Charlotte Hornets fan Evan Hale Evan called into “Live with Stephen A. Smith” and asked which team could make the biggest leap in terms of wins next season in the NBA. During the call, Evan revealed that he is a huge Hornets fan, which led Stephen A. Smith to discuss the Hornets franchise.
I spoke to a legend today, shout out @stephenasmith I’m losing my mind over this. The Hornets are still gonna prove you wrong pic.twitter.com/vYeVWT3C8O
— The Super Hornet (@TheRealEvanHale) August 26, 2024
“You have no chance to be big next season. I hope the future is bright. You have a new coach, you still have LaMelo Ball. I hope the future is bright for you, but I don’t think you have a chance to make a leap forward this year.”
– Stephen A. Smith
As positive as the Hornets’ offseason has been, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Charlotte’s management has taken a patient approach, prioritizing collecting future draft assets and drafting a long-term project in Tidjane Salaun. The Hornets should improve their win total this year, but in a deep Eastern Conference, even making the play-in tournament could be a challenge. That’s partly by design, as the Hornets don’t want to lose their lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick to San Antonio in what appears to be a very talented 2025 draft class.
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