Since the resurrection of the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014-’15 season, the franchise has been nothing short of underwhelming. The Hornets own an overall record of 215-260 since their return and one playoff appearance that resulted in a first-round exit. If Michael Jordan were to take his past Hornets squads with him to challenge the Monstars, he would still be stuck on Moron Mountain being forced to lose one-on-one games to all the paying customers. But with a new year, comes new optimism for this new look Hornets team. This year the fans may have something to finally cheer about.
The New Guy
The Hornets enter this new season with a lot of hype after selecting LaMelo Ball third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Many eyes will be on the Hornets early in the season to see if the youngest Ball brother truly is as special as they say. If just two people watch a Hornets game this year, it will double the viewership from last season. Lamelo averaged 17.8 PPG, 6.8 AST, and 1.6 STL last season in the NBL Australia.
Young Stars in Charlotte
Charlotte will also bring back a solid young core that showed signs of improvement throughout the disappointing 2019-’20 campaign. Expect to see big improvements out of players like P.J. Washington and Devonte’ Graham. Graham and Ball could really be a duo Hornets fans will crush over for the next few years.
Veteran Leadership
Not only do the Hornets have a promising young core, but the franchise also went out to find veteran help. The Hornets acquired Gordon Hayward through a trade with the Boston Celtics and then signed Heyward to a 4-year, $120 million contract. The contract has been a very talked-about topic already this season. Only time will tell how this one will work out. Hayward has had a long road to return from one of the most gruesome injuries I’ve ever seen, but his numbers from last season show that he actually had a better year in PPG, TRB, and AST than what he’s averaged throughout his career.
A Fresh Start in Charlotte
There’s plenty to be optimistic about for the 2020-’21 edition of the Charlotte Hornets. With the mixture of veterans, the young core, and the talent of a lottery pick, the Hornets could really turn some heads this season. If Jordan lets this team have some of his secret stuff this season, then the ceiling is the roof for this Hornets team.
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