The Charlotte Hornets have the league's longest active playoff drought at eight seasons, and they are set to extend the record to nine.
For weeks, the franchise has likely been resigned to the fact that a playoff appearance this year is not in the cards. Even if Charlotte suddenly desires to chase a berth now, it is implausible for the team to even make it to the play-in tournament. Winning their remaining 19 games would bring the Hornets' standing to 34-48, and last campaign's 10th seed, the Atlanta Hawks finished with a 36-46 record.
The last time Buzz City secured a playoff slot was during the 2015-16 campaign when Kemba Walker helped his squad land the No. 6 seed with a 48-34 record. It nearly advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, running to a 3-2 series lead before the Miami Heat eliminated the team in the first round.
Now, Walker has the opportunity to bring the Hornets back to contention and establish the right culture as the organization's player enhancement coach. Of all people, he knows that building the right foundation can take a while, although he believes Charlotte already has the necessary pieces to return to relevancy.
Kemba Walker believes in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller
The franchise legend was recently honored during a segment on Hornets on FDSN. In one of the video clips, he heaped high praises upon two of Charlotte's current best players, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, saying, "I think those two guys are very, very talented and can take this organization to places that it's never been."
Despite the club's lowly status at the moment, many fans are still hopeful of a turnaround soon because of its assets, two of the most valuable of which are Ball and Miller.
Melo has displayed skills and confidence that can help him become one of the best players in the history of the organization — if he isn't already. Unfortunately, he has also been the subject of criticism for his supposed inability to lead the Hornets to the promised land. In his defense, injuries and the absence of a healthy supporting cast have been a key factor in the team racking up more losses than wins in the past years.
On the other hand, Miller has already turned into one of Charlotte's most lethal scorers, and that's despite the fact that the second-year pro is also dealing with injuries and still does not have elite handles. Imagine, though, if he can develop a deeper offensive bag (perhaps with the help of Walker), the Hornets will have a wider array of weapons to throw out against opponents.
Of course, Walker's prophecy will heavily hinge on what the front office decides to do with Ball and Miller. Shipping either or both of them doesn't look sensible at the moment despite their flaws. But if the past trade deadline is any indication, the Hornets aren't afraid of doing the unthinkable and pulling the trigger on unexpected trades.