Even though the Charlotte Hornets increased their win total by ten games, 33-39 compared to 23-42 last season, they still have a lot of work to do when it comes to reshaping their roster.
The encouraging thing for the Hornets is they have a good, young point guard to build around in LaMelo Ball. They have some capable forwards and a veteran shooting guard in Terry Rozier, who has playoff experience. Going into the offseason, here are five essential moves that the Hornets should do to attempt to make it to the playoffs next season.
Solidifying The Center Position
One of the biggest needs for Charlotte is to improve the center position. Cody Zeller is okay for a backup center, but they don’t have a chance with him as a starter. There are a number of free agents that the Hornets should try to acquire. Some of the available players are Andre Drummond, Enes Kanter, Nerlen Noel and Hassan Whiteside, who are all major upgrades over the talent Charlotte has in the low post as of now.
Embed from Getty ImagesDevonte Graham or a Replacement
The Hornets have to figure out what to do with Devonte Graham. They could possibly part ways with Devonte him. Graham has had an up and down season. He went from 18 points a game last season to just under 15. So far, he hasn’t found cohesiveness with the other two main guards on the team, Ball and Rozier. Brad Wanamaker, who the Hornets just acquired this season, becomes a free agent and doesn’t seem to be in their long-term plans.
Two veteran point guards that the Hornets could go after are New York Knicks Derrick Rose and Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs. Rose has been an MVP player. Even though that was ten seasons ago, he still knows how to play the position. Mills has won championships and has been in big Olympic competition as well.
Long Term Deal for Terry Rozier
Another key move that the Hornets have to do is take care of Terry Rozier with a long-term extension. His three year, $57 million contract is up. It was a surprise when it happened, but he has out-played the contract. The Hornets could offer as much as $96 million over four years. It seems like a lot, but he is the leading scorer on the team averaging just over 20 points a game.
Embed from Getty ImagesTaking Care of Miles Bridges
Miles Bridges should be a no-brainer for the Hornets to keep. He came off the bench replacing starter Gordon Hayward after a season-ending injury and proved he could be a star for the team. He deserves security and it would be in Charlotte’s best interest to give it to him.
Building Around LaMelo
Rookie LaMelo Ball is the future of this franchise. He started the season as a reserve, but quickly was handed the keys to the car. One of the few critiques about his game is the need to get his teammates more involved instead of just looking for his own shot. As he is given more of a leadership role, the Hornets will have to bring in the right players to compliment his game.
As stated previously, the Hornets need to focus on trading for, resigning or signing players that fit with Ball and his style of play and connect off the court as well. The future of the franchise is in good hands with Ball as their cornerstone.
