Hornets have crucial decision to make before the season that impacts their build

The Charlotte Hornets have not made the playoffs since 2016, but the franchise believes they have two building blocks in Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. It is all about putting the right pieces around them. Charlotte bought low on Josh Green and is trying to be opportunistic in finding talent.

There were still questionable moves, but the Hornets have a direction. Giving Miles Bridges a three-year contract worth $75 million was head-scratching. Charlotte’s new owners are not afraid to spend, but they should be opening minutes for core pieces of their next contender.

The Hornets have a crucial extension decision to make on Tre Mann before the start of the regular season. The first-round pick in 2021 will be a restricted free agent next summer if no deal is reached, but Charlotte must decide if he is a long-term piece now. If not, it is time to move.

Tre Mann's contract decision will impact the Hornets' build

The salary cap is expected to go up the maximum ten percent next season, but Charlotte will be just $13.7 million under if they keep all their current pieces. Mann will want at least that much in his fresh contract. Extending him means eliminating their cap space and locking in their core.

The Hornets will be active before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but won’t have significant space unless they find a taker for Bridges or Grant Williams. Charlotte won 21 games last season and was nowhere near contention. They cannot believe in this build and need flexibility.

Mann averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals in 31.0 minutes per game over his 28 contests with the Hornets last season. The Thunder dumped him in the Gordon Hayward trade, but the 23-year-old former first-round pick has untapped potential.

The franchise should lock him up now if they plan on keeping him. Do not offer Mann another opportunity to break out and command more money. If they want to move on, the Hornets should trade Mann to the highest bidder. They are in an asset accumulation mode and should try to maximize every move.

The Hornets must make a crucial decision that will surely impact their build. The last thing they want is another overpriced role player weighing down their cap sheet. Charlotte must sign him to a team-friendly deal and maintain his value or move on.

The Charlotte Hornets may be over the cap with one of the worst rosters in the NBA. It is not the ideal place to be, and the pressure is certainly on their young players to blossom. The playoff drought has gone on long enough, but the Tre Mann decision will impact how much longer the Hornets are in the lottery. It is time for the franchise to make the right call, and fans should be watching closely as opening night draws near.