Roundtable: Are the Hornets a Playoff Team?

Do the Hornets have enough to make it to the postseason?

The Charlotte Hornets had a disasterous 2022-23 season. The team was plagued with injuries from the start and could never get their top guys healthy at the same time. With Miles Bridges back in the fold, the addition of No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller and others, can the Hornets get back to the playoffs?

Here is what our staff thinks.

Schuyler Callihan

This is a talented roster, don't get me wrong. But I think depth is going to be the issue this season. Who steps up as the backup to LaMelo at point? Who is the backup to Terry Rozier if Cody Martin misses time? Then you have to worry about the youngins in the frontcourt. Does Mark Williams have a sophomore slump? Can Nick Richards play at the same level he did a year ago? How rusty will Miles Bridges be? And how good can Brandon Miller be as a rookie? There's more questions than answers at this point, so I have them just outside the playoffs.

Austin Leake

I believe the Hornets are a playoff team. The Hornets may not have made any free agency splashes, but they have a similar team that they had two years ago, with a vastly different center rotation. Mark Williams and Nick Richards are huge pieces to this team that they didn’t have or didn't have in the rotation two years ago. The return of Miles Bridges is also not being talked about enough. The health matters more than anything though. Will LaMelo take the next step AND stay healthy? Will Hayward and the other role players stay healthy? If they relatively do, the Hornets should be in the 2023-2024 playoffs.

Philip Trapp

Health is the main decider here. On paper, the Hornets right now are technically good to go. And my thinking is it should be Mark Williams’ breakout year and if so, it should get him more national attention. The Hornets will miss Dennis Smith Jr. and Kelly Oubre, but as we know, they were mostly just stepping up to fill the gaps due to injuries last season. If I’m being optimistic, BUT reasonable, I basically see a 10-seed in the East for play-in contention.

Will Eudy

I think that barring any significant injury trouble, the Hornets should have a good shot at securing a spot in the playoffs in 2024. LaMelo Ball will be another year better, and Miles Bridges will be returning to the rotation as well. While a few key contributors off the bench are gone from last year, Charlotte has a balanced roster and enough high-end talent to be in the mix for a playoff spot. Overall, health should be the biggest factor that determines if they get there.

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