Hornets training camp hints that signal Josh Green is the 5th starter

One of the most intriguing storylines for the Charlotte Hornets in the weeks leading to the regular season is which five players will be on the floor at the opening tip-off.

Not even media day offered any concrete information on the identities of the starting lineup members. However, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams appear to have locked up three of the spots. Meanwhile, Miles Bridges should also be a part of the group unless something drastic happens in training camp.

The Hornets have various options for the last slot, although Josh Green seems to be the most likely to grab the opportunity.

All signs point to Josh Green starting

The squad finished its third day of training camp at Duke University and has given fans plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2024-25 campaign. Defense has continued to be a point of emphasis for Charlotte, with new coach Charles Lee reiterating his desire to see his wards put more effort on that end of the court.

An interesting development, though, caught the eyes of several fans on Thursday. It looks like Ball, Miller, Bridges, Nick Richards, and Green played together as a group.

Of course, that could just be the coaching staff experimenting with lineup combinations. But in all likelihood, those are already the starters the Hornets will roll out, with an injured Williams reclaiming the spot that Richards has presumably temporarily filled in for.

Another reason to believe that the fifth starting spot is Green's to lose is how much Lee has praised his knack for defense in addition to his growing all-around game. Even team executive Jeff Peterson chimed in, describing the Australian swingman as a good fit with the franchise "in terms of just the intangibles" and the guy who would take the Hornets' defense to the next level.

With Green starting at shooting guard, Charlotte can entrust him with the duty of guarding the opponents' premier wing players. That would avoid assigning Ball or Miller with that unenviable responsibility. The latter has voiced out a desire to become an elite two-way player eventually, but until that time comes, the Hornets are better off watching him focus on his main strengths, which are primarily on offense.

For his part, Green has expressed willingness to follow what the coaches ask him to do. Hopefully, he is up to the task of assuming a larger role than what he had been used to during his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks.