Mar 3, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) chats with Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) at the free throw line during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ESPN forecasts middling improvement from Charlotte Hornets this season

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 12:37 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets only won 19 games last year. The first year of Charles Lee's tenure got off to an unimaginable start, with LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller all missing huge amounts of time with injuries.

That, as well as a general lack of depth and talent on the roster, sent Charlotte spiraling towards the top of the lottery, where they ended up picking fourth. They have since really nailed the offseason, so the expectation is that they will be better this season.

How much better? That remains to be seen. Some expect them to challenge for the play-in game. Others believe they might be middle of the road. ESPN's Tom Bontemps, on the other hand, believes Charlotte is only going to improve ever so slightly.

ESPN insider isn't sold on major improvement by Charlotte Hornets

The Eastern Conference was split into three tiers. Naturally, Charlotte did not land in the contender tier. They also did not make it into the play-in hopeful tier, which is maybe the best-case scenario for them.

Instead, they're in the "bottom five," which includes the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards. The prediction was a 26-56 record, so a seven-win improvement from 2024-25.

To perhaps make matters so much worse, Bontemps then compared the Hornets to the Bulls. The Bulls are totally aimless and stuck in purgatory, which the Hornets are not. The Hornets had a great offseason. The Bulls did not.

"Two teams at a crossroads: the Bulls and the Hornets," Bontemps wrote. "Both have talented players who are approaching their primes (Josh Giddey and Coby White in Chicago, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Charlotte); some long-term hopeful building blocks (Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, Tidjane Salaun and Kon Knueppel) and rosters that could wind up fighting either for a play-in spot or for a spot near the top of the lottery."

The prediction is not terribly far off. Something in the 30s feels most likely for the 2025-26 win total. However, comparing them to the Bulls is rather insulting, especially with how much better the Hornets' front office has operated as of late.