Post-Mortem: 2020-21 Charlotte Hornets

[ElectricMayhem]

I thought this would be a good idea to do for all of the eliminated teams. Each day I will post one team that did not make the playoffs and any playoff teams that were eliminated that day. Answer as many of the following questions as you'd like:

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Gordon Hayward ($30m)
Terry Rozier ($18m)
LeMelo Ball ($8m)
Miles Bridges ($5m)
P.J. Washington ($4m)
Cody Martin ($2m)
Caleb Martin ($2m) (Not fully guaranteed)
Jalen McDaniels ($2m) (Not fully guaranteed)
Vernon Carey Jr. ($2m)

Free Agents:
Cody Zeller
Malik Monk
Bismack Biyombo
Brad Wanamaker
Devonte' Graham
Nick Richards
Nate Darling
Grant Riller

[KembaWalker]

center and health away from being a pretty good team
got absolutely wrecked by injuries this year to basically every decent player on the roster

[amcoolio]

Keep Jalen McDaniels, showed a lot of potential and with improvement can be a solid rotation player

Lose the Martin Twins

Draft one of the scorer/defenders at 11, Wagner, Jalen Johnson, Kispert, Keon Johnson, or Bouknight

Don't pay Malik more than 8 million, if he makes more somewhere else so be it

Offer for Devonte Graham, if he makes more somewhere else go be it

Throw 15-20M a year FA money at Richaun Holmes

Pray for health and internal improvements.

[Hogesy]

One of the most exciting teams this season. I would run it back and pray for less injuries and a half decent draft pick

[BostonCouchGM]

*Keep
*Keep
*as expected
*rising
let every FA leave. Let Martins go. Take Keon Johnson or trade back and take Sims.

[the7boss]

They should trade for Myles Turner and be ready for a few fun postseason runs

[W_HAMILTON]

Doh, here I was wondering if you skipped us or something, but it turns out it was posted a long time ago and I guess just fell off the front page and I never saw it till now.

[The_Hater]

They should trade for Myles Turner and be ready for a few fun postseason runs

Good fit, but who would they give up for Turner?

[Hornet Mania]

GM: Change or keep?
Mitch Kupchak is in no danger of being replaced at the moment nor should he be. He has not been perfect (Hayward signing is highly questionable when thinking big picture) but his drafting has been leaps and bounds better than any Charlotte GM since Bob Bass in the 90s. Melo was the right pick, Bridges really blossomed this year, PJ Washington is a starting caliber player, Graham was a gem of a find in the 2nd round, Jalen McDaniels also looks like another nice 2nd round find. The decision to not supermax Kemba and instead trade for Rozier looks better and better in hindsight. I think Mitch has done an underrated job given his constraints.

Coach: Change or keep?
James Borrego is not perfect but much like Mitch he has been solid. The player development has been excellent, you can see marked improvement from December to April across the roster, and that is crucial for a small-market team that has to build through the draft by necessity. His defensive strategy leaves a LOT to be desired (wide open 3s galore) but it's not necessarily something he can't improve. He just signed an extension and he earned it. The team has performed above expectations two years in a row.

Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
The Hornets exceeded expectations as much as any team other than Suns/Hawks/Knicks, though the way the wheels fell off at the end due to injury obscures that a bit. Lamelo looks like a future star, he might be the top-tier player the franchise has lacked since LJ/Zo and that in itself would make 2020 a success.

Rising, falling, or treadmill?
Rising, for the first time in a long time. Melo is the key but if Miles Bridges carries his 20/8 stat line from the spring into next season and beyond that's two young stars to build around. This could be the team's last year in the lotto for awhile so whether or not they land another significant talent with the 11th pick may determine how fast and how far they can ascend.

If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?
Keep the band together (Monk, Graham) if possible but don't overpay. Find a rotation C for either a low price or one expensive season. I mostly want to see the team retain future flexibility so that in a couple years they can still shift the roster around Melo.

[luciano-davidwesley]

GM: Keep for now but I strongly disliked the Hayward signing/Batum stretch and still do - probably cost us a top 5 pick this year too. I'm sure this contract will really bite us on the ass in a year or so.

Coach (and coaching staff): Good at player development but I feel the X&O's and in game substitutions/lineups require significant improvement. We also give up layup lines or open 3's on defense WAY too much.

Expectations: We achieved above expectations but that was mainly because everyone (including me) was underrating how NBA ready LaMelo Ball was/is.

Offseason: Draft a versatile SG/SF like Jalen Johnson, Bouknight or Moody depending on who falls at #11 or try to trade back for two later first rounders to have two shots at the dartboard. Aim for a backup PG in the second round or trade for one if Devonte walks.
Retain one of Monk or Graham depending on which one will sign on around for $8 million a year/2-3 years or less. Otherwise let both walk.
Sign Richaun Holmes if he can be had for around $15-$18 per year for 2-3 years. If not a much lower per year offer to Noel or Theis.
Resign Zeller on 1-2 year vet minimum deal (he has expressed interest in signing cheap)

Waive Caleb Martin. Fully guarantee McDaniels deal. Keep Richards and Riller if possible. Let Wanamaker and Biz walk.

[stoo]

I just saw BR propose Simmons for Hayward. I imagined Simmons in Charlotte, and figured you would have a great positionless starting 5, only missing peace is a tall 3&D SG (hayward type)

Lamelo
Rozier (Barton, Oubre, Duncan, Lonzo, Hart)
Simmons
Miles
PJ

[HornetJail]

I just saw BR propose Simmons for Hayward. I imagined Simmons in Charlotte, and figured you would have a great positionless starting 5, only missing peace is a tall 3&D SG (hayward type)

Lamelo
Rozier (Barton, Oubre, Duncan, Lonzo, Hart)
Simmons
Miles
PJ

Straight up swap? lol we can dream

[BigSlam]

I just saw BR propose Simmons for Hayward. I imagined Simmons in Charlotte, and figured you would have a great positionless starting 5, only missing peace is a tall 3&D SG (hayward type)

Lamelo
Rozier (Barton, Oubre, Duncan, Lonzo, Hart)
Simmons
Miles
PJ

Straight up swap? lol we can dream

Teams would pack the paint against us and we'd be screwed.

[HornetJail]

I just saw BR propose Simmons for Hayward. I imagined Simmons in Charlotte, and figured you would have a great positionless starting 5, only missing peace is a tall 3&D SG (hayward type)

Lamelo
Rozier (Barton, Oubre, Duncan, Lonzo, Hart)
Simmons
Miles
PJ

Straight up swap? lol we can dream

Teams would pack the paint against us and we'd be screwed.

i'm of the opinion that you can definitely build a lineup with one non-shooter. Simmons doesn't work in PHI because Embiid requires the paint. Rozier, Miles, PJ, Graham, Monk are all above average 3-point shooters, Melo is probably an average shooter, McDaniels is the only toss-up in the rotation. We have the spacing to make it work, more than most teams, really. Hayward for Simmons straight up is a no-brainer for everything else he brings to the table.