Grading the non-players involved in the Hornets' season so far

The owners, Grade: A-

The new ownership group, led by Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin has come in and immediately started rebuilding the franchise in their own image. I give them a majority of the credit for taking a forward-thinking direction and focusing on rebuilding for the future.

It was an obvious pivot that clearly needed to happen, but one that previous ownership was not interested in. Too many people in power seemed happy with the status quo, and trying to slink along, hoping for an annual spot in the play-in tournament.

But this ownership group does not seem content with that at all, and they realize to get good, they must first get bad. Granted, that wasn’t very hard because the team was already pretty bad, but initiating the rest of the teardown was a must.

All accounts indicate that it was the owners leading the charge at the trade deadline, and pushing forward the moves that already seem to have breathed new life into the franchise. I shudder to think what the past regime may have done, sitting idly while letting the team mire in mediocrity (that’s probably being generous).

It’s still going to be a very long and difficult process, but thanks to these owners, it seems that the process is finally underway at least.