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15 Charlotte Hornets



After finishing dead last in every previous edition of the Future Power Rankings, the former Bobcats changed their name and their trajectory, making the biggest leap of any team -- they've vaulted into the middle of the pack.

Part of this can be attributed to the improvements the Hornets have made across the board (we'll get into those in a second), but it is necessary to take the time to acknowledge the underappreciated decisions they made in the past. The team's 2013 offseason was widely panned, but it shifted the course of the franchise. Signing Al Jefferson gave them an offensive centerpiece, and head coach Steve Clifford managed to craft an elite defense around him.

Looking forward, the increased confidence in management following the appointment of Rich Cho as lead basketball decision-maker (along with the departure of former president of basketball operations Rod Higgins), combined with Clifford's masterful coaching job and managing partner Michael Jordan's willingness to simultaneously invest more money into the roster and take a step back from day-to-day control led to a corresponding rise in score.

Adding Lance Stephenson to a very team-friendly contract gives them some more scoring punch without sacrificing defense, and young talents such as Kemba Walker and 2014 lottery pick Noah Vonleh give hope for future growth.

Best of all, the Hornets' books are in order for the future, including cap flexibility and possession of all of their first-round picks. Additionally, the rebranding of the franchise with the old Hornets nickname, combined with their newfound competitiveness, has helped bring Charlotte back as a more desirable destination.

-- Amin Elhassan
(Previous rank: 30)

15 is good, if our young guys show some improvement this season it should keep going up

Jordan did not take a step back from day-to-day control. nothing has changed on that front. I don't get why it's important for people to separate Bobcats/Hornets success from Michael freaking Jordan.

vorbis wrote:Jordan did not take a step back from day-to-day control. nothing has changed on that front. I don't get why it's important for people to separate Bobcats/Hornets success from Michael freaking Jordan.

They need a narrative

Thought id put this here as well. On insider they ranked teams with the top under 25 players. We came in at 11. No link since im on my phone.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Players: Bismack Biyombo (22), PJ Hairston (21), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (20), Lance Stephenson (24), Kemba Walker (24), Noah Vonleh (19), Cody Zeller (21)

Last year, I gave Charlotte credit for its collection of talent while lamenting its lack of a young, star-caliber talent; this offseason, it went out and acquired someone (Stephenson) who has that potential. Don't get the Hall of Fame highlight reel ready for him, but Stephenson gives the Hornets a perimeter player who can attack off the dribble, create for others and hurt defenses from the perimeter, all while being a high level defender. He's got his share of unpredictability in behavior, but he landed in an ideal situation in Charlotte.

Kidd-GIlchrist is all-world defensively, but his offense remains so painfully underdeveloped that it's holding back his progression as a talent (but he's just 20!). Walker is a victim of living in a golden era for point guards, making him serviceable but replaceable, and Vonleh and Zeller are both mobile, face-up bigs who are more promise than production at this stage.