The NBA is a league of copycats. If the Charlotte Hornets want to transform into contenders, they have to look at what successful teams have done and imitate whatever they can. For instance, they need to analyze how the 2025 Finals participants, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, have built their rosters to give themselves a higher chance of finally achieving their goal of becoming sustainable contenders.
Oklahoma City and Indiana have avoided falling into the trap of creating superteams. Of course, they probably didn't have much choice, as superstars aren't exactly lining up to join their clubs.
The Hornets are in a similar boat in that they don't have as much to offer to big-ticket targets as large-market squads do. They even got served a harsh dose of reality when they were named the worst-run franchise by several NBA players.
Depth should be a priority for Hornets
Fortunately, the respective runs to the Finals by the Thunder and Pacers have provided Charlotte with a blueprint for success. Retired one-time All-Star Jeff Teague has already advised the Hornets to recreate how Indy developed the supporting cast around its fringe superstar, highlighting how they have their own version of Tyrese Haliburton in LaMelo Ball.
The current reality has proven that being too top-heavy can be detrimental for teams hoping to make deep postseason runs. Depth has become the name of the game, as the Thunder and Pacers boast two of the deepest rosters in the league this season.
It's worth noting, though, that they have franchise cornerstones (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton) that have met or exceeded expectations, especially in the playoffs.
Also on their rosters are All-Star-caliber players (Jalen Williams and Pascal Siakam) who can probably be the No. 1 options if they were on lowly clubs. What the Hornets have to be concerned about is that the Finals protagonists have high-level rim protectors (Isaiah Hartenstein and Myles Turner) who aren't offensive black holes, and Mark Williams has yet to display marked improvement on defense.
Rounding out their depth are several two-way guys and niche players on both the starting lineup and the reserves. Both the Thunder and Pacers can unleash a nine-man rotation and not skip a beat, providing them with insurance in case of injuries, which have been a thorn in Charlotte's side, foul trouble, and off-nights from some of their key pieces.
It won't be easy for the Hornets to create a roster that can emulate OKC and Indiana's. After all, many other organizations have likely caught wind of the trend. The good news for Charlotte is that it has at least three foundational players entering the 2025-26 campaign: Ball, Brandon Miller, and the prospect it selects in this summer's draft.