Former NBA All-Star says Hornets need more veterans

The Charlotte Hornets aren't one of the youngest teams in the NBA, but their core nucleus is pretty young. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams, the three pieces Charlotte has been trying to build with and around, are all 23 or younger.

DeMarcus Cousins, a former four-time NBA All-Star, believes the team might need to get older around those players. He likes that core, but he believes it needs some assistance on the court and some leadership in the locker room.

“This is the situation for the Hornets, obviously nobody is expecting them to be this championship caliber team, they are a young developing team going through a rebuilding mode, this is part of it," Cousins said on Run It Back (3:00 minute mark). “I do like some of the pieces that they have, I do like the coach Charles Lee, great personality, I think they on the right path, I like LaMelo [Ball], I like Miles Bridges, I think they have a decent core."

Cousins said it's "clear as day" that the Hornets need veteran talent. He praised Taj Gibson but said that he's not enough to make a difference for the young Hornets players. Cousins thinks Zion Williamson is the player the Hornets need to do that and raise their floor.

Feb 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) after a victory over the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"[Williamson is] under the Jordan brand, he fits Jordan, he’s close to home, everything aligns with that. You put those two guys together Zion and LaMelo, you have a wing in Brandon Miller, you have a really good team," Cousins said.

The Hornets front office may not be all-in on adding talent to this roster, though. They attempted to trade Mark Williams, and there are rumblings that LaMelo Ball may not be safe, either. They traded Williams for a 2031 pick, so they may not want to add players who will be old by then.

This front office is very future-oriented, and a move for someone like Williamson, which would undeniably make this roster stronger, is present-oriented. That makes it a little less likely given Jeff Peterson's early track record as GM.

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