Roundtable: 2022-23 Record Predictions for the Charlotte Hornets

Schuyler Callihan: 33-49

I know it's just the preseason, but man, the Hornets look like a completely different team compared to last year. It looks like a team that lost its second-best player (Miles Bridges) and didn't make any moves to compensate for it. In addition to that. everyone else in the East got better. Despite the addition of Mark Williams, Charlotte will continue to struggle against elite bigs around the league. Williams will probably spend much of the season on the bench or in Greensboro gaining experience. Uphill battle this year for Charlotte.

Israel Omondi: 32-50

I see the Hornets taking a significant step back from their 43-win season last year. The loss of Miles Bridges will require considerable leaps for LaMelo and PJ Washington that I can't see them taking this season. The Hornets will also need Gordon Hayward to stay healthy, which we have yet to see in Charlotte, as he's played 44 and 49 games in the past two seasons, respectively. I could see Charlotte being a team that blows it up halfway through the season if things aren't going well, but if they keep this roster, I see them being competitive enough to win 32 games. One thing about Steve Clifford's teams is they play hard and always find a way to compete.

James Plowright: 35-47

Charlotte seems destined for another mid-lottery finish, for that reason I've gone for a middling prediction of 35-47. This would be lower if it wasn't for Steve Clifford's strong track record for maximizing his teams and management's reluctance to creatively tank a gap year. I can already see the irony of Gordon Hayward staying healthy for the entire season and leading Charlotte to the 9th seed.

Ian Black: 30-52

We’ve verified that LaMelo Ball is an All-Star-level talent, but beyond that, this team appears headed for a season full of growing pains. If this team is going to get to .500, Terry Rozier and PJ Washington are going to have to really step up, Gordon Hayward will need to be healthy and effective, and Melo is going to have to jump from an all-star level to a superstar level sans the appropriate talent support most players require to do so. The current roster just isn’t deep enough to sustain the valleys of an 82-game season without insane luck. I would not be surprised to see quite a few players on the opening-day roster playing elsewhere come February. The incoming challenges likely mean plenty of opportunity for young players with upsides such as Mark Williams and JT Thor to see more playing time than they might otherwise.

Eric Barnes: 28-54

After a slow start due to the Hornets not having their franchise point guard, I think it’s going to be tough for them to get back on track. After a slow start to the year, I think the Hornets' front office may pivot towards putting their name in the ring for Wembanyama sweepstakes by trading off some older assets to contenders. I’m sure the front office would prefer to make the playoffs this year but it could make sense for the franchise to take a gap year if things get off to a rocky start with the injury to LaMelo Ball.

Jon Yeager: 34-48

The concern should be about LaMelo missing the beginning of the season and what that means for the offense. Using Terry Rozier as the primary ball-handler and table setter is fine, but it limits his best offensive skill which is his movement shooting. I agree with everyone else that Clifford will have the team playing hard every night and competing, but the offense might be a bit inconsistent out of the gate. Enormous strides should be taken defensively under their new head coach and that should help keep them competitive for the bulk of the season. Terry Rozier and PJ Washington are poised for huge seasons and the team is going to need every single bit of that production. The young guys, most notably Mark Williams and Bryce McGowens, should get their chance to show what they can bring to the table against NBA competition and how they fit into Charlotte’s future.

Austin Leake: 34-48

The Hornets have had a brutal off-season and there haven’t been many improvements to the roster. Several things would have to fall in place for the Hornets to make the playoffs and at this point even the play-in. This range of 34 wins is definitely not ideal because that would put the Hornets in middle ground, which is where they’ve ended up falling almost every season. Steve Clifford typically maximizes the most out of his roster and I think he will do it again. If the team struggles to win in the first part of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the roster look completely different.

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