A deeper look into how truly bad Charlotte has historically been

[gundysmullet]

Got this off of the Hornets board, but I thought it would make for an interesting discussion here:

One of only 6 teams in the NBA/NFL/MLB/NHL that's never even made a conference finals. They're the second oldest of those 6 teams behind the Clippers.

They've only drafted 4 All-Stars that went on to play for them despite being around since 1988: Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Baron Davis, and Kemba Walker. And they've had the most chances to draft All-Stars too: the Hornets rank #1 with the lowest average draft spot in that time.

Then-coach Steve Clifford wanted the Hornets to draft Donovan Mitchell in 2017, but Rich Cho overruled him and drafted Malik Monk instead.

The Hornets were seriously looking to draft Pascal Siakam in 2016, but decided to trade their pick for Marco Belinelli who spent one year with the team before being traded to Atlanta in the Dwight Howard trade.

The Hornets were offered three first-round picks by the Celtics for the #9 pick in 2015. Michael Jordan turned the offer down to pick Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky was always in the coach's doghouse here, his family hated Charlotte, and Kaminsky signed with Phoenix this offseason.

After having the worst record in NBA history in 2012, the Bobcats lost out on the #1 pick which was going to be Anthony Davis. They then selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the #2 pick instead of Bradley Beal. In the same draft, they selected Jeffery Taylor with their 2nd round pick, just ahead of Draymond Green and Khris Middleton.

They did select Kemba Walker in 2011, but they also gave Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, and the pick that would turn into Tobias Harris so they could jump up and draft Bismack Biyombo. They selected Biyombo instead of the player that had been mocked to them in several mock drafts: Kawhi Leonard. They also had Klay Thompson on the board.

The second best draft pick they've had since their 2004 rebirth has been Emeka Okafor.

They haven't won a playoff series since April 2002 when LeBron was in high school, Zion was 1 year old, The Scorpion King was #1 at the box office, Ashanti had the #1 song in America, and Hollywood Hogan was WWE Champion. The closest they've come to winning a series since then was the Purple Shirt Guy game when they were up 3-2 vs. the Heat and had cut a 9 point Heat lead to 2 with 1:30 left. A Hornets fan known as Purple Shirt Guy started inexplicably jawing with Dwyane Wade who proceeded to drop a quick 5 points to tie the series up. The Hornets would go on to lose Game 7 in Miami by 27 points.

Despite letting their best player ever walk for nothing, they're hard-capped at the moment. They'll be hard-capped this season with a starting 5 of Terry Rozier, Cody Zeller, Nic Batum, Dwayne Bacon, and Miles Bridges. Bismack Biyombo will be making $17 million off the bench, Marvin Williams will be making $15 million off the bench, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be making $13 million off the bench. Nic Batum (who has turned into a completely worthless player) will be entering the 4th year of a 5 year deal (final year a player option) that will pay him $25.5 million. He'll almost certainly use that player option in 2020 and will be making $27.1 million.

The Hornets hired a new radio play-by-play guy before the start of the 2018-19 season that grew up a Hornets fan and was a beloved radio host in Charlotte. He was fired in the middle of a week in March with no explanation and no explanation has come out since.

Michael Jordan hasn't given an interview where he's discussed the Hornets in any detail (besides Kemba Walker) since 2014.

So as you bitch and complain about how your team hasn't done anything in a long time or how you only have one All-Star and you're disappointed you didn't get another, remember that things could always be worse.

[cellphonecamera]

And that is why Michael Jordan is the worst owner of all time.

[BuzzCity]

Thank u for that swift kick to the nuts

[Dominator83]

and when you extend the Hornets history to the N.O. Pelicans (who are the actual Charlotte Hornets) , they still haven't reached a WCF either

[baldur]

Uncool.
They have the real opportunity now to rebuild with higher draft picks.

[gundysmullet]

And that is why Michael Jordan is the worst owner of all time.

Well, that spot is reserved for Donald Sterling, but Jordan is a close 2nd. It's fascinating how the greatest player in history seems to not care less about putting out a championship caliber team. One would think that someone so competitive on the court would be equally competitive as an owner, but apparently not.

[Magic_Johnny12]

Uncool.
They have the real opportunity now to rebuild with higher draft picks.

Please do not hold your breathe..

Cody Zeller
Malik Monk
Bismack Biyombo
Frank Kaminsky
Cody Zeller
Noah Vonleh
Gerald Henderson
Raymond Felton
Sean May
Adam Morrison

[homecourtloss]

Thank u for that swift kick to the nuts

Hornets fans have the best sense of humor.

[zimpy27]

A deep dive into the Hornets misery (AKA sticking the knife and twisting)

[otwok]

To be honest, it's actually not quite fair. For as bad as the Hornets have been in their franchise they only have had the #1 overall once in their history (Larry Johnson), and the number 2 pick three times (Zo was one of them). They've had a top 3 pick only 6 times in their entire history, it's really not a lot for a team that's been pretty terrible. But even that doesn't tell the story.

In 2004, they had the number 2 pick, they picked Emeka Okafor. Really aside from Dwight Howard, there really was nobody else. Maybe Luol Deng, Jameer Nelson or Ben Gordon? Maybe.

In 2006 they picked Morrison, which granted was a terrible pick. But in reality the better choices were Brandon Roy (6, had a short but great career), Rondo (21), Lowry (24) but quite honestly, none of those were going to be top 3 picks out of college.

In 2012, they picked MKG, another bad pick and this was really the lottery they blew.

Now, I am not making excuses for them because they passed on great talent but it doesn't seem like they ever caught a break really. Their time will come. It'll come.

[E-Balla]

Yeah they need to make them the Bobcats again.

[clyde21]

[gigantes]

God this off of the Hornets board...

I think they just copied it off r/NBA in the first place. Good discussion there, too.

From afar, I don't know what their problem is, exactly. Jordan being a terrible influence on decision-making, and nobody able to stand up to him...?

[Dominator83]

Uncool.
They have the real opportunity now to rebuild with higher draft picks.

Thats what us Bulls fans thought 2 years ago. The result? falling from #6 to #7, then falling from #4 to #7.

High draft picks aren't guaranteed

[baldur]

God this off of the Hornets board...

I think they just copied it off r/NBA in the first place. Good discussion there, too.

From afar, I don't know what their problem is, exactly. Jordan being a terrible influence on decision-making, and nobody able to stand up to him...?

Maybe him being the goat makes people around him keep silent?

[bfchs123]

Always wondered why Magic catches so much heat and Jordan has been unscathed for almost 10 years.

(granted President vs. owner, but MJ should theoretically have a lot more influence to recruit, etc., no?)

[Saints14]

Hot take: Between the color scheme, jersey and court, the Hornets have the best branding in the league (only flop was the whole "Buzz City" thing). But yeah, they are the counterargument to the anti-taking crowd. Hopefully they can land their next star at the top of one of the next few drafts.

[ADMVP]

and when you extend the Hornets history to the N.O. Pelicans (who are the actual Charlotte Hornets) , they still haven't reached a WCF either

We do not hold the Charlotte history at all, so no.

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk

[baldur]

Uncool.
They have the real opportunity now to rebuild with higher draft picks.

Thats what us Bulls fans thought 2 years ago. The result? falling from #6 to #7, then falling from #4 to #7.

High draft picks aren't guaranteed

You selected markkanen, wendell Carter and Coby white from 6th-8th range, while they picked, bridges, monk and Washington from 12th-13th range.

That's quite a difference that hornets would be jealous of you.

[deneem4]

Doesn’t compare to the wizards from 2016 summer to Ernie getting fired