Ranking the Hornets' options for their 5th starting spot

The Charlotte Hornets are entering training camp with health as probably the biggest concern they have to deal with. After LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams played an abbreviated 2023-24 campaign, the team is hoping the pair will have recovered enough in time for the start of the regular season.

Another question the Hornets will need to answer is which player should have the privilege of taking a spot in the starting lineup on opening night.

Four of those slots are presumably already reserved for the organization's core trio of Ball, Williams, and Brandon Miller plus Miles Bridges, whom it will be paying a handsome amount, thanks to the lucrative extension they agreed on this summer.

Ranking the Hornets' options for their 5th starting spot

The training camp will provide the coaching staff with an idea about which player would fit well with the other likely starters. The good news is that there are a few options at its disposal, including a good mix of veterans and youngsters.

The wild cards

New coach Charles Lee might give some under-the-radar possibilities a look in the coming weeks, including Seth Curry, Tre Mann, and Nick Smith Jr.

Curry would be an unconventional choice, given that the sharpshooter is entering his age-34 season. However, his proficiency from outside would provide the starters with more space to operate on offense. He didn't have his best-shooting season in the last campaign, but Stephen Curry's younger brother's 43.1% efficiency from downtown currently ranks eighth all-time in career 3-point field goal percentage.

Mann probably wouldn't get the nod since his ideal position with the squad is likely to be a sixth man. The Hornets would need an offensive spark off the bench, and the former Oklahoma City Thunder guard looks suitable for that role. Still, it's worth noting that he started in all 28 appearances in Charlotte last season.

Smith Jr. might be the longest shot to start in the 2024-25 campaign, especially since he is from being a starting-caliber player. However, his tremendous upside as a shot creator and a catch-and-shoot threat made him one of the pleasant surprises for the Hornets last season and should be enough reason for the coaching staff to consider him moving forward.