Nick Richards points out major difference in the Hornets' practice attitude

Charles Lee's message is hitting home in the early practices for the Charlotte Hornets.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Last season, the Charlotte Hornets ranked dead last in the NBA in defensive efficiency with a 1.164 rating. In 2022-23, they finished 20th in the same category.

One of the biggest concerns from the fanbase is how this team will turn around its fortune on the defensive end of the floor under Charles Lee when they were unable to do so with Steve Clifford, who is also a defensive-minded coach.

Well, first thing's first, health. Poor Steve Clifford didn't stand much of a chance with several key players missing a big chunk of games across each of his two years in his second stint as the Hornets' head man. A healthy roster alone will improve that abysmal defensive efficiency, but there's more to it.

I'd argue the biggest piece of it is the messaging.

And let me start by saying, this is not a knock on Steve Clifford whatsoever. He's one of the brightest basketball minds out there and is well-respected around the league. That being said when you have a coach who has won two NBA championships and is coming off the heels of a season where he won a ring, that message hits differently.

On Thursday, center Nick Richards pointed out how the team has been very receptive to Lee's message and defensive concepts.

“There are moments where coach has challenged every single player and there are times where some guys in the past, they would’ve backed off and went even lower. I think that now everybody’s taking on that challenge and just trying to get better from it.”

The number one thing Lee wants this team to improve on is its defense. It's the main subject of every media availability and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. You can't win big in the NBA if you don't play a high level of defense. And by winning big, I mean making a run in the playoffs, not what it reads on the scoreboard. It's early in the preseason, but Lee is already noticing a difference.

“We talked about we want to be really good in transition, we want to protect the paint, and we want to finish possessions at a really high level. I thought a lot of the drills that we put in place today were to address every area of that and to really fine-tune the techniques that we want in each of those areas too. I thought the guys brought a level of competitiveness to it and open-mindedness because we have to change some habits, change some terminology, and do things a little bit differently.”

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