The Hornets have the ignominious honor of holding the league’s longest active playoff drought, leaving them with many questions to answer heading into the offseason, according to The Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone.
In a mailbag column, Boone writes that he expects the team to add more veteran presence to its young core, along the lines of last year’s Taj Gibson signing. The goal would be to help build a winning locker room culture and assist in the development of head coach Charles Lee, who himself is still learning the ropes of being an NBA veteran coach.
Boone also advises fans not to overreact if 2024 lottery pick Tidjane Salaün spends more time in the G League next year, writing that rushing his development would be a mistake and would hurt him in the long run. The sixth pick in last year’s draft averaged 5.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per night for Charlotte, while shooting just 33.0% from the field and 28.3% from three, though he was always known to be a project who would take multiple years to be ready for major contributions.
As for roster moves, Boone says the team could use another center or power forward, especially one who can shoot. Meanwhile, Tre Mann appears to be on the road to recovery from a back injury that cut his season short and is entering restricted free agency. If he’s healthy, Boone believes that he might be more likely to sign a qualifying offer and hit the open market next year than to sign a long-term deal.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- 6’4″ shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe is rumored to be a favorite for the Hornets‘ fourth overall pick in the 2025 draft if he’s still available, writes Boone. Boone points to his strong defensive pedigree as a great fit between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Lee’s system, but warns that he’ll need to improve his ball-handling to become a more well-rounded offensive threat.
- After a strong second half of the season following a mid-year trade to the Heat, Davion Mitchell is expected to receive an $8.7MM qualifying offer making him a restricted free agent, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. However, Chiang writes that the most likely outcome is that the Heat allow another team to pursue an offer sheet with the 26-year-old defensive-minded guard before deciding how he fits into their future plans. Chiang writes that Mitchell could garner offers that approach the full mid-level exception ($14.1MM), and the Heat are only around $4MM from the luxury tax without much hope of putting together a top-tier team for next year. They are also expected to pursue as much cap space in 2026 as possible, making multiyear deals complicated.
- After a career shooting year, Alec Burks is hoping to be back with the Heat next season, writes Chiang. “It was a good year. I learned a lot. Even though I’m in my 14th year, I still learned something. So I’m glad I was here,” Burks said. The soon-to-be 34-year-old started both play-in games for Miami but only appeared in Game 1 of the team’s first-round matchup with the Cavaliers. Coach Erik Spoelstra praised his ability to stay ready for whatever was asked of him, saying, “There aren’t a lot of vets that really want to accept these kinds of roles. That’s just the reality. And he is not only able to accept it, but he thrives in that role.”
- The Hawks are desperately trying to move out of the middle of the pack to become a legitimate contender, writes Keith Smith of Spotrac. The front office has decisions to make regarding the free agency of longtime center Clint Capela, who was supplanted this year by Onyeka Okongwu in the starting five, as well as new acquisitions Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr., which could decide how the team’s depth looks next season. Smith writes that it would make sense for LeVert and Atlanta to come to terms on a deal in the ballpark of $12MM annually over two or three years, while the team’s ability to retain Nance may rest on what kind of outside offers he gets. Dyson Daniels and Trae Young are both extension-eligible this summer, though Smith believes it would make more sense to extend Daniels than Young, given that Young’s role in the team’s long-term plans remains uncertain. And, of course, none of this is likely to happen before the team replaces recently fired general manager Landry Fields.
I definitely wouldn’t mind resigning Caris, especially on a 2yr deal. Same with Clint tbh. When healthy he’s an elite backup 5. I wouldn’t mind bringing back Nance either. He’s an elite shooting big & he provides intangibles that few in the league can match. But if they’re desperate about improving that suggests making actual moves that shake the roster up a bit. The obvious spot for this to happen is at pg. Trae is a great player but we’re def not moving on from any of Dyson, Zacch, Jalen or Onyeka any time soon. Bringing in a less dynamic playmaker that’s bigger & more well rounded (& most importantly better defensively) would fit this team a lot. Dice seemed to play better offensively whenever Trae wasn’t on the floor & I’d love to see Jalen with more & more playmaking responsibility as time goes on. Guys like Scoot, Suggs & maybe even Sexton would be cool as our starting pg next yr & I’m sure Por, Orl/Utah would love to have Trae. Hopefully our next GM (looking like Onsi) will be bold enough to make that move.
Problem is that Trae has no trade value, he is paid more than he is worth. his defensive shortcomings come close to matching his offensive prowess.
I guess you feel like Steve Nash had no trade value back in his prime? Trae has the same measurements & the same game that he had as a prospect coming into the league. He was a top5 pick. You say he has no trade value. He was traded (with a 1st) for Luka Doncic. Speaking of Luka, he’s also terrible defensively. He just got traded for a future HOFer plus a 1st (for the 2nd time if we’re counting). Some of the greatest players in league history were terrible defenders. Trae is definitely one of them. He’s definitely a terrible defender. He’s also definitely a great player. He’s very clearly 1 of the top pgs in the game rn. He might not have immense trade value but by saying he has no trade value or that he hasn’t earned his max contract you show a basic ignorance of the topic in general.
Why is a player on a medium to bad team, usually have the expectation that they have more warts? It’s like in the nba, you haven’t arrived (in most people’s minds) unless you win a championship a few times.
I can see your opinion of Trae being a majority, PRIOR to a trade.
The nba world would go apeshi after a trade.
specially if he went somewhere where he could play with an equal on offense. Where he couldn’t be keyed on.
Charlotte has to be the most hopeless future of any team. Ball is about to start his max extension, Miller is good but not a superstar, they have no cap room and no tradeable assets to reboot. Charlotte fans are jealous of Kings and Hawks fans, Sad
You contradicted your thesis immediately after stating it. I’m sure you didn’t mean to do that.
You think the Hornets have no tradeable assets? You literally just named 2 very desirable assets earlier in the very same sentence smh. They own the #4 pick next months draft (not to mention numerous other 1sts) how is that not a desirable assets?
I don’t mind the hornets position right now
You’ve got two borderline all stars that’ll likely get there soon in Ball and Miller.
You’ve got the 4th overall pick.
Then you have Bridges as a clear third option who is nice with a contract easy to move off of aswell
Nurkic as a 1 year expiring 20 mil deal.
A couple role players on 10mil a season roughly in Williams, Green and Okogie.
Tre Mann likely returns and Mark Williams is on the books for 1 more season aswell.
They own their pick in 2026 under some weird swap rules. They own their own pick outright then after. They also own Dallas and Miamis picks in 2027.
The money situation looks good, the draft picks look good and you have two cornerstone players worth building around. They should be looking at making deals and progressing this franchise.
I’d offer Bridges, Nurkic and the Miami first round pick 2027 for Lauri Markeneen and Johnny Juzang
Lauri would be your PF, can space the floor, doesn’t need many touches to be effective, really good size, doesn’t turn the ball over and would be an upgrade as your third option.
Ball VJ Miller Lauri Mark
Mann Green Juzang Williams …
Now all you’ve got to do is get a back up centre in FA… Capela, Adams, Looney, Plumblee and Zeller.
Trae will be traded this year, and many teams will be willing to take him and absorb his contract: San Antonio, Orlando, New Orleans, and Sacramento, among others. Any of these teams above will become a serious contender with Trae’s game, especially San Antonio and Orlando.
San Antonio has Fox as their starting PG and they have a rising star in Castle. I don’t see them going after Trae.
Charlotte must trade the 3 pick for a ready to play player like kuminga they have a terrible draft history.