Should Playoffs Be the Expectation for the Hornets in 2024-25?

The Hornets could catch some people by surprise this season.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

For a team that has compiled a record of 48-116 over the last two seasons, the Charlotte Hornets have an awful lot to be excited about. It's the start of a new era from top to bottom. New ownership, head coach, GM, and several new faces on the roster.

Typically when you have that much change and things haven't been going so well in recent years, it indicates that a major rebuild lies ahead. Not here, not with this team. The core of the Hornets' future is already in place with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, and I'll even throw in Miles Bridges into that group. Tidjane Salaün has an unreal amount of upside and could add to that strong young core a couple of years down the road.

But talking about this year in particular, the Hornets are positioned to make some noise.

I feel obligated to mention the health piece since that is the sole reason for the Hornets' recent demise. There isn't a talent issue with this roster, just an availability issue. Among the many things that changed this offseason, so did the training staff. The team parted ways with director of healthcare and sports performance, Joe Sharpe, earlier this offseason. New ideas and data are being put in place to help the team stay healthy and bounce back quicker than in year's past.

Looking around the bottom of the Eastern Conference, who actually poses as a threat to leapfrog Charlotte or remain above them? Washington or Detroit? Not in a million years. Brooklyn or Toronto? Very unlikely. Atlanta or Chicago? We'll see.

What I'm getting at here is the Hornets are at worst a play-in team. Again, assuming the team's overall health is not an issue. They don't have quite the star-level talent or experience to be able to put themselves in the conversation for a spot in the top six, but they can play their way into the playoffs. Once you get there, anything can happen in a seven-game series.

This is not going to be the same Hornets' team you've become accustomed to. There is going to be an emphasis on defense and with the full compliment of players, the Hornets can actually push the tempo and run the floor.

I'm not one who thinks if the Hornets don't make the playoffs it's viewed as a disappointing season, but I do think the door is propped open for them and more than people around the league think.

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