Coming into the 2022 offseason, there was some optimism surrounding the Charlotte Hornets. Despite losing in the NBA Play-In Tournament, they were seemingly heading in the right direction as they had just increased their win total by 10 games from the previous season.
The 43 wins they had were the most since the 2015-16 season when they won 48 games. However, that was not enough to save head coach James Borrego from being fired. That is when their offseason took a turn for the worst.
There arguably isn’t a team in the NBA that had as disappointing of an offseason as the Hornets. They had pegged Kenny Atkinson as their replacement for Borrego, but less than a week after accepting the job, he decided against it, re-joining the Golden State Warriors’ staff as their lead assistant.
Things only got worse as free agency approached. Charlotte was set to sign Miles Bridges, who broke out this season and looked like a long-term building block alongside LaMelo Ball, to a max contract. But, his basketball future is very much in doubt after he was charged with felony domestic violence and child abuse.
That has put the Hornets in an awkward position going forward. One NBA executive that talked to NBA Analysis Network offered up their advice on what the franchise should do. If they were running things, they would look to hit the reset button.
“They’re in a tough spot right now. They’ve gotten blown out in the play-in a few times now. …. They need a star to pair with LaMelo for the long haul. That could have been Bridges but I can’t put what he did aside. If that’s my team, he’s not factored into our plans anymore. … I’d probably focus on getting a great pick in this year’s draft. Getting a top talent on a rookie deal is far more appealing than trading away most of your assets for someone like Donovan Mitchell.”
It is understandable to think that way. There isn’t much to get excited about long-term on the roster other than LaMelo Ball, who has already ascended to become an All-Star in his second season in the NBA. Pairing him up with another All-Star caliber player long-term would be excellent for the franchise.
Alas, finding those kinds of players is not easy. While it would cost a lot to acquire Donovan Mitchell, he is already at that All-Star level as well. He is the exact kind of player that the Hornets would be hoping to land in the draft.
Even without Miles Bridges, the Hornets roster is too good to seriously be in contention for a top pick. There are multiple teams actively not trying to win during the upcoming season so that they can be in the running for Victory Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft. Charlotte also doesn’t own their 2023 first-round pick, but it is top-16 protected so if they miss the playoffs they will retain it.
Latest NBA News & Trade Rumors: Charlotte Hornets
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