LaMelo Ball and the Hornets look to snap 8-year NBA playoff drought under new coach Charles Lee

Charlotte Hornets

Last season: 21-61, missed playoff for eight straight season

COACH: Charles Lee (first-time NBA head coach, hired May 9).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 23 at Houston.

DEPARTURES: F Davis Bertans, F Aleksej Pokusevski, G Bryce McGowens.

ADDITIONS: G Josh Green, F Taj Gibson, F Tidjane Salaun, G K.J. Simpson.

BetMGM championship odds: 1000-1.

What to expect

It’s the start of a new era in Charlotte with Charles Lee taking over as head coach. Lee won NBA titles as an assistant coach in Milwaukee and Boston, so he has a winning pedigree that has resonated with players. He has been stressing the importance of defense since his arrival — and that goes for everyone, including point guard LaMelo Ball. The Hornets ranked near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories a season ago, including rebounding and 3-point defense. This is a team that has some firepower on offense with Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, but will need to stay healthy if it hopes to snap a league-long eight-year playoff drought.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: Charlotte has a quality young core in Ball, Miller, Bridges and center Mark Williams and Josh Green as its starting five, so there is reason to be optimistic about the future. Depth has been an issue, but the Hornets are getting better with Vasi Micic, Grant Williams, Tre Mann, Cody Martin and Seth Curry coming off the bench. The problem over the last two seasons has been keeping guys on the floor. If the Hornets buy into Lee's defense-first approach and can stay healthy then the playoffs are not out of question.

The not-so-good: The Hornets lack a quality center who can get them a big basket inside when they need it. The 7-foot Williams is long and plays good defense, but neither he nor backup Nick Richards is particularly known for their scoring. That means Charlotte's offense mainly comes from outside of the paint and from a lot 3-pointers. Ball and Miller both can fill it up. On-ball defense has been issue for this team, but the addition of Green and the return of Martin from an injury should help.

Players to watch

All eyes will be on Ball this year to see if he can stay on the court and return to an All-Star level. Ball has managed to play in just 58 of 164 games over the past two seasons due to ankle injuries. He plans to wear braces to begin the season. When he's played, Ball has been really good. He averaged 23.9 points and 8 assists per game in 2023-24 and is a 37.4% career shooter from 3-point range. Without a healthy Ball, it's hard to imagine the Hornets going far.