project to be with the franchise.
With a fully healthy roster, the Hornets will be better. It’s only logical. Have your best players available, and perform to a higher level. The math works out. If Charlotte can keep their best players on the court and afford their young talent enough minutes to aid their development, the upcoming season could be the turning point for the franchise, or at least, the current iteration of it.
#2 Multiple Hornets players have a point to prove
Motivation is a powerful tool. Every player in the NBA has had to prove people wrong at one point or another in their career. For the Hornets, they have a bevy of talent that will feel like this season is their chance to prove their worth, not only to the franchise but to the league itself.
Miller will want to show he was worthy of being selected ahead of Scoot Henderson with the second overall pick. Bridges will be playing for a big contract next summer. Hayward, in the final year of his current deal, will need to prove he can still play a big role without succumbing to minor injuries.
Ball needs to remind everyone why he’s still an elite guard of the future. Nick Smith Jr. has minutes to earn and people to impress. P.J. Washington will likely feel aggrieved his contract took so long to sort out. The list goes on and on.
With so many talented individuals all having reasons to excel this year, Charlotte could ride those motivations all the way to the postseason, even if it means traversing a difficult play-in tournament.
#3 The Hornets have continuity among their primary rotation
There might be some young new faces on the Hornets rotation, but beyond that, this is the same team as last year and the year before. Internal development will play a role in how successful the Hornets are in the short term. However, continuity is just as important.
Having spent multiple seasons together, the Hornets players know each other’s skill sets inside out. LaMelo knows where Hayward likes to receive the rock. P.J. Washington understands how LaMelo is going to attack different types of pick-and-roll coverages.
Understanding how your teammates play is a core comment in a well-functioning team. Had the Hornets rung the changes this summer, the entire roster would be back in the learning process. Look around the NBA; almost all of the elite teams have been together for multiple years. Continuity matters. It creates success.
It might not always be pretty, but we can be confident the Hornets’ roster will be on the same page, and that should go a long way to making them a more cohesive unit on both sides of the floor.