Fans finally saw in-depth what the Charlotte Hornets have in store for the 2024-25 season after the team held its media day on September 30.
The first to address the media was executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, who shared his plans for the organization and its outlook for the following months.
New coach Charles Lee and several key players were also given the opportunity to grab the mic and answer the reporters' questions.
The Hornets' plans this season and beyond have become clearer
While various topics were discussed on Monday, three themes emerged regarding the franchise's short-term and long-term plans.
1. Development
The Hornets haven't been able to field a contender in a long time. However, they are looking to buck the trend and rise in the East, if not this season, then in the following years.
The Hornets faithful have seen Charlotte try to take shortcuts in building a contending squad in the recent past. For instance, the hiring of Steve Clifford in 2022, when the old-school coach couldn't pull the team out of the mediocrity hole in his first tenure, didn't sit well with many fans.
With new blood taking over from the top down, the front office has taken the right approach in trying to make the Hornets a relevant team in the league.
Peterson said himself during media day that the squad will "take pride in player development," mentioning its youngest, Tidjane Salaun, and oldest player, Taj Gibson, as among those whom the top brass will help to get better.
That mindset makes sense, considering that Charlotte's core nucleus consists of 23-and-under players.
The offseason has also seen the organization resist the temptation of making win-now moves. It would rather find ways to build for the future, such as when it jumped into the blockbuster trade between the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, which will result in the acquisition of a player or combination of players worth more than $8 million in salary as well as draft compensation.
In addition, Lee preached "consistency of habits, competitiveness, and togetherness" on Monday. Setting the 2025 playoffs as a goal would be nice, considering that the Hornets are starving for postseason games. However, the coach, who has a championship pedigree after having previously won rings as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, focused on establishing the right foundation.
Impressively, the players seem to have bought in, which should be music to Hornets fans' ears.
2. Defense
The last time the Charlotte Hornets booked a trip to the playoffs was in the 2015-16 season. In the past nine campaigns, that was the only time the team ranked in the top 10 in defense. Charles Lee and the coaching staff seem on a mission to bring back that stingy defensive mindset starting this year.
According to Lee, he wants to see an increased commitment to defense from his players. And based on their statements on media day, the 39-year-old coach could get his wish granted.
LaMelo Ball, who will likely be looked upon as one of Charlotte's leaders, acknowledged that he has to lock in better on the defense. There is no doubt about his prolific shot-creating and playmaking skills. But people have knocked him for his "horrific" defense despite having the length and athleticism to be elite on that end of the court. It appears, though, that he is entering the 2024-25 season with a new mindset.
Mark Williams and Brandon Miller also expressed their desire to excel on defense. The big man from Duke University said that points of emphasis for him this season are "protecting the rim" and "being able to guard on that island" whenever he is switched onto smaller foes. Meanwhile, Miller said the next level of his game would be becoming an "elite two-way" player.
Even Charlotte's first-round selection this year, Tidjane Salaun, recognized that the fastest way for him to crack the rotation is through defense.
With players aiming to be better defensively and a coaching staff holding them accountable, the Hornets could surprise the league this coming season in that department.
3. Draft
No one among the Charlotte Hornets on media day explicitly stated that the team will make sure to retain its lottery-protected first-round pick in the potentially loaded 2025 NBA Draft.
In fact, some players said that making the playoffs would be nice. Among those who alluded to — or specifically mentioned — that as one of the squad's goalposts were Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and Seth Curry.
However, even if the roster is filled with potential stars and promising prospects, we have to admit that it is still lacking compared to other Eastern Conference powerhouses. Of course, watching the squad participate in the playoffs would be a long time coming. But do you know what's better? Seeing the Hornets compete for the conference crown year in and year out.
As Jeff Peterson said, the dream is to "be a consistent, relevant contender." However, the executive also added, "You don't do that overnight." And again, Charles Lee emphasized that building habits and player development will be significant focal points in the 2024-25 campaign.
The past years have shown that patience is one of the necessary steps to creating a true contender in Charlotte. Missing out on the playoffs one more time to bring in another piece, like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, or VJ Edgecombe, who can raise the Hornets' floor and ceiling sounds like a worthy trade-off.