Hornets get a boost in building the right culture from a familiar face

One of the first orders of business for the Charlotte Hornets' new top brass has been to establish a culture geared toward sustained success.

Of course, it wasn't as if the previous ownership and front office didn't try to find ways for the Hornets to win. However, they made several wrong decisions that caused the team to fail to reach the playoffs in the past eight seasons.

The light at the end of the tunnel is within sight, though, as the lead decision-maker on basketball operations, Jeff Peterson, has made a lot of promising moves. These include hiring coach Charles Lee and surrounding him with a solid staff.

Kemba Walker has been a boon to the Hornets

Lee has so far pushed the right buttons in Charlotte, and there is a different aura emanating within the organization. Even Terry Rozier noticed how the culture has shifted in his former team, going from saying the Hornets were used to losing in February right after he was traded to gushing about their reinvigorated mentality.

The coaching staff has likely been impactful in the changed paradigm, and Lee especially mentioned how Kemba Walker has been a valuable addition to the franchise.

The former Hornets star announced his retirement from playing earlier in the offseason. And it didn't take him long to find a new job, joining Charlotte as its player enhancement coach.

According to Lee, a reason he wanted to bring in Walker was because he was looking for "culture enhancers," which the four-time All-Star has apparently been in the past months. The 39-year-old coach praised Walker's character, discipline, and work ethic as a positive influence on the Hornets' players.

It has probably also helped that "Cardiac Kemba" understands what it's like to play in Charlotte, having spent the first eight seasons of his pro career at CLT. It's worth noting that the only two times the Hornets made the playoffs in the past 14 years is when they had Walker leading the squad.

In an interesting turn of events, Walker can actually be instrumental in helping develop who can eventually be the greatest player in franchise history. Right now, he arguably holds that distinction, considering his body of work and length of service in Charlotte. However, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have the potential to challenge him for that title.

Their cases can receive a boost if the Hornets succeed in building the right culture and start winning games consistently.