This Is the Season the Hornets Must Get It Right

The Charlotte Hornets retooled, restocked, and reloaded — yet somehow, they’re still buried near the bottom of The Athletic’s latest power rankings at 27th overall.

On the surface, the ranking seems fair. The Hornets ended the 2023-24 campaign with a dismal 19-63 record, ranking dead last in both points per game (105.1) and offensive rating (107.3). They endured a brutal 10-game losing streak in the winter and five other skids of five games or more. But does that picture reflect the team that will take the floor in 2025-26?

LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Tre Mann, and Grant Williams all missed significant time due to injury. The front office added youth and shooting in the draft with Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley. Free agency brought proven veterans like Collin Sexton, Pat Connaughton, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Mason Plumlee into the mix. So why are the Hornets still being labeled as one of the NBA’s worst teams?

Talent on Ice

On paper, the Hornets have the ingredients for success. A franchise point guard in Ball, a rising two-way star in Miller, and a collection of complementary pieces tailored to new head coach Charles Lee’s system. The issue hasn’t been talent — it’s been health.

Ball appeared in just 47 games last season and has suited up only 69 times over the past two years. Miller managed 27 games, while Williams and Mann were limited to 16 and 13, respectively. In total, the Hornets cycled through 27 different players in 2023-24. Without continuity, chemistry — and ultimately, winning — is impossible to build.

For the Hornets to silence the doubters, their core players have to stay on the court. The front office deserves credit for adding insurance with veterans like Dinwiddie and Sexton, but the availability of your stars drives success in this league. The Hornets don’t just need talent — they need time together.

Leadership Wanted: Apply Within

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That quote may sound cliché, but it’s painfully relevant in Charlotte. The Hornets have had the talent — what they’ve lacked is accountability. If this team wants to flip the script, someone in that locker room needs to emerge as the voice, the example, the standard.

Dinwiddie and Williams are natural candidates. Both have played high-stakes basketball and understand what it takes to compete night in and night out. Their experience can be a guiding force for the Hornets’ young core, but only if they take ownership of the locker room dynamic.

Leadership can’t be optional anymore. Someone has to take the reins, demand more, and drag this team out of irrelevance. The Hornets don’t just need a star — they need a heartbeat.

In Conclusion

The Hornets are no longer a team in the early stages of a rebuild — they’re a team standing at a crossroads. The talent is there. The pieces are in place. The front office has done its job. Now, it’s on the players to stay healthy, buy in, and take the next step. Whether it’s LaMelo Ball reclaiming his spot as a franchise centerpiece or a veteran stepping into a leadership role, something has to change from within.

Until the Hornets prove it on the court — with consistency, effort, and accountability — the skepticism will remain. But if they do put it all together? This is a team that could surprise a lot of people.