The Charlotte Hornets have had a positive offseason so far. For starters, LaMelo Ball finally has ankle braces and looks set for the 2024-25 season. On top of that, they still have some good pieces in Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Seth Curry, who have proven they can have a big impact on winning. So it’s understandable that Hornets fans are hoping for big things next season.
However, Stephen A. Smith does not believe Charlotte will be able to substantially improve on its record from last season next year.
On The Stephen A. Smith ShowA Hornets fan heard all this from Smith during a call-in segment after he admitted he had high expectations for his team this season.
The ESPN analyst threw Charlotte out the window for the upcoming season. While he admitted the franchise has a bright future, he boldly stated that it has no chance of being relevant next campaign.
“You [Hornets] has no chance of being relevant 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’ve had the chance to make a leap forward this year. I don’t think you have the opportunity.
🎙️ @stephenasmith:”You have no chance of being relevant 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 of making a leap forward this year.” 🤔pic.twitter.com/Tc9TBULlMA
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) August 27, 2024
Smith then discussed the teams he thought could make a leap forward. At first, he mentioned the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets as great suggestions from his producers. However, he also added the Sacramento Kings as a choice, saying:
“That brother, De’Aaron Fox… I’m of that mindset, Sacramento [Kings]! I’m just thinking about that. I could be wrong. But I’m thinking about Sacramento.
The Sacramento Kings are a great choice to make a leap forward next year. After all, in addition to their marquee players like Fox and Domantas Sabonis, they also managed to retain key pieces like Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, and Harrison Barnes. And of course, they also brought in DeMar DeRozan this offseason.
So his pick is hard to dismiss. However, his prediction for the Charlotte Hornets may be a little too harsh.
As mentioned earlier, the players on the team are showing very positive signs. Along with that, they also hired Charles Lee as their head coach, one of Joe Mazzulla’s former assistants at the Boston Celtics.
Judging by the offseason footage so far, the Charlotte Hornets have already adopted a gritty defensive identity. And when LaMelo Ball was healthy last season, the team also proved to have a pretty capable offense.
So it’s still a bit early to rule out Charlotte.
