With former general manager Mitch Kupchak resigning from his position, the Charlotte Hornets’ first order of business is to build themselves into a model organization. As of now, former Hornets players criticize the franchise for their complacency with a losing culture. Furthermore, from the outside looking in, each of their three most promising players have character concerns.
Making the Charlotte Hornets NBA Champions
LaMelo Ball, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, appears to be a thrill-seeker and yet pococurante. The same Ball speeding past red lights outside of the arena has unsurprisingly shown little in the way of maturity or leadership. Brandon Miller, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, caused a stir before he entered the league. There’s no indication that he knew his actions would lead to the shooting death of a young mother in Alabama. However, the influence that led to him being tied to a capital murder case generates concern about his intangibles.
Lastly, there’s Miles Bridges, the No. 12 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Bridges missed all of last season after being convicted of a felony domestic violence charge. Notably, Bridges pled no contest to and received three years of probation. Bridges’ off-the-court hobbies are questionable as well. As a rap music artist in his spare time, his lyrics, associates, and potential use of illicit drugs are concerning as well.
Factor that into the Hornets’ reputation as a franchise that doesn’t care about wins, let alone defense. Suffice it to say, Charlotte needs a major reset, and quickly.
A Homerun Hire
The Charlotte Hornets general manager search could begin with two-time Executive of the Year, Bob Myers.
Myers —currently a special advisor for the Washington Commanders— resigned from his post as Golden State Warriors general manager in May 2023. The leading decision-maker of four championship teams, Myers is well-respected in league circles. Unsurprising for a dynasty-builder who was responsible for moves such as drafting Draymond Green, trading for Andre Iguodala, and signing Kevin Durant. All three players have been core players for the Warriors. Green still makes his impact felt in the Bay Area.
In taking over the Hornets, Myers will walk into a situation not all too different from Golden State’s when they hired him in 2012. While 29-year-old David Lee was a key player for the Warriors, the team had drafted Stephen Curry in 2009 and Klay Thompson in 2011. Curry and Thompson, both lottery picks, were already two of the better young players in the league. Similarly, while Charlotte has soon-to-be 26-year-old Miles Bridges on their roster, they drafted LaMelo Ball in 2020 and Brandon Miller in 2023. Ball and Miller are two of the best young players in the league, with Ball winning 2021 Rookie of the Year and being named an All-Star in 2022.
Just as with Golden State, Myers will be tasked with finding the right pieces to surround their young stars. Though some believe that Charlotte has to choose between Ball and Miller, it makes more sense to build around them.
In that effort, the Hornets are likely to target veteran players. Not only due to a body of work that makes their potential impact more easily predictable. It’s also because of their maturity and experience, which Charlotte needs in bunches.
Bringing In a Leader
When the Golden State Warriors traded for Andre Iguodala, his playmaking complemented their star sharpshooters. In the case of the Charlotte Hornets, complementing their stars means finding a play-finisher. Though various options come to mind, the most fitting might be Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown.
Praised for his outstanding impact offensively and defensively, Brown is a dynamo.
He can score above the rim, of course, with a 40-inch vertical. Whether in the halfcourt or in transition, that makes Brown an excellent target. With that said, while neither Ball nor Miller are ground-bound, neither are considered upper-echelon athletes.
Furthermore, Brown is reliable on iso attempts, shooting 45.1 percent shooting from the field on such plays. For comparison, Ball is shooting 33.3 percent on iso attempts and Miller is shooting 42.4 percent. Constantly developing his ball-handling, countermoves, and shot diet, Brown has averaged 23.6 points per game over the past five seasons. That he’s done so on 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 36.2 percent from 3 helps underscore his impact.
Lastly, the 3-time All-Star is one of the more dogged on-ball defenders in the NBA.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 223 pounds, Brown’s physical tools–including his strength– accentuate his tenacity and physicality. He moves his feet and hips exceptionally well, mirroring his opponent with relative ease. His hands are down until they need to be up, keeping him out of foul trouble. Off-the-ball, Brown hounds passing lanes, and has 1.6 pass deflections per game this season. He’s no stranger to making chase-down blocks, popularized by 20-time All-Star LeBron James, either.
Trading for Jaylen Brown
Whether or not the Charlotte Hornets can pry Jaylen Brown away from the Boston Celtics may depend on how their postseason fares. Should the Celtics win a championship this season, and they very well could, it’s difficult to see them moving Brown. That may even be the case if they make it to the NBA Finals and lose. However, should Boston underwhelm and suffer a disheartening loss, there will be questions.
Not necessarily because of Brown and ongoing questions surrounding his fit beside Jayson Tatum, though. There is already thought that Boston will explore trading Brown this offseason due to salary cap constraints.
The Celtics’ $178.6 million in salary commitments for 2023-24 ranks sixth in the NBA, and the Celtics are currently $51.4 million over the salary cap. They’re $5.7 million above the second luxury tax apron, which dramatically reduces their roster flexibility. For example, they can’t agree to sign-and-trades that would keep them over the first apron, trade draft picks seven years out, or sign players using the taxpayer’s mid-level exception.
In trading for Brown, the best move for Charlotte would be to send Miles Bridges, their projected 2024 lottery pick, and an additional first-round pick. Such a move should match, value-wise, as there’s no question about Bridges’ talent. The only question could be Bridges’ character. Yet, in 2009, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was charged with domestic battery himself. Boston may be less apprehensive about acquiring Bridges than many teams.
With a Bridges sign-and-trade valued at around $20 million annually, Boston can get under the luxury cap. A third team or separate trade may be needed to create the cap room needed to absorb Brown’s salary. In that event, Davis Bertans could be moved. Bertans is owed $16 million next season; the final year of his contract.
Hiring a Head Coach
The Charlotte Hornets’ final order of business will be finding the right head coach to lead the charge. Bob Myers notably replaced the more traditional Mark Jackson with an innovative head coach in Steve Kerr, and it transformed the Golden State Warriors into a juggernaut. A similar move may make the Hornets a formidable opponent.
Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez has been a popular head coaching candidate for years but has yet to run his own program. Unless you count his stint as Team Canada’s head coach during the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Leading his team to a third-place finish (and an Olympic qualification), Fernandez was perhaps the most impressive coach during last summer’s FIBA competition.
Taking over for Nick Nurse, who had resigned from the position after being fired by the Toronto Raptors, Fernandez was elite with his adjustments. Creatively altering the offense and customizing the defense based on his personnel, his X’s and O’s could legitimately be some of the best in the league. When combined with his extensive player development experience, Fernandez’s qualifications are apparent.
Still, his understanding of people makes him even more valuable. Holding a PhD in sports psychology, Fernandez “once wrote an 11-page academic article on how the effectiveness of an offensive play can be determined by the team’s behavioral patterns before a shot goes up” (per Stephen Noh of Sporting News).
Beloved by executives, coaches, and players alike, Fernandez’s affable personality allows him to connect with a wide range of people. That’s not to say he’s so nice that he’s a pushover. NBA veteran Monte Morris once described Fernandez as someone who doesn’t “take no mess at all,” per the Denver Post’s Gina Mizell.
“He likes guys that watch film. He likes guys that are locked in,” said Morris.
