Last season
It was mainly a wash for the Hornets, who couldn’t stay healthy and couldn’t win enough games. Other than that, all was fine.
Star guard LaMelo Ball played only 36 games because of injury and Charlotte wasn’t the same without him. He’s by far the Hornets’ best player and its future as the stylish playmaker elevating everyone around him.
Then there was Miles Bridges, who in November pleaded no contest to one count of felony domestic violence stemming from an incident in June of 2022. He missed the entire season mainly because of legal issues and the Hornets missed his 20.2-point scoring average. The NBA eventually handed him a 30-game suspension, giving him credit for 20 because he didn’t play last season.
Without Bridges and Ball, the Hornets were among the worst offensive teams in the league and had the overall record to prove it.
Summer summary
The perils of choosing second in a Victor Wembanyama draft is that this choice isn’t a no-brainer like the first overall choice. After the San Antonio Spurs took Wembanyama, the Hornets were on the clock.
And once the Hornets decided not to trade the pick, it really came down to two players: Miller or Scoot Henderson?
If you polled most NBA people, the consensus would be the Hornets didn’t make the right choice. There was an unofficial yet distinct ho-hum among Charlotte fans once Miller was the guy. And that’s being kind. Henderson was the more sensational option, Miller the safe one. And given where the Hornets are right now — with no strong co-pilot next to Ball — this team needs someone who can bring the sizzle.
