Player grades for key Hornets going into the All-Star break

With the All-Star break officially here, the Charlotte Hornets can get some much-needed rest, clarity, and hopefully healing. They're banged up, in the middle of a pretty dismal season, and have a dark cloud hanging over in the form of the Mark Williams trade. It's an important time to take a birds-eye view of how the players have done.

LaMelo Ball: A-

Feb 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) brings the ball up court against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

LaMelo Ball's shooting efficiency is pretty low, and he turns the ball over more than he should. He also fouls a fair amount, and he's missed a swathe of games. That said, he's really the only reason the Hornets have won any games this year. Tasked with essentially breaking down defenses and running the offense for himself and everyone else without other shot-creators on the floor, Ball is averaging over 27 points and seven assists. That's All-Star-worthy.

Brandon Miller: B

Feb 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during pregame warm ups against the Milwaukee Bucks at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Of course, Brandon Miller is out for the season. When he was on the floor, he looked like he was taking major steps forward in his second year, especially in terms of getting his own shot. He did have a poor start, and his overall shooting numbers were worse than last year, though, and he's not on the court to change this grade.

Josh Green: C

Feb 12, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) dunks during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Josh Green leads the Hornets in games played. That's a big deal considering how 80% of the starting lineup has missed significant chunks of time this year. The production on offense hasn't been great, as even his 40.6% shooting from deep is only on 3.5 attempts per game. His defense also hasn't been great, as his defensive rating is 10th among Hornets who've played 20 games or more.

Miles Bridges: C+

At times, Miles Bridges has had to be a one-man show on offense. It hasn't yielded a lot of wins, but his overall stat line is decent: 19.5 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He's shooting a dismal 30.2% from three, though. His defense has been a little better than anticipated, but it's been far from good.

Mark Williams: B

Jan 24, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) reacts after a foul against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

When he's been on the court, Mark Williams has been fantastic. He played well enough to get the Los Angeles Lakers to initially agree to send Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a 2031 first-round pick to Charlotte for him. He's just only played 23 games this year. Neither his offensive nor defensive rating is particularly good, but he has looked like a franchise center.

Moussa Diabate: A+

This grade is on a curve since Moussa Diabate's 5.1 points and 7.0 assists aren't all that exciting. However, his stats are good for the amount of minutes he plays. He is second among Hornets with 20 games played in offensive rating, and he's first in defensive rating among players with 25 games. He's been a revelation.

Nick Smith Jr.: B-

Is it encouraging that Nick Smith Jr. looks capable of playing consistently at the NBA level? Yes. Does he look like a future star? Not really. He has taken everything in stride this year, but a 104.8 offensive rating (14th among all Hornets) and a 113.4 defensive rating (16th among all Hornets) is not very good at all.

Josh Okogie: A-

Josh Okogie looked like the steal of the deadline before he got hurt. It's a very small sample size, but his 118.7 offensive rating leads everyone in Charlotte, and his 102.3 defensive rating leads all players with at least 48 minutes on the court. He is a very intriguing piece that has almost assuredly played his way into future consideration.

Tidjane Salaun: D-

Jan 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Maybe this is a little unfair because Tidjane Salaun is one of the youngest players in the NBA and is clearly not yet ready for NBA action, but he's been bad. He's shooting 31.6% from the field as a big man. His defense has been solid, as he has the fourth-best rating excluding Isaiah Wong, Jared Rhoden, and Jusuf Nurkic. The offense is abysmal, though. A 97.4 offensive rating is bad.

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