For the longest time, the Charlotte Hornets have been one of the league's laughingstocks. They have either been mediocre or a cellar dweller — never one of the Eastern Conference's top teams.
Some might attribute the decades-long struggle to a curse, but in reality, the Hornets have brought it upon themselves. The lack of competent leadership has resulted in failed attempts at win-now personnel moves, including ill-advised trades and free-agency signings, as well as short leashes on head coaches.
There is a sense of optimism in Buzz City now, as the organization is under relatively new ownership. It hasn't been two years since the group of Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin became the majority owner. And in two months, Jeff Peterson will celebrate his anniversary as the team's head of basketball operations.
Hornets' direction under Jeff Peterson is a breath of fresh air
Peterson has been in the spotlight of late, with Charlotte making a splash in the trade market and sending Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns. The Hornets also managed to avoid falling into the trap of bringing back a piece, Jusuf Nurkic, who may already be a proven player but whose timeline doesn't fit with the rest of the roster.
The team executive addressed the move, saying that there were other suitors for Richards. He gave an insight (subscription required) into his thought process behind the decision to accept the Suns' offer, stating that the front office will not compromise the squad's future by conducting some trades that could push the Hornets into the playoffs one year then be out in the following seasons.
So, it appears the top brass has doubled down on its commitment to focus on developing its young players, emphasizing that the goal is to establish the franchise as a "sustainable" contender.
That is certainly good news for fans, as most of them are probably tired of Charlotte trying to secure a lower seed in the playoffs and then failing to advance past the first round the last time it did reach that stage in 2016. On the flip side, that means the Hornets faithful will have to endure another losing campaign.
Watching the NBA landscape this season, though, shows that Peterson is on the right track. Some of the top teams today, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Houston Rockets, had to go through years of disappointment while building the foundation through shrewd trades, signings, and drafts. Now, they have climbed to the summit of the standings.
Hopefully, Peterson's long-term vision for the Hornets will similarly pan out successfully in a couple of years.