In this week’s Charlotte Hornets On SI roundtable, our team discusses what needs to happen for the Hornets to feel good about themselves this season.

Ali Jawad

LaMelo Ball stays healthy and takes another step toward glory by repeating his All-Star season in 2022. Brandon Miller builds on an impressive rookie season entering his second year, and Mark Williams stays healthy and continues to develop into a reliable starting center. Getting to around 30 wins (or slightly exceeding their projected win total) while remaining competitive in most games would be progress. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, competing for a play-in spot late in the season would be a significant step forward. Overall, the focus should be on player development, building a foundation for success, and making tangible progress from the previous season.

Carson Cash

A healthy (and productive) season from Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. The Hornets need to see the duo they will be playing for going forward demonstrate their ability to complement each other and show signs of being a good team. They don’t need to win 40 games for the season to be considered successful, but they do need to compete for a play-in spot. For me, the blanket criteria would be: Tidjane Salaün looks promising in limited minutes, Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball play well together (one of them is aiming for All-Star status), and the Hornets win 30-35 games.

Drew Cook

A successful season for the Hornets looks like ankle braces. After an incredibly frustrating battle with tendinopathy, LaMelo Ball finally made the necessary concessions that should secure him a lot more playing time this year. With a new practice staff also taking care of the team, the Hornets should be able to shake off the dreaded injury bug in 2024. Brandon Miller is well-positioned to build on his impressive rookie season, and the summer season was good for Tidjane Salaün, suggesting the stars are starting to align in Charlotte. Don’t expect a major turnaround, but the Hornets are in for a healthier and more robust season. For once, there’s some optimism about this young roster, something that couldn’t have existed while Ball was unsure about his comfort playing with braces.

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