All things considered, the Charlotte Hornets had a fantastic 2025 offseason. However, they also committed some blunders, the most notable of which were signing and then waiving Spencer Dinwiddie right before the opening of the regular season and not bringing in additional reinforcements who can bring the physicality night in and night out.
Funnily enough, many had thought that the Hornets' most grave mistake was not shoring up their center depth. However, that might be the least of their concerns. While the young bigs are far from perfect, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate have given the organization plenty of reason to be optimistic about its outlook at the position.
Hornets are a mess without LaMelo Ball
One of the striking reasons Charlotte has cratered during its current three-game losing streak is the lack of playmaking help behind LaMelo Ball. After it averaged 132.0 points and 31.0 assists per game in the first three contests of the regular season, it had recorded just 109.7 points and 24.3 assists per match since then.
While Brandon Miller's absence may have something to do with it, the more likely reason the offense has hit a wall is that defenses have forced the Hornets to put up bad shots every time Ball is on the bench. With the star floor general on the floor, they have an offensive rating of 125.1, a mark that would be second only to the Houston Rockets' league-leading 128.1 offensive rating so far this season. But without him, their offensive rating has plummeted to 109.9, which would have them in the bottom five of the Association.
The front office may have missed the chance to add some playmaking depth by taking a flyer on Dinwiddie, as the veteran used up a roster spot for three months while other alternatives signed with different squads.
Waiving him after preseason was probably the right decision, although now, Charlotte has had to rely on Collin Sexton and Tre Mann to man the point guard spot whenever Ball takes a breather. Sexton has proven to be a solid addition, but it's clear that he is out of his depth when asked to facilitate the offense. Meanwhile, Mann may have quickly worn out his welcome in the Queen City, as he has been largely ineffective both as a scorer and playmaker.
Hornets have no answer for the increased physicality
Charlotte's struggles in its previous three matchups may also be attributed to its inability to adjust to its opponents' physicality on both ends of the court. It would be easy to chalk up the losses to the fact that it faced the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of whom are notorious for their intensity and ball pressure. It's worth noting, though, that plenty of other teams now know the blueprint to prevent the Hornets from lighting up the scoreboard like they had done at the start of the regular season.
Unfortunately, without the benefit of hindsight, Charlotte failed to bring in a serviceable rotation piece or two who can help it withstand physical offenses and defenses. The roster crunch during the offseason limited its options. However, if the Hornets had known that Mason Plumlee, Josh Green, and to some extent, Mann, would turn out to be somewhat expendable, they likely would have attacked the free agency and trade market last summer differently.
Only time will tell if the Hornets can find ways to overcome the limitations stemming from their slip-ups in the offseason. If they cannot, they are in for another rough season.