There was plenty of excitement when the Charlotte Hornets announced Charles Lee as the new head coach last year. A survey on Hornets fans conducted by James Plowright of the Buzz Beat podcast sometime before the 2024 training camp showed that many of them were confident in the rookie coach. However, the optimism doesn't appear to be that high anymore.
In this year's edition of the survey, 42.5 percent of the respondents answered the highest possible rating (5) when asked how confident they were in Lee. This time around, only 14 percent selected that option, and there was a seven-percent increase in fans who voted 2 or lower.
While Plowright noted that the general sentiment toward the 40-year-old tactician in Charlotte apparently remains more positive than otherwise, there still seems to be a notable decrease in confidence in him.
Last year, it was easy to see why Lee was a popular figure in the Queen City.
Once a coveted commodity, he had served as an assistant in the NBA since 2014. He was also a part of two title-winning squads, the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks and 2023-24 Boston Celtics. So, despite Lee's relatively young age, he has had enough experience in helping develop a winner in the league. It's also worth pointing out that the squads he helped guide compiled a win-loss record of 510-291, equivalent to a 64 percent winning percentage. Additionally, nine out of those 10 teams reached the playoffs.
Charles Lee could soon find himself in the hot seat
Evidently, Lee was unable to replicate that kind of success in his first year helming the Hornets' sideline. The club stumbled to a 19-63 standing, marking the first time it failed to breach the 20-win mark since 2012. The blame for the outcome cannot be solely pinned on him, though.
As injuries had kept piling up since the start of the 2024-25 regular season, so did the losses. And even if the lack of healthy bodies had not been as significant an issue, it was clear that Charlotte was several pieces away from becoming a legitimate contender. So, as the campaign progressed, it had become increasingly undeniable that the organization needed to shift its focus to building for the future and positioning itself to secure high odds for the 2025 draft lottery.
The silver lining for the Hornets was that Lee had his ragtag group of role players, two-way-contract guys, and G League pickups playing hard almost every night. On the other hand, the on-court product was pretty tough to watch, especially given how they struggled to find high-quality shots and relied too heavily on the 3-ball.
Then again, ranking at the bottom on offense might have been a result of a lackluster roster. We'll find out this season if that's true, as Lee now has several shot-makers and playmakers to work with.
Sure, the roster is still flawed, but we might be looking at the most promising collection of players Charlotte has had in the LaMelo Ball era. The onus is now on the head coach to piece them all together and put out an NBA-level offense — while making sure the team remains at least respectable in defense and rebounding.
If Lee can't induce improvement from the squad, the survey might show a more unfavorable result next year. We can also expect some Hornets fans to call on the organization to find a replacement, although such a move could be a major step back for the rebuilding franchise.