Charlotte Hornets New Year's Resolutions

Reorganize the house!

Mediocrity has reigned over the Charlotte Hornets for much of the last decade. Since 2007, the Hornets have drafted between the 8th and 15th pick 12 times. Sure, all-NBA level guys have been selected in that range, but finding a franchise cornerstone in the late lottery is exponentially more difficult. The Hornets have a talented young core with LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller, but their extended timeline for winning doesn’t bode well for seasoned veterans such as Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. It seems like Charlotte is juggling two starkly different priorities - developing their young stars into franchise players while also playing their veterans 35-40 minutes per game in hopes of sneaking into the playoffs.

Spoiler alert: this philosophy seldom works. It’s time to commit the majority of rotation minutes to the younger players and stockpile as many assets as possible in exchange for Hayward, Rozier, and other pieces that won’t be a part of future plans. The overall talent level in the league continues to skyrocket, and Charlotte does not possess the roster to compete at a high level. The majority of people who follow this organization understand that fact - the front office does not. The Hornets need direction, and GM Mitch Kupchak has yet to prove he’s the man for the job.

Year after year, the Hornets enter the season with a win-now mindset but consistently finish a few spots away from the playoffs. As a fan, it’s maddening - and that’s why my second New Year’s resolution is for Charlotte to reorganize the house and clean up the clutter both on the court and in the front office.