ESPN Analyst Says Hornets Could Be a 'Frisky' Bunch in 2024-25

A little love fo the Charlotte Hornets from ESPN's Zach Lowe.

Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Very few NBA analysts are talking about the Charlotte Hornets entering the 2024-25 season and to some degree, it's easy to understand why. The organization has the longest playoff drought in the NBA and has a combined 48-116 record over the past two seasons.

But believe it or not, there is a little excitement surrounding this still very young team. ESPN's Zach Lowe talked about them at length during a recent episode of The Lowe Post, detailing why the Hornets will be a fun team to watch.

“I think Charlotte has a chance to be a little frisky. They’re a pat on the head team. I had a nice conversation today with Mark Williams, who is just chomping at the bit to get back on the floor and prove what he is in the league.

“Let’s say the starting five is LaMelo Ball…healthy, Brandon Miller, just penciling in Josh Green, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams. And on my bench I got Vasilije Micic, the Serbian assassin. I mean, my God, in the Olympics that guy was making one stepback three after another. Like what got into this dude? Tre Mann, Cody Martin, and then power forward they’ve got to figure out if the kid (Tidjane Salaün) can play or not. But Grant Williams, Nick Richards. That’s a you mess around and someone above you takes an injury, you’re like accidentally in the tenth seed and if you’re accidentally in the tenth seed, you’re at risk of accidentally making the playoffs in a year in which you owe a lottery protected pick that you probably very much would like to have. I would expect this team, if they are at any risk of surrendering that pick to try to go the other way at the trade deadline and make sure they keep that pick and it moves up. I think this, I don’t need to tell you about Eric Collins, the most excitable play-by-play announcer in all of sports. And the jerseys, and the court, and the teal, and Hugo the Hornet, all that stuff is fun. I think this is going to be a fun team, especially if LaMelo’s back. LaMelo’s back!”

Health is obviously the number one concern with LaMelo Ball missing a chunk of time over the past two seasons and Mark Williams missing all but 19 games due to a back injury last year. If those guys can stay on the floor, Charlotte could be a team that surprises in 2024-25.

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