In 2002, the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets became the first team in league history to start a season 0-6. They have only been better since then with regular and consistent playoff appearances, despite not having a single player on their roster who was drafted high enough for Rookie of The Year honors before 2004.
This article will explore why this is possible without any top picks from that draft year and how it can be replicated by other bottom tier teams.
The “sacramento kings starting lineup today” is the perfect plan for the Charlotte Hornets in 2022. The team has a lot of young players that are on their way to becoming stars and the team’s owner is looking to sell.
The Charlotte Hornets were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday night, falling 132-102 to the Atlanta Hawks in an Eastern Conference battle between the ninth and tenth seeds. Despite their early playoff elimination, the Hornets improved over the previous season, winning nine more games and finishing with a respectable 43-39 regular season record.
LaMelo Ball, 20, is a future superstar and one of the NBA’s most skilled building pieces, with the potential to be the most important player on a championship team. Miles Bridges, 23, is a contender for the Most Improved Player Award after boosting his scoring average from 12.7 points per game in 2020-21 to 20.2 points per game this season. Ball and Bridges, when combined, provide a strong platform for the Hornets to build on.
Despite this, Charlotte owner Michael Jordan and general manager Mitch Kupchak have their work cut out for them this summer. The Hornets concluded the season as the NBA’s 23rd-best defensive team, and they seem to be only one superstar away from being serious title contenders.
The Charlotte Hornets may make five changes in the summer of 2022 that will help them create quick results next year and improve their long-term chances.
1. Sign Russell Westbrook and clear their salary cap during the summer of 2023 by trading for him.
Russell Westbrook, a 2027 first-round pick, goes to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based in Los Gordon Hayward, Kelly Oubre Jr., Gordon Hayward, Gordon Hayward, Gordon Hayward, Gordon Hayward, Gordon Hayward
Michael Jordan was said to be interested in taking on the last year of Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring deal next season for Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. in a book clearing move, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Stein’s suggestion was mostly ignored as gossip. Several NBA officials have come out in the past week, claiming that they’ve heard this trade concept has gained support in the Hornets front office, and that Brodie may be brought in for a one-year deal.
Russell Westbrook should be traded for Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. by the Hornets. They’d sign Brodie for one season while releasing Hayward’s remaining two years ($61 million) and Oubre Jr.’s final year. During the 2023 offseason, Charlotte would have adequate salary room to pursue unrestricted free agents Nikola Jokic, Khris Middleton (player option), Andrew Wiggins, D’Angelo Russell, or Draymond Green (player option) to complement LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.
With Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. in Los Angeles, the Hornets are unlikely to suffer a significant drop in overall output next season. Hayward has been in and out of the lineup due to injury issues since arriving in Charlotte, appearing in just 44 games last season and 48 this season. Hayward has been a competent offensive wing when on the floor, but the Hornets have plenty of scorers. They need lockdown wings, and Hayward lacks the height and lateral mobility to be a significant threat to his assignments. Kelly Oubre Jr. is the Hornets’ primary 3-and-D wing off the bench, but he doesn’t shoot the ball well from distance (34.5 3P percent in 2021-22), and he’s one of the team’s poorest defenders, enabling his assignments to shoot 3% higher than their season average. To help put their 23rd-ranked defense into the top-15, the Hornets need acquire two defensive-first wings to replace Hayward and Oubre Jr.
The Hornets may have an issue with Russell Westbrook. He’s coming off a season in which he was among the league’s worst three-point shooters and perimeter defenders in Los Angeles. Brodie is still just a year away from averaging a triple-double and leading the NBA in assists for the Washington Wizards, a team he helped reach the playoffs. Westbrook was a poor fit for the Lakers, but he might contribute to a Hornets team that has superior perimeter shooters.
From the Lakers’ point of view, this is a simple choice. Westbrook failed miserably in Los Angeles, and GM Rob Pelinka will go to whatever length to get rid of his enormous deal this summer.
2. Obtain a top defensive center in a trade.
Hornets of Charlotte Myles Turner, please accept.
P.J. Washington, Montrezl Harrell, and a 2023 first-round pick go to the Indiana Pacers.
The Hornets had a top-10 offensive and a bottom-10 defense at the end of the season. Charlotte struggled to defend the rim, ranking 26th in the league in opponent shooting at the basket, allowing opponents to score 62.6 percent of their shots inside five feet of the hoop. P.J. Washington is a terrific young center, but with just 0.9 blocks per game and 7.7 contested shots each night in 2021-22, he doesn’t provide top-tier rim protection. Montrezl Harrell is a ferocious attacking weapon that always offers 110%. Unfortunately, at 6-7, he lacks the physical stature to be a reliable defensive anchor.
In exchange for Myles Turner, the Hornets may get a superior rim protector by sending P.J. Washington, Montrezl Harrell (sign and trade), and their 2023 first-round pick to the Pacers.
Myles Turner is the most well-known name in the industry, but he also comes with a box full of dangers. Over the last two seasons, he’s missed almost as many games as the often chastised Anthony Davis, and his unicorn abilities are largely theoretical at this point. Turner only hit 33.5 percent and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc in 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively, reducing his offensive worth. Turner is still a two-time Blocks Champion and a top-10 rim protector when he’s on the court. Regardless of the risks, the Hornets must make this trade. Turner is exactly what they need to turn around their defense. Together with one or two solid defensive wings, Turner would provide the type of backline, mistake-canceling lane protection that could help propel Charlotte’s defense toward a better-than-average mark and a trip beyond the play-in tourney.
For the last six months, the Indiana Pacers have been attempting to move Myles Turner, who has been plagued by injuries. P.J. Washington, a good young center with a lovely outside stroke, and Montrezl Harrell, a superb offensive weapon, would be acquired in this trade, along with a first-round selection to aid their rebuilding process.
3. Make a trade for a two-way winger who is undervalued.
Harrison Barnes joins the Charlotte Hornets.
Terry Rozier, James Bouknight, and a 2023 second-round pick go to the Sacramento Kings (via Boston)
Terry Rozier is a great scoring guard with a quick first stride to the basket. He’s also one of the league’s most reliable mid-range shooters, with a 52.1 percent hit rate from 10 to 16 feet in 2021-22, and he’s not afraid to go beyond the arc and hit threes. Rozier is also more than a one-dimensional vacuum scorer. He’s a competent playmaker with a strong drive and kick game (4.5 APG in 2021-22). Terry Rozier is, simply stated, one of the finest offensive shooting guards in the NBA.
LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, two of the league’s greatest young scorers, are on the Hornets’ roster. Rozier’s one-way skill set would be very valuable to a dozen or so scoring-starved NBA teams. His offense isn’t required by the Hornets. Michael Jordan would be smart to capitalize on Rozier’s progress, as well as Bouknight’s potential for Harrison Barnes.
Harrison Barnes is one of the NBA’s best 3-and-D wings. In 2021-22, he hit 39.4% from three-point range on 4.7 attempts, and at 6-8, 225 pounds, he has the requisite size to hound LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Kawhi Leonard on the perimeter or on the block. Throughout the 2021-22 season, the Hornets were repeatedly hammered by the league’s best offensive wings. Barnes would instantly make an impact as a real ballhawk who can hold his own on an island against anybody in the NBA if he were to join Charlotte’s starting lineup. With a healthy Myles Turner, Harrison Barnes, and a more motivated Miles Bridges, the Hornets might become a true two-way club that can win without having to blitz the opponent on offense.
The Kings are a complete disaster. They should trade Barnes, whose abilities are squandered in the team’s constant rebuilding, for Terry Rozier and James Bouknight, two young and talented players.
4. In the 2022 Draft, choose a defensive winger.
The Hornets are expected to choose at the bottom of the draft lottery in 2022, and they should try to acquire a defensive winger.
Jeremy Sochan, a 6-9, 230-pound cyclone who can guard all five spots on the floor, is the best defender in the draft. Sochan, 19, possesses the power and speed to cover NBA big men on the interior and remain in front of premier point guards.
Sochan’s sweater, on the other hand, is torn. During his lone NCAA season, he shot 29.9% from distance on 67 tries. Even worse, he missed almost half of his free throw attempts, hitting on 57.5 percent of them.
The Hornets will benefit from Sochan’s shooting restrictions. If Baylor’s forward had a consistent jumper, he’d be in the top four. At the moment, his defensive potential puts him slightly beyond Charlotte’s range in the lottery. Still, if teams are hesitant to choose Sochan because of his jumper, the Hornets should seize the opportunity. He’d be a huge boost for their bottom-tier defense, and if he can develop even an average three-point shooting, he may be the steal of the draft.
If Sochan isn’t available when the Hornets choose, they should go with LSU’s Tari Eason. Eason, 21, may not have Sochan’s potential, but he’s a capable defender in his own way. Eason, who is 6-8 and weighs 216 pounds, has the size to handle larger players on the block and the quickness to keep guards on the perimeter at bay.
Tari Eason has a sophisticated attacking game as well. Throughout 2021-22, he shot 37.1 percent from outside the arc on 70 tries and drew 5.6 free throws per game, often off rapid surges to the hoop against opposition forwards or centers.
Tari Eason may lack Jeremy Sochan’s game-changing defensive skills, but he’s a fantastic consolation bargain.
5. Michael Jordan Shows Russell Westbrook How To Play Winning Basketball
When it comes to our Hornets approach, Russell Westbrook is without a doubt the greatest unknown. Some supporters would like to see Michael Jordan and the Hornets buy out Westbrook, fearing that his attitude and usage rate will stifle LaMelo Ball’s development as a backcourt player. A buyout should not be ruled out by Charlotte management, but it should be their final resort.
Despite his troubles in Los Angeles, Brodie is still a great player with one of the best drive and kick skills in the league. He also has all of the necessary skills to become a tenacious point-of-attack defender.
Michael Jordan is the GOAT, and he is the only one who can see through Westbrook’s huge ego. Over the summer, Jordan would need to get down with Brodie and explain everything to his new point guard. His case would be straightforward: if Brodie falters in Charlotte like he did in Los Angeles, and Jordan follows Houston’s lead in giving Westbrook the John Wall treatment before buying him out, it may be his last hurrah in the NBA.
Russell Westbrook must be persuaded by Michael Jordan to quit padding his stats and concentrate on what it takes to win, such as playing 110 percent defense, setting screens, and attacking the rim. If Jordan can persuade Westbrook to change his mind, he might be a huge asset to the Hornets next season and beyond on a more affordable deal.
Starting Lineup for the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23
The Hornets’ starting lineup has been changed to include a more diverse group of players. The bunch is led by All-Star LaMelo Ball, a playmaking dynamo capable of providing nice opportunities for Bridges, Barnes, and Turner. Brodie, in addition to Bridges, would provide supplemental playmaking if things work out. Harrison Barnes would take over as Charlotte’s best wing defender, while Myles Turner would offer the rim protection the Hornets have been missing.
After one season, the Hornets would have enough money to pursue a superstar during the summer of 2023, thanks to Westbrook’s $47 million player option. Charlotte would improve next year and beyond if they implemented our master plan.
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The “clippers starting 5” is a plan that has been created by the Charlotte Hornets. The plan will be implemented in 2022, and will help them to become the perfect team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the face of the Charlotte Hornets?
A: The face of the Charlotte Hornets is Kemba Walker.
Does MJ own the Charlotte Hornets?
A: The Charlotte Hornets are owned by Michael Jordan, who is also the former owner of the Chicago Bulls.
Are the Charlotte Hornets eliminated?
A: The Charlotte Hornets are still in the NBA playoffs. They currently sit at 8-9 and will face Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
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