The Charlotte Hornets have not experienced playoff basketball since 2016 and know that any chance of ending their eight-year drought depends on the health of the All-Star point guard LaMeloBall.

Ball made only 22 appearances in the 2023/24 season after his season ended prematurely for the second year in a row due to an ankle injury. The Hornets hopes that the ball curse can be avoided in the coming season, as LaMelo’s brother, Lonzo Ballhurt more than not for Eastern Conference Rivals, Chicago Bulls.

It is not all pessimism for Charlotte, which will integrate the sixth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Power Forward Tidjane Salauna 19-year-old from France.

Playoff ambitions for the Hornets

New head coach Karl-Heinz has the task of ending the franchise’s long wait for a playoff spot after 27 years and 21 wins Steve Cliffordwhich replaced James Borrego in 2022 after two failed play-in trips.

Lee returns after a year as Joe Mazzullas Top assistant coach who The Boston Celtics to win the championship. He also worked with the Atlanta Hawks And Milwaukee Buckswith which he won his first chip in 2021.

The upcoming season will be Lee’s first as a head coach in the NBA, and he hopes that the crucial experience he gained with Mazzulla and Mike Budenholzer bears fruit at the Spectrum Center.

As previously emphasized, Lee’s priority will be to keep Ball healthy and get the most out of him.

The 2021 Rookie of the Year will play with ankle braces for the first time in his career and will likely be joined in the backcourt by a second-year player. Brandon Miller – who finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting earlier this year. Miller played 74 games in 23-24 and averaged 17.3 points per game in just over 32 minutes per night.

Mile bridges will probably start as a small forward, with Lee having to choose between Grant Williams and rookie Salaun at number four. Health dependent, Mark Williams will be the Hornets’ center in the 24/25 season, Nick Richards is available as a backup.

Lee should have a solid starting lineup at his disposal and a playoff spot is certainly possible. However, if LaMelo’s season is again hampered by his ankles, he can forget about any hopes of postseason basketball.

Lots of room for improvement

Lee still has a lot of work to do. The Hornets were unconvincing on both sides of the court last year, averaging 106.6 points per game. Only the Portland Trail Blazers (106.4) and Memphis Grizzlies (105.8) were worse.

Their rebounding numbers also left a lot to be desired: They grabbed 31 defensive rebounds and 9.3 offensive rebounds per night. The Hornets scored 40.3 rebounds per game, the worst in this statistic in the NBA.

A defensive rating of 119.2 is also not to be sniffed at. Only the Utah Jazz were worse (119.6).

Ball’s return will certainly help on offense, but the Hornets may still have a lot to be desired on defense.

As a lottery pick, Salaun comes with high expectations, but he won’t change Charlotte’s fortunes overnight. Last season, they lacked physicality, and the 19-year-old won’t benefit from that in abundance. He’s still fairly inexperienced and will need some time to adjust to the league. Regardless, Ball has the ability to take this team to at least the play-in stage; that’s why his availability is so crucial.

The progress Miller has made in his first year gives us great hope. Overall, this is a team that is fun to watch. It probably doesn’t get any better than that…fun.

First things first, the Hornets need to get Ball on the court consistently, and it’s up to new head coach Lee to develop the young talent at his disposal. Charlotte should finish at minus-.500, but a first playoff appearance since 2016 is not out of the question.

The Hornets begin their preseason preparation against the New New York Knicks on October 6th and their NBA campaign begins in Texas against the Houston Rockets on 24.