This summer should be one of improvement for the Charlotte Hornets. Internally, externally, and as a whole, the Hornets should be focused on getting better in preparation for next year.
With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller leading the way, the Hornets have an outline of a successful team. And while they won’t be winning a championship anytime soon, they should be pushing for the postseason.
Drafting well and hitting the trade market will be essential steps in the process, but the Hornets should also have a chance to add pieces in free agency.
Here are five former Hornets who they could look to bring back this summer.
1. Malik Monk
This is perhaps the most unlikely of the bunch for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, the Hornets probably don’t have the money to bring in Monk, and even if they cleared space to sign him, there’s no guarantee he would want to come back.
Since leaving Charlotte, Monk has found infinitely more success, and while his scoring punch would certainly improve the Hornets’ offense, there’s a chance things may not have ended too well.
The Sacramento Kings are likely going to do everything they can to keep him in the fold, as he’s been crucial to their success as a team.
The 26-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but with the number of teams that have cap space and the Kings’ desire to bring him back, this reunion seems very unlikely.
Even though it’s technically possible.
2. Mason Plumlee
Hearing Eric Collins call some of Mason Plumlee’s best highlights in a Charlotte Hornets uniform is enough reason to bring him back by itself. But there are plenty of other reasons why a reunion would make sense.
Before getting into those, though, let’s make one thing clear: Point Plumlee cannot be a thing. Too often did the Hornets run through Plum Dog. If he were to come back, it would have to be in a reduced role.
Charlotte’s center of the future is Mark Williams. And Nick Richards looks like a more-than-solid backup. But having center depth on the roster is never a bad thing, especially with Williams’ injury issues.
Plumlee’s veteran experience cannot be understated. He’s an above-average playmaker for his position and can run the pick-and-roll fairly well, too.
The LA Clippers will likely look to bring him back, but he probably won’t have too big of a market this summer. If there was mutual interest, having him back in a smaller role would be a decent idea for Charlotte.
Depending on how much money he wants and whether or not the Clippers are aggressive in trying to re-sign him, seeing Plumlee in a Hornets jersey again could be a possibility.
3. Cody Zeller
Okay, just listen.
At this point in his career, Cody Zeller isn’t going to be contributing big-time minutes at the NBA level. Since leaving the Charlotte Hornets, he hasn’t done much, going through stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, and New Orleans Pelicans.
In fact, in the three seasons he’s played in since leaving Charlotte, Zeller has only appeared in 85 NBA games. This past year, he played in 43 contests but only averaged 7.4 minutes for the Pelicans.
Should the Hornets look to bring him back, it would be for one reason and one reason only: A legacy signing for him to be a veteran leader in the Hornets locker room.
Zeller spent eight years with the Hornets, and for the majority of them, he was a crucial part of the starting lineup. At the beginning, he was anchoring the Kemba Walker-led teams, and by the end, he was hooping with LaMelo Ball.
The veteran big man was never incredible, but he got the job done. And he was in Charlotte for a long, long time. If they could bring him back on a veteran minimum contract, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. If anything, it would be a fun storyline.
4. Svi Mykhailiuk
The Charlotte Hornets have a few needs they should be looking to address this offseason. The moves they made at the trade deadline turned out to be great, but there’s still more work to be done.
Added Seth Curry ended up being a solid move, and he’s under contract for next year as well, but a team can never have enough three-point shooting on its roster.
Svi Mykhaliuk enjoyed one of the best stints of his career with the Hornets at the tail-end of the 2022-23 season, so rekindling that magic could make some sense for both sides.
He spent this past year sitting at the end of the Boston Celtics’ bench, and he could end up getting a ring for that role. But if he wants to play, Boston probably isn’t the place for him.
Mykhailiuk’s three-point shooting is undeniable. When he’s locked in, he can be deadly from behind the arc. But he needs regular minutes in order to consistently generate that rhythm.
In addition, he’s a sneakily solid playmaker, capable of creating for himself and others off the dribble. He may not play that role too much in Charlotte, but at 26 years old, he’d still be a nice piece to have on the roster.
Plus, he just spent a year playing under newly-minted Hornets head coach Charles Lee in Boston.
5. Dennis Smith Jr.
It was with the Charlotte Hornets that Dennis Smith Jr. revived his NBA career. Unfortunately, he didn’t find the same success this past season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Smith was a big part of the Hornets’ rotation during the 2022-23 season, contributing solid defense and playing more minutes than he had in three years.
One of the biggest needs for this Hornets team is defense. For the past few years, they’ve been one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Readding Smith to the mix would definitely give them a boost on that end of the floor.
Though he’s a bit undersized, Smith has shown some promise as a point-of-attack defender, and his offensive creation has definitely improved since his early years in the league.
Smith didn’t get as much playing time in Brooklyn this past year, but he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, meaning he’ll be free to sign with any team he wants.
A reunion in Charlotte could make a ton of sense for both sides, as Smith may relish the opportunity to head back to the team with which he revived his career. And considering he didn’t play super well with the Nets, Smith shouldn’t cost too much on the open market.