The Charlotte Hornets have been so bad this season that they need plenty of New Year's resolutions to get back on the winning track.
Of course, they've also shown positive qualities they can build on to transform into a respectable squad that doesn't sandwich a win between a pair of eight-game losing streaks. For example, the Hornets are one of the league's better teams in the fourth quarter, which, unfortunately, they haven't been able to take advantage of.
Perhaps a change in offensive style can help Charlotte become more competitive in the earlier parts of games and give it a better chance of bringing home the bacon instead of losses.
Hornets have to pick up the pace on offense
Many might concur that Charles Lee has looked every bit like a rookie coach. His playcalling and rotation have had viewers exasperated, especially when the players display little chemistry and continue chucking contested 3-pointers.
It's understandable, though, because not all first-year tacticians, especially those 40 and below, can learn the ropes immediately. Even Lee's former boss, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, had to experience growing pains before finally becoming a championship coach.
Still, Lee has to know by now that his offensive system isn't working. People can't just blame injuries because not even a healthy roster guarantees that the Hornets would be much better than their bottom-three-ranked offense.
One of the facets of the team's offense that has to change as soon as the year turns is its pace.
Currently, Charlotte's pace ranks 24th in the league. A squad this young and inexperienced has no business relying too much on half-court sets to look for ways to score. It's also curious that Lee has had his club playing this slow when he implied in the offseason that he wanted to pick up the tempo.
Furthermore, the Hornets' roster appears better suited to be running the break every chance they get. Imagine LaMelo Ball pushing up the ball flanked by Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, or even Mark Williams. Ball even described earlier this month how excited he was to run with Bridges and Williams. Even the reserves, except probably Vasilije Micic, might thrive in an uptempo offense.
Some might ask whether that would result in more turnovers or other errors. That is certainly likely. However, the lack of players with high basketball IQ has also had the Hornets turning the ball over at a worse rate than 22 other squads.
Besides, what does Charlotte have to lose? At least if a high-octane offense doesn't translate to wins, it would be entertaining for the fans.