For this week Charlotte Hornets at SI RoundtableOur team discusses what needs to happen for the Hornets to feel good this season.
Ali Jawad
LaMelo Ball remains healthy and takes another step toward stardom by replicating his 2022 All-Star campaign. Brandon Miller builds off an impressive rookie campaign heading into his second year, and Mark Williams remains healthy and continues to develop as a reliable starting center. Reaching around 30 wins (or slightly exceeding their projected win total) while remaining competitive in most games would demonstrate progress. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, contending for a play-in spot late in the season would be a significant step forward. Overall, the focus should be on player development, building a winning foundation, and showing tangible progress from last season.
Carson Cash
A healthy (and productive) season for Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. The Hornets need to see the duo they’re going to build around for the future demonstrate their ability to complement each other and provide flashes of a good team. They don’t need to win 40 games for this to be considered a successful season, but they do need to compete for a play-in spot. For me, the simple criteria would be: Tidjane Salaun shows promise in limited minutes, Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball play well together (one of them is competing for All-Star status), and the Hornets win 30-35 games.
Drew Cook
A successful season for the Hornets looks a lot like ankle braces. Finally, after an incredibly frustrating battle with tendinopathy, LaMelo Ball made the necessary concessions that should allow him to play much longer this year. With a new coaching staff to fit the team as well, the Hornets should be able to shake off the dreaded injury bug in 2024. Brandon Miller is well-positioned to continue his impressive rookie campaign and the summer was kind to Tidjane Salaun, suggesting the stars have started to align in Charlotte. Don’t expect a major change, but a healthier, more robust season is on the way for the Hornets. For once, this young team has some optimism surrounding it, something that couldn’t have existed as long as Ball remained hesitant about his comfort while playing in braces.
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