Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Charlotte Hornets

[ElectricMayhem]

Unable to play in to the playoff, the Hornets got smothered by Atlanta. We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Charlotte Hornets
Record at Time of Death: 43-39 (.524)
GM: Mitch Kupchak (2018-)
Coach: James Borrego (2018-)

Offensive Rating: 8th
Defensive Rating: 22nd
Rebound %: 27th
Turnover %: 9th

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 ($21m)
Kelly Oubre Jr. ($12m) (Partially Guaranteed)
LaMelo Ball ($9m)
Mason Plumlee ($9m)
P.J. Washington ($6m)
James Bouknight ($4m)
Jalen McDaniels ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)
Nick Richards ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)
JT Thor ($2m)

Team Options:

Player Options:

Free Agents:
Miles Bridges
Montrezl Harrell
Cody Martin
Isaiah Thomas
Scottie Lewis
Arnoldas Kulboka

Dead Money:
Nic Batum ($9m)

Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic
29. Detroit Pistons
28. Houston Rockets
27. Indiana Pacers
26. Oklahoma City Thunder
25. Washington Wizards
24. New York Knicks
23. Portland Trailblazers
22. Sacramento Kings
21. Los Angeles Lakers
20. Charlotte Hornets

[KembaWalker]

Do Not Resuscitate

[TinmanZBoy]

Man you’d finish your editing first

[amcoolio]

Fire the **** coach, completely unprepared for big games over and over

Get rid of everyone besides LaMelo, Miles, PJ, Martin and the rookies

Get a rim protector

There are rumblings that Kupchak is retiring after this season, so there might be some big changes

[KembaWalker]

Fire the **** coach, completely unprepared for big games over and over

Get rid of everyone besides LaMelo, Miles, PJ, Martin and the rookies

Get a rim protector

There are rumblings that Kupchak is retiring after this season, so there might be some big changes

Kupchack retiring so we can promote Buzz Peterson and Larry Jordan is nothing to get excited about

[GrindCityHustle]

There was no need to pay Hayward 40 mill a year.

Didn't Kup do the same thing with Deng and Mozgov.

besides that Hornets have LaMelo and a bright future.

[smartyz456]

There was no need to pay Hayward 40 mill a year.

Didn't Kup do the same thing with Deng and Mozgov.

besides that Hornets have LaMelo and a bright future.

this

so sad to see mitch this bad

[Clav]

Coach: Frank Vogel (2019-)

Hey EM, I know you know...but James Borrego.

[Sothron]

They need a rim protector and good rebounder at center. It would make a night and day difference for them.

[Exp0sed]

Fire the **** coach, completely unprepared for big games over and over

Get rid of everyone besides LaMelo, Miles, PJ, Martin and the rookies

Get a rim protector

There are rumblings that Kupchak is retiring after this season, so there might be some big changes

I don't think they're particularly unprepared for big games, they are just not good enough and it shows when both teams are actually trying - i.e in a playoff setting

This roster is kind of embrassing, let's be honest

Sure, Hayward is 30m just sitting out but he was a terrible signing to begin with and Rozier as well, he's the type of player than can help u win some games in a long regular season, where teams aren't all that focused, certainly not giving a 100% every night but in the playoffs when they do..Rosier will get u nowhere - I don't think that's on the coach..

Lamelo is super talented, Bridges is a good player but as was seen tonight with the mouthguard incident - probably not too bright and def immature

Last season was ok to suck, this season they knew what they had in Lamelo and Bridges going in, no excuse for them not having a Center (srry Plumlee, u don't count). We saw at the deadline and b4 that teams like Portland were just giving assets away, same goes for the Dallas trade - no excuse for them not getting in on the action at all

They don't have a playoff roster and I wouldn't pin this on the coach

Need a center? np, let's get Trez and call it a day
sure why not add a known knucklehead and loser whose barely playable in the playoffs? that isn't exactly a move that screams: "playoff aspirations"

Fo is bad, Owner is clueless. Just build a decent team...it's not THAT hard especially when u do have some talented young pieces

[TinmanZBoy]

Coach: Frank Vogel (2019-)

Hey EM, I know you know...but James Borrego.

He was editing it on the lakers thread did not finish… when I read it first it was a hornets team full of lakers players

[Vampirate]

This team needs defense period. They are not going anywhere if they can't stop the other team, and aren't talented offensively enough to outscore the opponent.

[Chuck Everett]

Since when did Frank Vogel become the coach of Charlotte OP?

[PhilBlackson]

Raise your blunts to another season of treadmillin!

[ElectricMayhem]

Coach: Frank Vogel (2019-)

Hey EM, I know you know...but James Borrego.

Yeah, I'd entered the info into the Lakers window I was copy/pasting from. I probably need to go back and edit that one now.

[whitehops]

yeah... plumlee was good as a starting center for us pistons last season but for a team that's trying to compete you need a much better starter there. maybe if duren or mark williams fall to them in the draft that's an option (with time to develop), otherwise you have to find someone in FA or trade.

as an outsider i honestly have no idea how they should approach this off season, but it all starts and ends with miles bridges imo. a max deal would start at a ~$30 mil cap hit next season which would put them not too far below the luxury tax line but they'd essentially be running back the same squad. they can keep him and cut oubre (saving $7.6 mil), try to trade hayward or rozier and bring in less salary but then they'd just have to fill those play making voids.

once they decide how they want that domino to fall the rest will slot into place. tbh i think this team could do with a one-year step back and regroup for the last year they have melo on his rookie deal.

[jc23]

fun team that needs to make some tweaks to become a fun playoff team.

[Bobbymcgee]

Trade Hayward and Rozier for Westbrook. Then, John Wall him for the season.

[GooniesNeverDie]

Might not be a bad idea to clear some cap by trading for Russ and asking the Lakers for a pick or 2. Use those 1sts to retool a bit. They really need some 2 way players

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using RealGM mobile app

[mg]

Is Bouknight a player? If so then Rozier to the bench as 6th man might be a longterm option albeit he is way overpaid. Hayward and Oubre probably need to go. Hornets desperately need an NBA caliber starting center.