Apr 13, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard KJ Simpson (25) drives to the basket during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Three things we desperately need to see from the Charlotte Hornets this season

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 11:37 AM ET

We're going to see a lot from the Charlotte Hornets in 2025-26, and hopefully, some of it is good. It's certainly not going to be all good, but some of it will be. But if we don't see the following three things, then the season, regardless of the record the Hornets end up with, won't be as successful as it could be.

Health

Is it foolish to expect to see 70+ games from LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller? Probably. Miller doesn't have quite the injury history that Ball does, but he's now had two injuries that have forced him to the bench, which is never a good thing.

But within reason, we should expect a little more availability from the two of them. 120 games combined is probably a fair number, given that it averages to about 60 each. That'd be a step in the right direction for both, and it's just under the number the NBA assigned in order to qualify for any awards. If Miller plays 68 and Ball plays 52, that's a step in the right direction either way.

Competitiveness

At times last year, the Charlotte Hornets fought hard when they were overmatched and made far superior teams a little uncomfortable. That's the mark of a solid coach, as he was able to get some good games out of teams he had no business getting them out of. For Charles Lee's evolution, we need to see more of that this season.

The Hornets should be better, and they have more talent on the roster now. When those injuries occur, Lee won't have to turn to Marcus Garrett or Malachi Flynn. Instead, he can turn to Tre Mann or Spencer Dinwiddie. But that competitiveness has to remain. If the team doesn't play hard, then it doesn't matter if there's more talent.

Defensive Intensity

Aside from Moussa Diabate, there are virtually no defenders on the active roster right now. Players who are decent on that end of the floor (or rookies who aren't yet labeled a traffic cone) will be tasked with a lot. It's not going to be a good defensive season since Charlotte just doesn't have the guys for that. No team running Ball, Miller, and Bridges out there expects to lock down the other team.

But the intensity has to go up and stay up. No one's expecting either Ball or Miller to perform at a Kawhi Leonard level on the perimeter, but they've got to try. Ball can't be a turnstile, and Miller has to use his length for something on that end. Others have to step up, too. It's not going to amount to much, but we certainly need to see the effort that will hopefully make the defense greater than the sum of its parts.