John Jones-Imagn Images

Charlotte Hornets Roundtable: The number one thing that will hold the Hornets back is...

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated 10/16/24

The national narrative remains that the Charlotte Hornets will be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference and perhaps the entire NBA.

It's easy to go off of previous season's records and think, oh yeah, this team is a long way off. But the reality is, they're not. Those who closely follow the Hornets know that this bunch is talented enough to compete for a spot in the postseason, when healthy.

It's not a complete roster, so the 2024-25 season isn't going to be the year where the Hornets break through as a contender, but it could be the turning point for the organization.

For this week's Charlotte Hornets On SI roundtable, our staff points out one thing in particular that could hold the Hornets back from achieving their goals this upcoming season.

Ian Black: Age

While there are some veteran players on the roster with plentiful experience like Seth Curry and Taj Gibson, the core of this team is missing experience that tends to go hand in hand with winning basketball. Without a starter over the age of 26, this roster could be more susceptible to sharper peaks and valleys over the course of an 82+ game season.

Albert Böttcher: Lack of In-Game Chemistry

In my opinion, the biggest challenge the Charlotte Hornets will face this year stems from last season's injuries, inconsistent rotations, and frequent trades. The team's two most talented players, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, have only shared the court in 19 NBA games. Ball hasn't even played in a regular season matchup once with Tre Mann, Josh Green, or Vasilije Micic. Of course, a certain understanding of each other's play style can be built in practice. But it will probably take some time until the regular rotation pieces know each other's tendencies and movements.

Carson Cash: Health

Before the season even began, Charlotte was hit with the injury bug—Cody Martin, Nick Smith Jr., and Grant and Mark Williams (Grant more briefly). While it’s hard to predict injuries, this team has red flags everywhere. With a healthy LaMelo Ball, the Hornets are capable of 40 wins; we’ve seen it before. But how much faith can they really put in his ankle braces? If they stay healthy, Charlotte could surprise and once again be a League Pass favorite.

Austin Leake: Themselves

This team sadly hasn’t been able to stay healthy for not only just two years but ever since 2020. It seems like the team itself has held them back from true success. There’s been a lack of talent in the past, but this is undoubtedly the most talented team the Hornets have had in over a decade and the fear is that injuries may ruin what could be a special season for the Hornets.