The One Skill Each Young Hornets Player Needs to Develop Before Opening Night

If the Charlotte Hornets are going to continue to stay relevant next year, they're going to need their young players to take steps forward. For many of them, there's a clear skill that they need to develop soon.

For the purposes of this roster, we will only discuss players on their rookie contracts or who are 24 or younger, so while Coby White is still moderately young and has things he could work on, he doesn't count here. He's much more of an established player who probably won't get a whole lot better.

Sion James

Creation

This is going to be a theme since the Hornets suddenly lack the playmaking that defined their offense. Sion James was the backup point guard a lot, and with Coby White's injury history and the backup situation being rookie Christian Anderson, look for James to continue getting minutes at the one. He has to be a better facilitator in those minutes.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

Offensive production

Ryan Kalkbrenner shot an insanely high percentage, but that's because he took shots mostly at the rim. His 76.2% true shooting is otherworldly, but his 112.3 offensive rating tells a more accurate story of his offensive shortcomings. He's got to be a better scorer to go with his elite accuracy and solid defense.

Christian Anderson

Rim pressure

Christian Anderson has the tools Charlotte envies: playmaking and shooting. He shot over 40% from three for his college career and averaged over seven assists a game last season. In a sense, he does what LaMelo Ball did. But that doesn't fix the offensive weak spot: rim pressure. Anderson needs to develop a better inside game to take the next step.

Moussa Diabaté

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) handles the ball during the second half | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Facilitating

Moussa Diabaté doesn't need to be Nikola Jokic on offense, but he does need to pass like him. Diabaté's greatest strength is getting offensive rebounds. He isn't looking to score those chances but pass them out, so improving as a playmaker will help the offense. He'll do what he does, but be able to find his scorers better.

Kon Knueppel

Self-creation

There's no LaMelo Ball, if you haven't heard, to serve Kon Knueppel open threes on a platter. He's going to have to be able to create more for himself as a primary ball-handler. He showed flashes of that, but the Hornets are going to need it from him if he's going to evolve this season.

Brandon Miller

Interior scoring

For someone who dunks on opponents and is 6'9", Brandon Miller is not a true threat to score inside. He's got the midrange and three-pointer down, but to take that next step, he's got to threaten the rim and score. That's been his biggest weakness, and it's got to improve now that he's the face of the franchise.

Liam McNeeley

Defense

Liam McNeeley showed flashes on offense, but it's his defense that will determine how much playing time he gets this year. The Hornets have plenty of shooting, but they need players who can stop opponents. If McNeeley can do that, he and the team will be in good shape.

Tidjane Salaün

Offensive production

Tidjane Salaün's year-two numbers are so much better than his rookie season, and yet, he still has a way to go. The young forward needs to get better on offense. His defense is solid, and he is obviously capable of developing a nice offensive game since he can shoot from three, but a 113.2 offensive rating isn't going to cut it.

Hannes Steinbach

Three-ball

The Hornets have enough shooting, but having a true big man who can shoot from distance is crucial. The Hornets got Naz Reid, but Hannes Steinbach is the future, so he's got to develop a jumper to threaten defenses. He shot 34% on 53 attempts in college, so he's not exactly starting from scratch, but there is work to be done.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

Add us as a preferred source on Google