Charlotte Hornets fans: What do you guys expect from the franchise?

JimmyPlopper · Post #21 » by **JimmyPlopper** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 7:08 am

My daughter's name is Charlotte and I only held off on getting her a Hornets starter jacket because I think Jordan stinks as a person and was excited to see him move on. However I feel a bit displeased by the re-signing of Miles Bridges. No Hornets jacket now for a different reason. Our team by blood is the 76ers but they have pissed us off for various reasons. At the moment I think Sacramento Kings are a cool franchise to support

queridiculo · Post #22 » by **queridiculo** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 11:46 am

magee wrote:I feel they are close to a Play-In team. They were competitive without LaMelo or Mark Williams and the team is built around LaMelo. Williams shores up some of Miles Bridges' defensive lapses and another year for Brandon Miller will do him wonders.

The Hornets were just as trash with as they were without LaMelo.

Ball isn't going to lead this franchise anywhere.

EmpireFalls · Post #23 » by **EmpireFalls** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 11:57 am

Cautiously optimistic, we are essentially an entirely new franchise from ownership down with new GM Jeff Peterson, new coach (and champion) Charles Lee. The energy is much better than I can remember. I don’t love re signing Bridges and have big injury questions about Ball and Williams.

But if we are healthy we will surprise some teams. LaMelo is one of the most underrated players in the entire NBA when he actually plays. Miller is a budding All-NBA shooter and I think him, Green, and LaMelo is a promising young backcourt.

The team lacks toughness and strength.

facothomas22 · Post #24 » by **facothomas22** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:06 pm

I have them as a team could sneak into the playoffs. The east for one is very weak. Half of the teams in the eastern Conference would be the 12 seed or worse in the Western Conference. Even outside of that, the Hornets have some very promising young talent with a different coach. LaMelo Ball is very good when healthy. Brandon Miller has shown plenty of good signs in his rookie year.Mark Williams is a starter cailber and has room to develop even further. Their depth is underrated.

hauntedcomputer · Post #25 » by **hauntedcomputer** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:40 pm

Geographically Charlotte is the closest to me and while I loved the original expansion Hornets who were scrappy, the Bobcats version has never been interesting.

LaMelo is wildly overrated and not the kind of guy who leads you anywhere during the 40 games a year he plays. Miles Bridges is a volume scorer by default with no D and is invisible a lot of the time. I like Mark Williams but who knows. Brandon Miller seems okay but largely just another negative defender/volume scorer because somebody's got to shoot it. I like what Micic provided last year but they'll probably deep-six him this year. I just don't see these pieces fitting together, but they are more interesting than they have been in a long time.

Hornet Mania · Post #26 » by **Hornet Mania** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:43 pm

To answer the OP's first two questions, yes the Hornets could theoretically build a contending team but as with all small market teams it would take lotto luck and wise management that maximizes assets. The location isn't holding them back too much. It's not a free agent magnet but it's also not a boring or ugly place to live, once players get to Charlotte they tend to like it a lot. The team has never really had issues, even in the 90s, getting stars to buy in and it hasn't suffered any major trade demands either except when LJ/Zo hated each other and wanted to split up.

It's hard to remember, some of you may not have even been born, but in the 90s Charlotte was a lot closer to Indiana, a small market team that consistently produces playoff appearances, than the sad sack franchise they are today. The second franchise was initially weighed down by Bob Johnson, a terrible owner, and then MJ who was a significantly better owner on the business side but no improvement on the basketball side. MJ's issues were mostly related to favoritism, hiring friends and family, and penny-pinching so the team had poor scouting and even worse medical staff. He also refused to pay up for assistant coaches so player development was hampered.

All that being said, such a long run of failure also requires a lot of bad luck. The Hornets were one pick away from Chris Paul in 2005, one pick away from Anthony Davis in 2012 and recently one pick away from Wemby. An expansion Bobcats team led by young CP3, or Kemba/Davis in the early 10s, or headlined by Wemby today would massively alter franchise history for the better.

The good news is the old regime is completely gone. New owner, new coach, new front office, new medical staff. This new group is a clean slate and they seem to have a dedication and investment level that was lacking in the past. Roster-wise Melo and Miller are a great start. The team has no bad contracts and all its future picks, assuming they're a lotto team this year, plus a couple others from Miami and Dallas in 2027. The new guys shouldn't be hamstrung by the mistakes of the past.

The Hornets are due for some good fortune, we'll see if it finds them. I'm hopeful the new regime can turn the page.

Message Boar · Post #27 » by **Message Boar** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:58 pm

I'm pretty high on where the Hornets are now. They have some really nice young talent that just needs to stay healthy and develop. I wouldn't be surprised if they take a big step up in terms of win total this season, possibly even close to the 40-win mark. I like where they're at a lot more than where Detroit, Washington, Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta are in the East, but it's hard to predict which teams with young talent will actually rise in the immediate future.

I'd just continue to develop and maybe add some supporting pieces and see where that gets me for now. Hopefully the new coach is good. But they could also pivot and tank for these next two drafts, which supposedly have star talent.

edit: they drafted Salaun too, a prospect I really like. He's raw, though.

JustBuzzin · Post #28 » by **JustBuzzin** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 1:38 pm

John Murdoch wrote:No reason they cant copy Indiana ..Lamello is prob closest thing to Haliburton in the NBA

LaMelo Ball aka Flashy Hali 8-)

EmpireFalls · Post #29 » by **EmpireFalls** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 1:50 pm

Message Boar wrote:I'm pretty high on where the Hornets are now. They have some really nice young talent that just needs to stay healthy and develop. I wouldn't be surprised if they take a big step up in terms of win total this season, possibly even close to the 40-win mark. I like where they're at a lot more than where Detroit, Washington, Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta are in the East, but it's hard to predict which teams with young talent will actually rise in the immediate future.

I'd just continue to develop and maybe add some supporting pieces and see where that gets me for now. Hopefully the new coach is good. But they could also pivot and tank for these next two drafts, which supposedly have star talent.

edit: they drafted Salaun too, a prospect I really like. He's raw, though.

We owe a lottery-protected first to the Spurs this year so if there was ever a time to take it slow it would be now. Not saying we will tank but there's real incentive to not go all-in this year.

To be honest I'm not sure the team is truly good enough to get out of the lottery anyways (probably a play-in team at best, and that's before injuries) but I'd love another top 10 pick.

sikma42 · Post #30 » by **sikma42** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 1:56 pm

Lamelo is extremely talented. But the Hornets have a bad team culture and its one of the worst places he could be. Just can win in that environment

JustBuzzin · Post #31 » by **JustBuzzin** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 2:14 pm

sikma42 wrote:Lamelo is extremely talented. But the Hornets have a bad team culture and its one of the worst places he could be. Just can win in that environment

FYI we just got a new ownership and new coaching staff. We basically got rid of everything from the past.

Can the new people prove themselves before we group them in with the Hornets of the past?

sikma42 · Post #32 » by **sikma42** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 6:30 pm

JustBuzzin wrote:
sikma42 wrote:Lamelo is extremely talented. But the Hornets have a bad team culture and its one of the worst places he could be. Just can win in that environment

FYI we just got a new ownership and new coaching staff. We basically got rid of everything from the past.

Can the new people prove themselves before we group them in with the Hornets of the past?

Did they just sign Miles Bridges? Not off to a good start!

JustBuzzin · Post #33 » by **JustBuzzin** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 6:34 pm

sikma42 wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:
sikma42 wrote:Lamelo is extremely talented. But the Hornets have a bad team culture and its one of the worst places he could be. Just can win in that environment

FYI we just got a new ownership and new coaching staff. We basically got rid of everything from the past.

Can the new people prove themselves before we group them in with the Hornets of the past?

Did they just sign Miles Bridges? Not off to a good start!

Check the salary on our roster.

We legit don't have any big contracts to make future trades. We brought Miles back on a decent contract. He's more likely to be used in a future trade. He's an asset at the end of the day. We can't let him walk for nothing. Someone has to score besides Melo/Miller.

This a business bro. You into politics that's on you.

FeatheryTouch · Post #34 » by **FeatheryTouch** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 6:56 pm

Tracymcgoaty wrote:Im sorry hornets fans i dont mean this in a mean spirited way but more curious.

And this applies to teams like Detroit and Washington as well. What is going on behind closed doors? Why has there not been any type of progress?

All teams periodically go through down years and players come and go, but if it's prolonged and consistent track record of failure and dysfunction then it almost always comes down to organizational culture and the owner(plus the upper management they hire) being incompetent.

A fish rots from the head down.

Charlotte does have a new regime in place, so far so good IMO.

Saul Goodman · Post #35 » by **Saul Goodman** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 7:42 pm

If the Hornets ever became a contender they would be such a popular team just on the basis of having the best uniforms in the league. I kinda wished they got Wemby tbh

tamaraw08 · Post #36 » by **tamaraw08** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:27 pm

sikma42 wrote:Lamelo is extremely talented. But the Hornets have a bad team culture and its one of the worst places he could be. Just can win in that environment

Chris Mullin and Sprewell were 2 of my favorite players back then and when I heard Price was joining GSW in 1996, I thought for sure that the Warriors would contend esp with a supporting cast of Joe Smith, Marshall, NBA champ BJ Armstrong and ESP coached by Rick Adelman. :banghead:

It's not like Spree, Smith and Mullin missed a ton of games in fact they missed a combined 5 games.
The culprit? Very bad playing conditions where the Management didn't care about winning. Read an article about them having to travel like 1 hr to another practice facility, shower rooms didn't have soap etc.
I don't know about this franchise but I am betting Lamelo would be a much more dedicated athlete if he is in Miami or Boston etc. He'll probably not miss games because his pinky toe is aching etc.

Hornet Mania · Post #37 » by **Hornet Mania** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:43 pm

Saul Goodman wrote:If the Hornets ever became a contender they would be such a popular team just on the basis of having the best uniforms in the league. I kinda wished they got Wemby tbh

They're a sleeping giant for sure in terms of fan engagement. NC is basketball crazy, if the Hornets ever got themselves sorted out they'd pack the house. Led the league in attendance 8/14 seasons of the original run when they were still respectable and had the highest attendance total of any franchise in the 90s.

Charlotte has gotten much bigger (and wealthier) since then. If the new ownership turns things around they could make a mint.

Bornstellar · Post #38 » by **Bornstellar** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:58 pm

I think the Hornets actually have sneaky play-in/playoff potential. Really depends on health since LaMelo is perpetually injured

Saul Goodman · Post #39 » by **Saul Goodman** » Mon Jul 15, 2024 11:45 pm

Hornet Mania wrote:
Saul Goodman wrote:If the Hornets ever became a contender they would be such a popular team just on the basis of having the best uniforms in the league. I kinda wished they got Wemby tbh

They're a sleeping giant for sure in terms of fan engagement. NC is basketball crazy, if the Hornets ever got themselves sorted out they'd pack the house. Led the league in attendance 8/14 seasons of the original run when they were still respectable and had the highest attendance total of any franchise in the 90s.

Charlotte has gotten much bigger (and wealthier) since then. If the new ownership turns things around they could make a mint.

Not to mention the partnership/ownership with J Col e could be huge when they get good something like Drake for the Raptors (before everyone hated him lol)

7r5ur · Post #40 » by **7r5ur** » Tue Jul 16, 2024 9:51 am

magee wrote:I feel they are close to a Play-In team. They were competitive without LaMelo or Mark Williams and the team is built around LaMelo. Williams shores up some of Miles Bridges' defensive lapses and another year for Brandon Miller will do him wonders.

Were they? They had the worst point differential in the league by a pretty good margin. Worse than a team that lost 28 games in a row (whom they lost to 3 times last year).