Jan 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Hornets broadcaster Eric Collins reveals what success looks like for a young lineup

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jan 17, 2025 1:51 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets feature a big three of young players. They are often referred to as a core four with veteran Miles Bridges, but the three best and most important players on the roster are LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller. They're all no older than 23, so this is a very young core that Charlotte has put together. Add to that the fact that they have a 40-year-old first-time head coach.

This season is probably a lost cause. They're already at 28 losses, and they're more than 10 games out of a playoff spot in the worst conference in the NBA. The focus now is likely on letting this young group of players mature and get better together. Success, in that sense, might look different. Hornets broadcaster and NBA fan favorite Eric Collins has his take on what it ultimately should look like.

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What does success look like for this young "core" group, and what would prove they can work together in the future?

"I see the value in incremental steps and finding progress that way, but to me, it's… pic.twitter.com/SUczorD9RR
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 17, 2025

Moral victories can be good for a team in a rebuild. What's interesting or perhaps disappointing about the Hornets is that they're not exactly in a rebuild. They are, but not by their own volition. They started a rebuild after Kemba Walker left town, and they've been stuck in a never-ending cycle since.

They got LaMelo Ball in the draft, their franchise cornerstone to rebuild around. That was four years ago. They've added Mark Williams and Brandon Miller since, two more potential cornerstones. They're still 9-28, so the rebuilding hasn't really taken effect yet.

Eric Collins understands the situation and he knows that, despite it being a years-long rebuild, this is still a young group of players. However, he thinks it still comes down to wins. "I see the value in incremental steps and finding progress that way, but to me, it's wins, man. I want to see a young team figure out how to get wins," he said.

Collins has been arguably the most interesting part of the Hornets since they began this rebuild. His liveliness and energy have captured the NBA world's attention when nothing in Charlotte except a few viral LaMelo Ball highlights has.

The announcer added that he doesn't believe wins are far-fetched for the current Hornets. "I don't think that's too much to ask for the Hornets. When these pieces are healthy, I think it will only take weeks, not months or years, to come together and figure out how to win," he said. "The talent is there, there's smart guys who want to play winning basketball."

He spoke about teams coalescing midseason, and he believes the Hornets can do that. They spent much of the first few months of the season missing some or all of their key pieces. Ball, Bridges, Miller, and Williams have all missed substantial time, but they're playing much better as of late. Collins firmly believes they can and should keep trying to get better, even if it takes them out of the running for Cooper Flagg.