The Charlotte Hornets have had a positive offseason so far. First off, LaMelo Ball is finally wearing ankle braces and looks ready for the 2024-25 season. On top of that, they still have some great players in Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Seth Curry who have proven they can have a big impact in winning. So understandably, Hornets fans are hoping for big things next season.

However, Stephen A. Smith does not believe that Charlotte will be able to significantly improve on last season’s record next year.

To The Stephen A. Smith ShowAll this is what a Hornets fan heard from Smith during a call-in segment after he admitted he has high expectations for his team this season.

The ESPN analyst threw Charlotte right out the window for the upcoming season. While he admitted that the franchise has a bright future, he boldly stated that they have no chance of even being relevant next season.

“You (Hornets) have no chance to be relevant next season. I hope the future is bright. You have a new coach, but still LaMeloBall… I hope the future looks bright for you, but I don’t think you have a chance to make a big jump this year. I don’t think you have a chance.”

Smith then turned to teams he thought could make a jump. First, he mentioned the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets as great suggestions from his producers. However, he also added the Sacramento Kings as his pick, saying:

“This brother, De’Aaron Fox… I’m thinking Sacramento (Kings)! I’m just thinking that way. I could be wrong. But I’m thinking Sacramento.”

The Sacramento Kings are a very good choice to make a jump next year. After all, they managed to keep key players like Malik Monk, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes in addition to their big names like Fox and Domantas Sabonis. And of course, they also acquired DeMar DeRozan this offseason.

His choice is hard to ignore, but his prediction for the Charlotte Hornets might be a bit harsh.

As mentioned, the players on the team’s roster are showing some very positive signs. In addition, they have hired Charles Lee as head coach, one of Joe Mazzulla’s former assistants at the Boston Celtics.

Based on the offseason footage so far, the Charlotte Hornets have already developed a fierce defensive identity. And whenever LaMelo Ball was healthy last season, the team also proved to have a pretty competent offense.

Therefore, it is still a little early to rule out Charlotte.