After a stretch of winning three in four games last week, the Charlotte Hornets had started to look like a competitive squad. However, the team has already regressed to the mean, losing to the LA Clippers 132-88 on Sunday. Two days later, it received another beatdown, this time against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hornets gave up 134 points to their divisional rival while scoring just 102. A couple of surprising names, Seth Curry and DaQuan Jeffries, led the squad in scoring with 19. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges sat out the contest, and Mark Williams had his first bad game after an impressive recent stretch.
It's worth noting that Atlanta swept the regular season series against the Hornets and increased its slim chances of rising from its No. 7 position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Hawks are hardly the organization that Buzz City should aspire to be. However, there's no denying that they are in a better position because of how they have been able to provide a stronger supporting cast for Trae Young than Charlotte has done so far with Ball.
Hornets should have an idea about what players to target this summer
In many ways, Young is similar to the aspiring Hornet superstar. The pair of point guards are two of the most electrifying playmakers in the league, whose range extends well beyond the 3-point arc and who have a penchant for performing and sometimes failing highlight-reel plays. A question some might have is if the 2018 fifth-overall pick is any better than Melo.
Talent-wise, it's tough to answer that. However, in terms of achievement, Young is certainly in a different tier, having made four All-Star berths and steering the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals once.
Evidently, Trae is at least a step ahead. But Ball isn't that far behind and can eventually catch up if only the Hornets can help him help them find sustained success.
Rumor has it that the organization has no interest in trading the 2021 Rookie of the Year. If that turns out to indeed be the case, it should bring in new faces with skill sets that are akin to those of a few of the key pieces around Young.
For instance, bringing in an all-world defender who can hold his own on offense, like Dyson Daniels, should be on top of Charlotte's wish list. A big man in the mold of Onyeka Okongwu (who thoroughly outplayed Williams on Monday while finishing with a double-double and shooting 3-6 from long range) with a high motor who can also patrol the paint, control the boards, and space the floor would be useful for sure. Perhaps acquiring a rookie in the 2025 draft who can contribute immediately, such as Zaccharie Risacher, should also be a priority. The Hornets should have learned their lesson from the Tidjane Salaun snafu last year.
As said, the Hawks are far from a perfect squad. But they definitely did some things right that Charlotte should try to emulate.