Charlotte Losing its Sting?
After Kenny Atkinson pulled out of becoming the new head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, the team looked to a familiar face to fill the void. From 2013-18, the Hornets (then known as the Bobcats) were led by Steve Clifford, who coached them to two playoff appearances, ending in the first-round exits in 2014 and 2016. After dealing with some health issues off the court, Charlotte decided to fire Clifford at the end of the 2017-18 season following back-to-back seasons of missing the postseason. The franchise turned to James Borrego, the first Latino coach in the history of the NBA, to right the ship and crack the code that was the Charlotte Hornets.
Despite consecutive seasons filled with growth from one of the youngest squads in the NBA, the former Spurs assistant was relieved of his duties as the Hornets looked to shake things up at the top of the coaching pyramid. With back-to-back play-in tournament eliminations, the Hornets and Clifford look to take this young squad over the hump to a place it has not been since 2016. With LaMelo Ball making the All-Star team in his second season in the NBA and players like Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr. filling in the gaps, Charlotte could be a team that flies under the radar. The key for the Hornets this summer is to re-sign Miles Bridges, and with Charlotte unwilling to offer a max contract, the former Michigan State Spartan might have to sacrifice just a little to keep the hopes alive in the Queen City.
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After Clifford was announced as the new head coach, he expressed his thoughts on his first season back in Charlotte, stating, "You want to evolve and get better at what you do...I have coached a lot more games than I had when I was here the first time and worked with another team. You learn a lot from that...One of the things that you look for is the potential for growth as you watch film, and I think this is a group that can get better and better...I look at this team as well put together, they fit well together, and they can play a style that fits into what wins in this league right now."
With the news of Bridges and his domestic violence charge in Los Angeles, the Hornets may take a slower approach now to bringing back arguably their most important player. Unfortunately, his off-the-court decisions will come back to haunt the Hornets for the foreseeable future. So in an offseason where Charlotte had two pretty simple tasks, the idea of progression next season just got a whole lot more complicated.
Bridges is still a restricted free agent for now, and for him to become unrestricted, he would have to agree to Charlotte withdrawing the $7.9 million qualifying offer. It is the second incident of a Charlotte Hornets player getting arrested this offseason. With Bridges a restricted free agent, his future becomes a little more unknown due to this incident off the court. His athleticism and chemistry with Ball on the floor are what make the future of this Charlotte squad so bright. The market for a player as talented as Bridges shrinks significantly with the news, and his likelihood of testing the market next summer takes a step forward.
Drafting Ball was the perfect decision to pair with a superhuman athlete like Bridges, who can jump out of the gym catching lobs in transition. Last season, Bridges had nine contests with 30 or more points (the most of any season during his career so far). With his future unknown, the Hornets are in a predicament that was a nightmare but is now very much a reality.
The most gaping hole in the Charlotte roster is the lack of aggressiveness and the presence of a solid rim-protecting center that fits into the offensive structure. With Mason Plumlee as the team's only legit center last season, the Hornets finished the year ranked 22nd in the NBA in defensive rating and had the second-worst defensive rebounding percentage in the entire league at a dismal 70.6 percent. A player like Myles Turner in a possible sign and trade from the Pacers could work as they are looking to do a full rebuild following the deal involving Malcolm Brogdon. Also, someone like Hassan Whiteside as a temporary presence in the middle could suffice until the Hornets can find a contributor that is far more consistent.
With a top-10 offense last season and the third-best team when it comes to assist percentage in the NBA, the entire focus for Micheal Jordan should be defensive reinforcements. In mid-June, Charlotte drafted Duke center Mark Williams with the 15th overall selection in the NBA Draft. Williams provides the Hornets what it lacked last season, length and mobility from its center position. With a 9-foot-9 standing reach, the former Blue Devil was first in the entire ACC with 2.8 blocks per game and 12th in the nation for his ability to deny opponents shots at the basket. He is also an effective lob-catcher and fights on the interior for second-chance opportunities. However, Charlotte will still need to find a way to mask him on the perimeter when it comes to the defensive end of the floor. While he develops, the Hornets need to look elsewhere to add to a position that was far from competent in Charlotte's late playoff push.
Gordon Hayward looks as good as gone given his age compared to the rest of the team, and the need to shed cap space on top of him wanting out makes it almost a guarantee. However, what the Hornets receive in return for the 32-year-old could help take this team to the next level. Hayward still provides teams with solid playmaking and can space the floor at a consistent clip. The issue for the former Butler forward is staying on the floor. He played just 49 contests last season and is being paid like the star of the show, when in reality, Hayward is more of a low third or fourth option during this point in his career. If the Hornets can deal Hayward to possibly the Pacers for Turner, that could benefit both teams. The veteran is still a solid piece for a contending team if he can stay on the court, and if he does, it could open up a world of possibilities for the franchise that snatches him up this summer.
There is no question who this team's face of the franchise is. Ball is the man that will be running the show for the Hornets for the foreseeable future. Ball made it to his first All-Star game in just his second season, putting together a year with over 20 points per game, and collected five triple-doubles along the way, good for sixth in the entire NBA. His vision and court awareness in the open floor is what makes him so special, and as he continues to evolve his game, the NBA could be looking at a potentially consistent All-NBA member for years to come.
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Charlotte should take an approach to re-sign the players that this young team currently has and try to plug in some players at the center position with Williams in his rookie season. Ball is the centerpiece, Bridges is the No. 2, and Rozier and Washington complement what both of them do so well. The situation with Bridges and his domestic violence charge puts a wrench in some of the offseason plans. There is no doubt that moving forward into a cloudy future where Bridges is facing some serious offenses is what Charlotte may have to do. Despite the off-the-court problems this team has been synonymous with, the Hornets have an energetic squad, a coach ready to prove himself, and a front office ready to invest in the future of this team—all equal a recipe for success.
