Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have not made the playoffs in five straight seasons. They were one of the few teams that did not get invited to the Orlando Bubble as well, but they took some steps to return to relevancy during the 2020-21 season.
The Hornets finished with a record of 33-39, which led to a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. While they were blown out by the Indiana Pacers, it was still a positive season overall for the Hornets.
The Hornets have a new face of the franchise in electric point guard LaMelo Ball. His free-flowing style of play creates nightly highlights with Miles Bridges for alley-oop dunks. Ball has the looks of a legitimate superstar and will be the leader of this team for the foreseeable future.
His development alone is a reason for the Hornets being primed to take the next step. The team also upgraded their roster, adding Mason Plumlee in a trade to shore up the middle. Ish Smith and Kelly Oubre Jr. were also signed in free agency, adding veteran depth to the backcourt and wing positions.
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The Hornets will be one of the teams challenging for home-court advantage in the NBA Play-In Tournament and the final spot in the top-six this upcoming season.
