The 2024-25 NBA season is officially over, and Charlotte Hornets fans are gearing up for the draft and free agency period. With the events of this past regular season, playoffs and the NBA Finals now in the books, one reality is becoming increasingly evident: The Eastern Conference is totally wide open for next season.
Think about the major injuries that other East teams have suffered over the last few months. Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton all incurred unfortunate Achilles injuries. With all three of them set to miss at least the majority of next year, that will obviously leave the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers at a serious disadvantage in 2025-26.
Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic are now being looked at as the top contenders to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals next season. With this increase in parity will also come a very unique opportunity for the Charlotte Hornets to reach a new level.
It's hard to think of another time when so many drastic injuries occurred to so many important stars in one conference at one time. The East was already seen as the inferior conference by many before the events of the last few months, and now there will likely be an even greater chance for several mid-tier teams in the Eastern Conference to rise next season.
The Eastern Conference is wide open
There's no question that the last three seasons in particular have been difficult for Hornets fans. But this upcoming campaign could produce just the right circumstances Charlotte needs to finally begin showing some serious signs of progress.
The Hornets have the right pieces in place to be at least a competitive team in the East. Of course, injuries have been their Achilles heel time and again. But the core four of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller Miles Bridges and Mark Williams has sky-high potential if they can start putting it all together.
We all know that building a playoff contending team does not happen overnight. Sometimes progress looks like taking a step back before taking a couple of steps forward. In the end, the situation next season will present just might be what Charlotte needs to become a more consistent winner, with so many injured squads around them.
It's going to be a free-for-all in the East next year. Expecting the Hornets to do a complete 180 overnight may or may not be a realistic expectation, but it's also not like that would be a totally unprecedented outcome. In a best-case scenario, perhaps Charlotte could make the kind of leap the Detroit Pistons did this past season, with what will be highly favorable circumstances.