Why Not Us?

The NBA season has started and that means it is time to be(e)lieve once again. Here’s why this year should be different.

The Hornets roster seemingly has depth/talent all the way down.

This Hornets squad features better depth than any season of LaMelo Ball’s career and the same could be said for any season Kemba Walker (who is now on the coaching staff) played too.

It starts with Brandon Miller. Last year’s #2 overall pick has all the makings of a star NBA wing. Charlotte couldn’t ask for a better rookie season from B-Mill, and LaMelo Ball couldn’t ask for a better budding co-star.

Brandon’s game already features high level two way play, high-efficiency volume scoring, a deadly 3 ball, and a vicious dunk reel. Simply put, Buzz City made the right choice.

Shiny new rookie Tidjane Salaün features size, versatility, room to grow, and competitiveness. He also has a feasible path to playing time. Though there are incumbent players ahead of him, Salaün can bring some things to the table that players like Miles Bridges and Grant Williams do not.

Bridges, for example, will often be matched up against opposing 4s but Salaün has size and feel for the post that may lead Charles Lee to insert him into the lineup depending on matchups (and health).

There will be growing pains, but Tidjane’s eagerness/ability to be active and physical in the post and on the boards while still stretching the floor sets him apart from the other wing players currently employed by Charlotte.

His presence on defense could very well be a major asset, as any defensive disruption will help kickstart the transition attack where Ball, Bridges, and Miller thrive.

In addition to the exciting young bugs, another improved aspect of the team is the addition of quality veterans. The league favors youth now more than ever, but the need remains for players who can serve as role models, mentors, and have been through every step of the NBA journey.

Taj Gibson and Seth Curry are steady presences, and formidable players in their own right even if their minutes will come at the back of the rotation. They boast 21 playoff series experience between the two of them while new Hornet Josh Green and Charlotte’s own Grant Williams have recent Finals experience on their respective resumés.

Like it or not, Nick Richards will be a key piece for this team once again. Especially if Mark Williams continues to be sidelined with injuries, Big Nick Energy will feature heavily into the equation for the ’24-’25 season. Though many Hornets fans are critical of Nick Richards, there’s multiple reasons other teams keep being “interested” in acquiring him.

His contract is one of the most team-friendly deals in the league, he’s improved each year of his career, and he just turned in a season where he started 51 games, averaged 26 minutes a night and shot 69% from the field.

Suffice to say, the Hornets would be wise to keep what is essentially the only in-house development success story from the Mitch Kupchak/Steve Clifford era.

Outside of the roster itself, the new front office being savvy and active is another reason for optimism in the Queen City.

Jeff Peterson continues to make smart moves. The list seems to grow with each transaction he orchestrates. The Gordon Hayward trade last season has already benefited Charlotte in more way than one. Bringing over Vasa Micić and Tre Mann for a guy who retired in the offseason was brilliant.

The Hornets also added Josh Green for essentially nothing, all while stockpiling future picks. Looking forward, Charlotte has one of the better stashes of draft capital leaguewide.

The reason these moves are so important is they give the Hornets future flexibility, something a lot of NBA teams don’t have. Regardless of which direction the team is heading, there are enough draft picks to facilitate any kind of trade or kick off a rebuild if things go south in the next season or two.

When you take into account the new arrivals, the talent, the flexibility and the brain trust all moving in the right direction, it’s easy to recognize that these are NOT the Hornets of yesteryear (and that’s a good thing).

Pairing the aforementioned details with the fact that the eastern conference features many rebuilding and mediocre squads makes it to where you don’t have to squint too hard to see Charlotte making a postseason appearance.

Teams like the Wizards, Pistons, Nets, and Bulls don’t really strike fear in the hearts or minds of their opponents. Atlanta should be beatable, Toronto too. And if Philly or Miami don’t have their stars healthy, their rosters look lackluster on paper as well.

All of this warrants asking the question, why not us?

Stats sourced from basketball-reference.com. Thank you for reading.