Perhaps seeing a Charlotte Hornets player secure a major individual end-of-year award for the 2024-25 season is wishful thinking. However, there might be a few who have a shot at achieving the feat.
For instance, Brandon Miller could bag the Most Improved Player honors if he manages to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, build off what he accomplished in his rookie year, and make a massive leap.
Also, Tre Mann is floating under the radar as the next Hornet to bring home an award next year.
Mann has a prime opportunity to be named 6th Man of the Year
One of the most intriguing storylines surrounding Charlotte's offseason was how its rotation was going to turn out. The mystery surrounding the starting five appears to have been answered, as the presumed fifth starter, Josh Green, got the nod in the team's preseason opener.
What's left to decide is the rest of the rotation, and coach Charles Lee should certainly include a heavy dose of Mann in it. Unleashing him as the first guy off the bench would likely give the Hornets a needed boost and turn their second unit into one of their strengths.
In addition, assigning Mann as the top reserve could result in the 23-year-old becoming only the second Hornet to win Sixth Man of the Year after franchise icon Dell Curry earned it in 1994.
Mann has been nothing but impressive for Charlotte since the organization acquired him in the middle of the last campaign.
Because of injuries to crucial players, most notably LaMelo Ball, the former Oklahoma City guard started all 28 of his appearances in a Hornets uniform, averaging 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. The University of Florida then ended the 2023-24 season on a terrific note by notching double-digits in scoring and recording 15.0 points in the final five contests.
Now, he is expected to continue showcasing his scoring and playmaking chops, but this time as a reserve. His performance (15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, three rebounds, and two assists) in the Hornets' preseason opener against the New York Knicks proved further how Mann could fare when given huge responsibilities off the bench.
Of course, there is still plenty of room for improvement, such as taking care of the ball and developing better chemistry with his teammates on the second unit. But those will come along as he spends more time with them during the remainder of the preseason and once the regular season starts.