It took only 1 game for Tre Mann to start his Sixth Man of the Year case

The Charlotte Hornets' 2024-25 campaign is off to a good start after they defeated the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

LaMelo Ball led the way for the Hornets. He showed no signs of rust in his highly anticipated return from injury and recorded 34 points and 11 assists. The 2022 All-Star needed to take over more on offense, as Brandon Miller played just 11 minutes, missing the second half because of hip soreness.

Fortunately for the Hive squad, Ball had help, as Tre Mann scored 24 off the bench and made key contributions in crunch time.

Tre Mann announced his 6MOY candidacy with a bang

Mann's offensive outburst couldn't have come at a better time for the Hornets, as Ball alone wouldn't have been enough for the team to rally for the comeback win against the Rockets. He put up nine points in the final stanza to complement his star teammate's 12 markers.

It's worth noting how the coaching staff trusted Mann with the ball in the clutch. He delivered by mostly making the right plays, such as draining a stepback 3-pointer and a floater in consecutive possessions before Ball took over.

While some folks may have been surprised at Mann's performance on Wednesday, those who have followed the squad since the offseason weren't shocked at all. He was one of its best players in the preseason and had already generated Sixth Man of the Year buzz, thanks to his proficiency in getting buckets off the bench.

Perhaps the Florida native wouldn't be able to sustain the level of production he displayed in Houston, more so that opponents would likely be wary of him from hereon and feature more of him in their scouting reports.

A way to circumvent that, though, is to serve as the second unit's facilitator, which Mann should have no problem with after dishing out 5.2 assists per game in his 28 appearances in a Hornets uniform last season. Vasilije Micic has been disappointing as the squad's backup point guard since preseason, and if the Serbian's slump extends, the coaching staff should consider handing over increased playmaking duties to Mann.

It remains to be seen what the youngster's numbers will end up being once the regular season concludes. But based on his talent and demeanor, which has reminded some people of Allen Iverson, he should safely land one of the top spots in the Sixth Man of the Year race. That is if Charlotte doesn't decide to promote him to the starting lineup.