The Charlotte Hornets are the league's last expansion attempt, joining in 2004 as the Charlotte Bobcats. Despite a lot of rumors and discussions floating about the subject, including the possibility of bringing the NBA back to Seattle or establishing a team in Las Vegas, the league has yet to grow beyond the current roster of 30 squads.
In fact, the 21 years without a new franchise entering the NBA has been the longest stretch in which no expansion has taken place. With the number of talents continuing to grow worldwide, it sounds logical to add another club or two to the fold. Besides, some cities or locales are likely pumped to cheer for their own hoops team.
So, why hasn't Adam Silver made an announcement yet? There are several possible reasons, including the league's unreadiness for such a move, as the commissioner himself said last year. He also avoided addressing the matter during the All-Star Weekend.
How the Hornets may be giving the league second thoughts about expanding
Danny Chau of The Ringer offered an interesting theory behind why the NBA is not rushing to bring in more franchises to the Association. He said, "Over the past 20 years, Charlotte has had a grand total of two All-NBA players (Kemba Walker, 2018-19 third team; Al Jefferson, 2013-14 third team), which ought to be impossible. Even the worst, most snakebitten franchises you can think of have fallen into at least five All-NBA appearances from their players in that span."
The notion that the Bobcats/Hornets have constantly fielded some of the least talented squads of the 21st century may be enough reason for the league office to take it slow. Of course, it hasn't always been the organization's fault, as injuries have taken their toll on Charlotte in several seasons. Moreover, draft lotteries haven't been kind to the team at times, particularly in 2012, when it lost the Anthony Davis sweepstakes despite having the worst record in the 2011-12 regular season by far.
Still, there's no defending the Hornets when it comes to lousy decision-making on hiring coaches and selecting prospects. Among their direst moves was using their lottery picks on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh, and Frank Kaminsky in consecutive years.
A silver lining is that Charlotte has done better in drafting and trading, to some extent, in recent years. However, the effect on the club's standings has yet to be realized. Hopefully, the front office can achieve its goal of building a sustainable contender before the expansion takes place.