Through virtually no fault of their own, the Charlotte Hornets had arguably one of the worst off-seasons in the NBA this past summer. Despite adding Duke center Mark Williams and Nebraska wing Bryce McGowens in the 2022 draft, the team is set to take a massive step backwards from their Play-In Tournament appearance last year.
Not only did the team fail to add any talent in free agency, but they’re also likely to lose out on two major contributors from their previous campaign. Earlier in the year, Montrezl Harrell ran into some trouble with the law when he encountered a traffic stop that found him with just under five pounds of marijuana on his person.
In certain parts of the country, this would have resulted in maybe a slap on the wrist, but the fact that he was detained in Kentucky and is being charged with a felony makes it a much more precarious situation.
Of course, Harrell’s predicament is completely overshadowed by the harrowing news surrounding 2021-2022 Most Improved Player candidate Miles Bridges, who was arrested and charged with three felonies including domestic violence and child abuse.
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While the trial has yet to take place, all signs point to Bridges being guilty of his accusations, and he’s unlikely to play another game in NBA — as he shouldn’t.
Understandably, the Hornets have tried to remain under the radar this summer, as they surely had plenty to deal with behind the scenes. That being said, they have strides to be made if they mean to build a contender around LaMelo Ball anytime soon.
