Three things we learned, two questions, one thing we know entering the Hornets' season

A few notes heading into the Charlotte Hornets' first season under Charles Lee.

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We are officially under a week until the start of the Charlotte Hornets regular season, the first under head coach Charles Lee. Following an encouraging preseason, I jotted down some thoughts and broke it down into three segments.

Here are the three things we learned, the two questions I have, and the one thing we now know.

Three things we learned

LaMelo Ball looks like his All-Star self

Anytime you miss over half of the season in back-to-back years, you worry about how said player will bounce back. Will he ever be the same? Will he be rusty at the start of the season? Is he going to play with hesitation? All of these questions were answered on the opening night of the preseason going for 18 points, four rebounds, and seven assists while playing fast. A great sight for Hornets fans.

Tre Mann is a huge piece for the future

We had heard so many good things about Tre Mann's offseason which was encouraging after seeing what he did in a short period of time with the Hornets last season. But I don't think anyone expected him to take this massive jump, turning into the team's biggest scoring punch off of the bench. Don't be surprised to see the Hornets get a contract extension done before the end of the season.

Tidjane Salaün may not take as long as initially thought

If this is what Salaün can do at 19 years old, whew boy, this kid is going to be special. The game is still a little fast for him at the moment, but he's still making plays. It's going to be a bit of a rollercoaster rookie season for him going through the highs and lows that every rookie experiences, but he's shown a lot so far and may be further along than everyone thought he would be at this point.

Two questions

Do the Hornets have enough at center?

With Mark Williams still working his way back, the Hornets are going to be working at a disadvantage in the paint to begin the season. Williams may be back in time for the season-opener, but there's not been any indication of where he's at in his return to play since the last update of him being out of a boot. Nick Richards is fine in the backup role, but not so much when his role expanded. The Hornets may want to consider adding depth at the center position to help complement Richards and Taj Gibson.

How committed are the Hornets to winning this season?

We all know the situation, right? If the Hornets fall out of the lottery, they will hand over their first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to the San Antonio Spurs. This is a loaded draft class and you may still find a talented player in the back half of the first round. I don't get the sense that the Hornets are interested in being in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes but I also don't expect them to make any significant moves to make a playoff push. Or will they be tempted with a strong start to the season? It's anyone's guess.

One thing we know

Charles Lee was the right hire

It's been evident since day one, but now that we've seen the regulars in action, it's clear that Charles Lee was the perfect man for this job. He has a calmness to him that keeps players even-keeled during tough situations, but also displays infectious energy as well. This team is connected and clearly buying into Lee's vision.

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