Roundtable: 2023-24 Record Predictions for the Hornets
Schuyler Callihan: 35-47 (11th in East)
My record prediction may not seem like it, but I'm actually pretty optimistic with this group. As head coach Steve Clifford stated during media day, this is the most talented team he's ever been a head coach of. My only concerns are experience and health. This is still a relatively young team, especially on the bench. Brandon Miller is going to be a big piece of this rebuild but he's going to go through his fair share of bumps and bruises along the way in year one. The backcourt is already decimated with injuries and I'm not sure GM Mitch Kupchak is itching to sign anyone to make up for those losses. If healthy, this team could easily push 40+ wins but given the injury bug this team had a year ago and the way it's already started to be an issue this year, I'm going a couple of notches lower than my initial 40-42 prediction.
Desmond Johnson: 47-35 (5th in East)
The Hornets missed collectively over 300 games due to injury last year. If healthy...and that's a big if...the Hornets are primed to take that next leap forward in the East. This was a 43-win team two years ago with basically the same roster but now with additions. I expect young 1st round talent Mark Williams to continue to grow and improve. Gordon Hayward is an intriguing piece with an expiring contract that may help the Hornets near the February trade deadline. Can the pairing of LaMelo Ball and rookie Brandon Miller become the future in Charlotte? The path starts this week.
Atticus Ferguson: 42-40 (9th in East)
During training camp, I had visions of a 45-win season for this Charlotte team. Since the conclusion of training camp, we received more unfortunate news regarding additional Miles Bridges legal issues. Personally, I have a difficult time seeing a scenario where the NBA does not extend his current 10-game suspension, or place him on some form of leave while they gather more information and allow the legal process to take its course. Bridges' potential absence cannot be understated. The former Michigan State standout was the leading scorer on a 43-win team from two years ago and provides a layer of depth on a team whose bench appears to be on the anemic side from the squad's early showings in pre-season.
Look for this team to take after 2nd-year head coach Steve Clifford’s identity and play with far more purpose and intensity on the defensive side of the ball as a collective. In their previous campaign, you saw individual efforts on D, coupled with spurts of team defense for stretches of games or small handfuls of games, only to be derailed by a litany of injuries. LaMelo, now donning protective braces on his ankles, looks to be taking a much more aggressive approach, finishing confidently and efficiently at the rim. It is worth noting there’s a noticeable difference on the defensive side of the floor from Ball, proving he’s determined to rewrite the narrative that he’s unwilling or unable to defend at the NBA level. Look for the Chino Hills native to re-emerge in all-star selection discussions this season and quiet the swell of doubters that seem to have emerged overnight. With a re-invigorated LaMelo, veteran leaders Terry Rozier & Gordon Hayward, and what I believe to be an emerging star in rookie Brandon Miller, look for these Hornets to catch many pundits who have written them off by surprise.
Sam Dracula: 35-47 (11th in East)
I think the Charlotte Hornets will be an 11-seed, at best. I would love to be wrong and this squad avoids the play-in and secures automatic playoff basketball. Sadly, I think the Hornets are two years away from that being a possibility. I think LaMelo Ball will be an All-Star again and Brandon Miller will be a First Team All-Rookie. I think they’ll lose a whole bunch of games because there’s not enough shooting, playmaking depth, and defensive effort. Who are the Hornets better than in the East? I feel comfortable saying they’re better than Washington and Detroit. That puts them at the 13th spot. Are they better than Orlando? No. Are they better than Indiana? It's close. This obviously isn’t the year the Hornets win it all. I think it will be the year they figure out which 20-something-year-old players are worth keeping and building around.
Matt Alquiza: 41-41 (8th in East)
Perfectly balanced, like all things should be. The Hornets projected win total according to Vegas is 31.5. With another year of growth (and health, fingers crossed) for LaMelo Ball, the potential impact of Mark Williams and Brandon Miller, and the veteran leadership of Coach Clifford, Charlotte should clear that number easily.
James Plowright: 36-46 (11th in East)
I was bullish on the Hornets being in the high 30s/low 40s at the start of training camp, the first few pre-season games only boosted my confidence. LaMelo Ball looks healthy and improved defensively, although I expect some rust early in the year as he gets back into game shape. Clifford revealed during the pre-season that Ball was only cleared for contact in October, five months of rehab and non-contact would surely impact any player going into a new season. Fans always look to the young players to make jumps, but as Steve Clifford pointed out in his previous stint in Charlotte the 48-win team was led by career years from veteran players Nic Batum and Marvin Williams.
Could Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward have similar seasons? Both have reportedly been the standout players from the off-season and over training camp. Unfortunately, the ongoing uncertainty regarding a potential new Bridges suspension and a plethora of back-court injuries to Martin, McGowens, Bouknight, Ntilikina, and Maledon has shaken my confidence. The first 10 games of the season are by far Charlotte's easiest, with the average opponent regular season win over/under being just 36.4. This was supposed to be the time Charlotte banked easy wins to start the year, but the second unit is now a real issue that could hold them back during that stretch. The center rotation is big, athletic, and young with lots of potential, but also one of the most inexperienced in the NBA in terms of NBA minutes played.
I have bumped my projection down to the mid-30s, comfortably over the over/under of 31.5 but I now have them falling just outside the play-in tournament. If Bridges were to return to the court as normal after 10 games, that would likely change my thinking again.
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