There were several positive developments in 2025/26 for the Hornets, who improved from 19 to 44 wins and had the best net rating in the NBA from the start of January through the end of the regular season.
Still, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, the team extended its playoff drought to a league-worst 10 straight years as a result of Friday’s drubbing at Orlando. Head coach Charles Lee said the Hornets need to learn from the loss and use it as motivation for the future.
“You’re one step away from being in the playoffs, so I don’t want to discredit that,” Lee said, “but this has got to hurt a little bit. And you’ve got to think about this offseason. When you’re in the weight room, when you’re on the court. What am I going to do to go that extra mile to get even better, because we had a ton of growth this year.
“I don’t want those guys to lose sight of the positives that they did do. I think that the resilience of the team, the competitiveness, the togetherness continue to grow. And we earned an opportunity to be right there. So, ton of good, but that was not our best effort.”
Lee referred to ’25/26 as a “stepping stone” for the Hornets, Boone adds.
“Let this fuel you,” Lee said. “But also don’t take for granted the fact that you guys earned a ton of respect from everyone throughout the league with how hard you played, how well you played. And I think that they also helped build another stepping stone for this organization.”
Here’s more from Charlotte:
- “Physicality” was a constant theme throughout the team’s exit interviews on Saturday after the Hornets were pushed around by the Magic, according to Boone. Both Lee and LaMelo Ball said getting stronger will be an area of emphasis for the former All-Star point guard. “Being able to handle physicality,” Lee said. “I think that’s just a global theme for our team. I have to figure out how to help them in that regard, but then we also have to figure out how do we have the physical toughness? Which is a lot of weight room. And then I think some of it is also just the mental execution of how to best combat it. What play do we need to run? How fast do we need to play? What are some of the basketball situations? So a lot of that will follow Melo, because he’s one of our primary ball-handlers. But then it gets spread around to the whole team, too.”
- Kon Knueppel played exceptionally well for most of ’25/26 after being selected fourth overall in last year’s draft, but he struggled down the stretch, especially in the team’s two play-in games, Boone observes. The Rookie of the Year candidate didn’t make any excuses for his late-season slump. “Yeah, no excuses,” said Knueppel, who appeared in 83 of Charlotte’s 84 games. “I just didn’t make a lot of shots. I shot really well throughout the year and you just got to the point in the last week of the season, the last two weeks of the season, just didn’t shoot it great. Sometimes that’s how it rolls. Obviously, there are some big games and you want to be able to shoot it well and you want to have your best stuff. I just didn’t have it. So, it’s frustrating. It is a long season. It’s my first time doing it, so some of that I think is a learning experience, just how to keep yourself fresh because these seasons are long. I haven’t had any off time since last college season, and so I’m looking forward to some rest. But it’ll be something I think about for sure, going forward, just one of the best ways to manage that come out ready to go next year.” Lee said he wants to see the former Duke wing become a more vocal leader, and Knueppel agreed that it was “definitely an area of improvement.”
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Hornets’ offseason, writing that re-signing Coby White and adding another prospect to their young core with their lottery pick will be top priorities. Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges will all be extension-eligible this summer, Marks notes.
Hornets are still a few pieces away from being relevant… But were a better team down the stretch than I gave them credit for…
Agree, I think they need a backup PG and a defensive minded 4. I believe in Coach Lee and there’s enough talent for them to level up. It’s apart of the learning curve.
They need to start a season less injured, they got off to such a rough start this season because they had 5 players out on any given night.
Yeah the early injuries really could have destroyed their season but Kon was great and Coach Lee did a good job of holding everyone accountable with what they had on the court. Very good talent, Miller needs to get into elite status so this team can take off.
If u watched the play-in tourney and you think LeMelo Ball is good you should find another sport to follow because you don’t know ball. He hurts his team way more than he helps
If u watched the play-in tourney and you think LeMelo Ball is not a good player you should find another sport to follow because you don’t know ball.
lol u clearly don’t know ball. He was awful
You clearly don’t know Ball. I’m not even a fan, but he’s good. You obviously didn’t watch him much this year or the play in game against the Heat. Not sure why people like to bash guys that are likely in the top 100 players in the world. Is he great? Nah…Is he good? Heck yeah
He is trash go find another sport to follow my friend. If u watched the play in tourney and you think he is good. Thats on u, but yea find a new sport to follow.
He’s a good player but he’s not a WINNING player that contributes to winning. He’s more of a stats guy. Yeah the flashy game is nice but I agree with you, he’s never going to be the 1A of a title team. And that’s okay bc not everyone’s game lets them become a 1A. I would rather have Murray or even Jrue Holliday over him bc that team is ready to win, given a few additional moves.
Didn’t get get the game winner in their game against the Heat?
After he turned the ball over on a trap? Yeah he did but that doesn’t negate too many boneheaded plays by him.
There are only about 8 players in the NBA who can say they’ve been the best player on a title team. That’s a high standard that leaves a lot of really good players out.
Its a little more complex than a yes/No you don’t know ball if you disagree with LaMelo
Ive got a long history with the Balls, use to line up hrs before his Corona games to watch them . I never thought he’d be even this impactful in the NBA tbh (His shot has come SO SO FAR, mechanics as well)
To keep it short I believe Cha should look to trade him this summer if possible. The list of suitors is probably shorter than Danny Devito but all ya need is Sac, I mean 1 .
They wouldnt get much value other than say LaVines expiring but Id be fine with that for half a season then possibly look to parcel that expiring 48 mill into whatever I needed at the deadline .
I believe theres a cap on a Lamelo teams ceiling that Cha might have surpassed earlier than they thought, cant even Imagine Cha advancing to Rd 2 and having a guy like Brad Stevens hone in on attacking Balls weaknesses at that point in a 7 game series
I’d keep him if I was the Hornets. But I think he would fit nice with the Wolves if the Hornets look to move him.
Possible Hornets/Minny deal would probably look like this
LaMelo for Naz DDv and Shannon+Phillips for Min monies sake to not be hard caped. *Cha would probably have to eat/cut the 5 mill on Phillips/Shannon or redirect with 2nd rd picks due to limited roster spots
Id Imagine Cha would also have to throw in their lowest 1st rder this year 16~18 pending on the coin flip
Id do that if Cha, I wouldn’t if Minny
Still think its much simpler Lamelo and say McNeely as a sweetener for LaVine’s expiring
Hornets had a really good season, no one expected them to be where they were.
Melo and Kon make a good backcourt, Miller has all the tools to be a great 3 and D wing, Diabite improved a bunch, got good value in the draft with Kalkbrenner and James.
The steps for them to get better are definitely getting a real deal 4 and/or 5.
Diabite to me seems like more of an impact energy guy off the bench. Bridges isn’t their long term 4 if they want to be successful.
Be interesting where they go and who they go after. Adding some muscle and some experience would be a good direction