Mar 1, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee walks out for a timeout during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

One word to describe the expectations of the Hornets 2025-26 season

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Owen O'Connor | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 9:25 AM ET

When describing the 2024-25 season for the Charlotte Hornets, one word comes to mind almost immediately:

Injury.

Nearly 50 different starting lineups. You could count on one hand the number of times that the "core four" of LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller played together. It saw season-ending injuries to both Ball and Miller, and a rotating group of starting point guards that had fans more focused on the Draft Lottery in May than the final two months of the regular season.

Injuries happen. At the end of the day, nothing can stop injuries from end up happening, no matter what is done. Even Kawhi Leonard, who is notorious for "load managing" to help prevent injuries, still finds himself listed on the LA Clippers injury report.

As the 2025-26 season rapidly approaches, there can only be one word to describe the expectations of what could be one of the most important seasons in recent memory:

Growth.

While the Hornets have been in a new era since the selection of LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA Draft, it's an even newer era after the departure of Michael Jordan as owner and Mitch Kupchak as general manager. The team has new ownership, a new front office, and a new head coach, all of whom want winning basketball badly.

When healthy last season, the Hornets put out a quietly productive squad. While it was not a championship-level or even a second-round-level squad, it's clear there was something clicking for head coach Charles Lee's guys.

During the offseason, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson made sure to add pieces that catered to both Lee and LaMelo Ball. Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie, and even Pat Connaughton all fit what the Hornets have been building.

"Hornets DNA," as it's been called, is the way that Peterson determined who fit and who did not fit the team. It's likely part of the reason that the team selected Knueppel over Rutgers star Ace Bailey. Although Bailey has a higher ceiling than Knueppel, his fit with the Hornets was in question, causing the team to select the better fit.

In a new era, filled with the team searching for fit instead of talent, flashy names, the Hornets need to see growth year to year.

It's been three straight seasons of top ten lottery selections, with each season getting worse and worse. To see the team go from the bottom of the league to even the Play-In Tournament? That's growth. It's a sign that the Hornets are trending in the right direction and setting themselves up for a bright future.