NBA insider thinks Charlotte Hornets are close to acing the rebuild

The Hornets might not be as far off as one thinks.

Mar 14, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

At 17-51 and fighting for the worst record in the NBA, there's not much excitement over the Charlotte Hornets. However, one NBA insider actually thinks they're closer to contention than their record and general appearance might suggest. Of 11 teams that ESPN insider Tim Bontemps believes are in the midst of a rebuild, the Hornets ranked second behind the San Antonio Spurs, who admittedly have De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama.

Bontemps praised what the Hornets have done so far, saying their strategy has been sound. "Charlotte has been praised across the league over the past couple of seasons for making a series of shrewd trades to start building an asset base and add more young players to the mix. Picking Brandon Miller second overall in 2023 is so far looking like a win."

The insider also posed the question of whether or not they've been successful, and he offered a rare bit of praise for the Hornets from a national media perspective. "The Hornets have one of the better talent bases on this list between LaMelo Ball, Miller, and Mark Williams," Bontemps said. "And, so far, Charlotte has made just about all the right foundation-building moves to put the franchise on solid footing."

Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during pregame warm ups against the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

But there's a caveat. The lottery this year, in which the Hornets currently own a 14% chance of winning, is going to be vital. The Hornets don't necessarily have to win it and get Cooper Flagg, but they kind of need to get a top-three pick to take Flagg, Ace Bailey, or Dylan Harper, all of whom are considered franchise-changing prospects.

And of course, Bontemps raised the ever-present question. "At some point, a decision will need to be made on whether Ball, who is in the first year of a five-year, $204 million contract, is a true foundational piece," he said. For what it's worth, the Hornets front office has maintained at every step of the way that Ball is not up for trade.

However, given that he is in an extension already and costing the Hornets over $40 million per year, the front office does need to decide if that contract fits their timeline. They seem to believe that it is, or at least that Ball's talent outweighs the financial restrictions he might cause.

Bontemps also noted, "If Cooper Flagg lands in Charlotte, it would be reasonable to expect the Hornets to be competing for a playoff spot as soon as next season. Some bad lottery luck, however, could easily see the Hornets spending another year chasing A.J. Dybantsa and the other top prospects in the 2026 draft -- pushing this group's timeline back."

Because they have the third-worst record in the NBA, Charlotte can fall to seventh at worst. If they move up to the second-worst, they'd pick no lower than sixth, and having the worst record solidifies a top-five selection. But anything worse than three might, as Bontemps alluded to, send them back into the lottery next year.

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