Who stays, who goes? Breaking down Hornets’ roster, where things stand for 2024-25
During Steve Clifford’s final session before riding off into the coaching sunset, he was asked about a variety of topics.
Among them: his thoughts on the Charlotte Hornets’ roster and what they should do moving forward. And after a minute or so and 508 words later, Clifford wrapped up it, likely knowing he didn’t exactly offer up any meaty morsels.
“I’m not running away from the question, but I don’t think it’s fair with all the injuries that we’ve had,” Clifford said. “They weren’t on the floor enough together for me to really say. They didn’t play enough together.”
In a nutshell, that fully explains the Hornets’ 2023-24 campaign. Evaluating how each individual fared and how that particular player slots into the organizational structure and roster vision is a difficult proposition. But that’s the task of vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin over the coming weeks — along with hiring Clifford’s successor.
As usual, the Hornets have plenty of decisions to make during another crucial offseason, particularly on how to improve their bench depth so they aren’t so undermanned when dealing with injuries.
Here’s a look at the Hornets’ top rotational players and whether they could be a part of any roster reconstruction that has them suiting up for another team next season.
The question marks
Dāvis Bertāns
Contract status: Final season of five-year, $80 million deal; early termination option
Viewed almost as a throw-in piece in the trade sending Gordon Hayward out of town, he was a solid find for the Hornets in the season’s final weeks. His new teammates marveled at his ability to shoot from long distance on the run, and how hard he worked during practice and other occasions to hone that skill.
His penchant for stretching the defense is something the Hornets lacked before his arrival, especially off the bench. And he could be a solid piece for the Hornets’ style of play, where LaMelo Ball tries to break down the defense and get to the basket to score or find other teammates on the perimeter.
Bertāns holds part of the keys since he can choose to opt into the final year of his deal next season at $16 million, but the Hornets could also elect to use his salary in a deal to acquire another player. He said his preference is to be in a place where he could play rather than being a cheerleader on a contending team like Oklahoma City.
Miles Bridges
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
His future and the Hornets are tied directly together, making him one of the keys to the team’s future. He’s one of the team’s best players, closest friends of Ball, and more importantly, extremely durable. And the latter can’t be discounted on a team that struggled with injuries the past couple of seasons.
Even though he missed the entire 2022-23 campaign and was suspended for the first 10 games of 2023-24 — after pleading no-contest to felony domestic violence charges — he finished the year as one of 13 in the NBA to average 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game.
He racked up career bests in points (21), field goals (8.1), made 3-pointers (2.3), 2-pointers (5.8), defensive rebounds (6.3) and total rebounds (7.3). He also brings other intangibles like locker room leadership, a desire to play on both ends of the court and guard the other team’s top offensive player.
He’s repeatedly said he wants to return and the Hornets can’t let him get away.
Not going anywhere
LaMelo Ball
Contract status: First season of a five-year, $204.4 million contract
The face of the franchise was sidelined since Jan. 26 after experiencing lingering soreness in his surgically-repaired right ankle, and played in a career-low 22 games. Injuries have derailed each of Ball’s four seasons since the Hornets selected him No. 3 overall in 2020. He’s played in just 58 out of 164 potential games in the last two seasons alone.
The Hornets need him to stay healthy because of his far-reaching effects on the rest of the team. He posted career highs in points (23.9), made field goals per game (8.3), 2-point percentage (.500), free throws made (4.1) and attempted (4.7), and steals (1.8). Those are the kinds of numbers the Hornets must see for Ball as opposed to the litany of DNPs he’s racked up.
Trading him at this point makes no sense. They wouldn’t get back equal value in return, given the amount of games he’s missed and his max rookie contract extension. For the Hornets to reel in something significant, Ball has to prove he’s healthy and it’s going to take more than a handful of games to do that.
One thing’s for sure: nothing is wrong with his back.
Contract status: Second season of a two-year, $8 million deal
His time with the Hornets was a microcosm the season. He provided a nice spark, then he got hurt and was lost for the season hours after a feel-good moment playing against brother Steph Curry and Golden State with their dad Dell Curry calling the game on Bally Sports Southeast.
He’s bounced around a bit for the last few years of his career, but he definitely may have found a home with the Hornets, depending on how things shake out with his ankle and how Charlotte views the roster moving forward. The answer will come the day before the NBA Draft, which is when the second year of his contract becomes fully guaranteed.
Contract status: Final season of a four-year, $14 million deal
When he was acquired from Oklahoma City, a league executive told The Observer that Mann could wind up being a solid addition and had a chance to be really good if he could be developed. And Mann certainly left a nice impression that did little too discredit that line of thinking.
He stepped in more than admirably at point guard in Ball’s absence, starting in all of the 28 games he appeared in following the trade from Oklahoma City.
The Hornets have a decision to make regarding Mann’s deal. He’s eligible for an extension and it’ll be interesting to see if they want to lock him up early beyond this season.
Contract status: Third season of a four -year, $32 million contract
The good news: unlike last season, he played in more than seven games. The bad news: just like last year, his season ended prematurely.
There were times when he looked like himself. But there were also moments when his game was off a bit. Still, on a team where at times defense feels optional, he’s integral on that side of the ball.
He’s one of the few reliable pieces who can guard the other team’s best wing player. His recent injury history makes him unlikely to depart anytime soon.
Contract status: Second season of a four-year, $49.3 million contract
Remember this time a year ago, when the debate was raging over who should be a second pick behind Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft? Remember how some Hornets fans were disappointed when they picked the Alabama product and Nashville native over Scoot Henderson, who wen third to Portland?
That all changed pretty quickly once the rookie got settled in, and it’s obvious the Hornets have a cornerstone piece to build around. He can play on both sides of the ball, can knock down 3-pointers, and is a high flyer that attacks the rim with ease. And he’s just scratching the surface of his talents.
During the latter portion of the season, when the Hornets were especially thin and he became the top offensive threat and faced teams best defenders each night, he still found ways to excel. That should bode well for the three-time Eastern Conference rookie of the month in his second season — provided the Hornets’ other weapons are healthy.
And that’s always a big if.
Grant Williams
Contract status: Second season of a four-year, $53 million deal
Rarely does a trade seem to really work out for both sides, but that seems to be the case with the swap with Dallas bringing him here — along with Curry — for PJ Washington and a first-round pick. He quickly turned into a locker room voice and repeatedly took up for his teammates against other players and with the officials.
On the court, he had an impact as well. Not only did he post career highs in points (10.3), field goals (3.6), 3-pointers (1.7), 2-pointers (2.0), free throws (1.4) and assists (2.3), he made a 3-pointer in the final 11 games, tying for the longest streak of his career.
Contract status: Third season of a four year, $18 million contract
He sure could use a mulligan. Instead of picking up on his rookie season and cementing himself as the franchises big man of the future, the bulk of the season was one big question mark. Back injuries are never good, especially when it happens to a 7-footer In his early 20s. So, there has to be concern there.
During his extra interview, he scoffed at the notion that he’s injury prone and vowed to come back with a vengeance in the fall. That was surely music to the Hornets’ ears.
Charlotte took a lot of flack for the trade sending Jalen Duren to Detroit for Williams, and Duren has put together a couple of nice seasons for the Pistons. Although the verdict isn’t in yet on the deal, right now Williams has some ground to make up.
Could be on the move
Leaky Black
Contract status: Signed to a two-way contract
The Concord native shuffled between playing for the G League Greensboro and Charlotte, filling in nicely whenever his name was called. In the season finale against Cleveland, he matched his career highs with 11 points and six rebounds and also established new career bests in assists (5) and steals (2).
He’s a project and someone the Hornets like. And there could be a roster spot for him once all the moves are finalized in July and leading into training camp.
Bryce McGowens
Contract status: Third season of a four year, $7.4 million deal
After incremental improvements in each of his first two seasons, the third-year guard/forward didn’t do anything overly noteworthy in his minutes on the court. He had several opportunities to be a major contributor in the main rotation and never took a big leap in his third season— as the staff had hoped.
This is going to be a big offseason for him.
Vasilije Micić
Contract status: Second season of a three-year, $23 million deal
He’s an intriguing one, particularly with how he finished the final few weeks. The 30-year-old Serbian averaged 11.6 points and 10.2 assists over five outings spanning the end of March through early April, making him the first rookie this season to notch 10 points and 10 assists in that span.
And he became the second rookie in franchise history to accomplish the feat, joining Raymond Felton. Micic’s 10.2 assists also were the most by a rookie in any five-game stretch this season. So, he has the tools to be effective.
The question, though, is where he fits in if Ball and Mann are both healthy? Do they move him to create more cap space?
Aleksej Pokuševski
Contract status: Second season of a two-year, $2.8 million deal
By signing him off waivers in March, the Hornets got a good look at the Serbian, allowing them to gauge whether he’s indeed worth incorporating into the roster long term. His bargain basement deal also makes him expendable.
His length sticks out most about him, but he needs further development and has to bulk up significantly to get stronger so he’s not easily knocked out of position. His most unflattering moment of the season may turn out to be his most memorable because it landed him the top spot on TNT’s Shaqtin’-a-fool.
Contract status: Second season of a three-year, $15 million deal
Mark Williams’ back problems thrust Richards into the starting center role for the better part of the season and although he’s not as talented as Williams, he proved to be adequate enough. His strengths — rebounding and serving as a rim protector — are two of the things the Hornets need given their issues defensively.
He has an inexpensive contract that could be used as a part of a trade.
Contract status: Second season of a four-year, $12.6 million deal
The one thing we learned most from the rookie: he wasn’t afraid to let it fly. And from just about anywhere, too. He displayed that whether it was during meaningful minutes or mop-up duty.
But he has a nice skill set and could wind up being a first-round steal. The next step in his growth will be figuring out what’s a good shot and when to keep the ball moving by making the extra, unexpected pass. Only way he’s not around next season would be if he’s included in a trade.
Contract status: Final season of a four-year, $6.6 million deal
Perhaps the season finale, when he posted 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and made three 3-pointers, will serve as a confidence booster for him. Because the 2023-24 campaign was supposed to be a big step forward for a player praised by his teammates for being one of the team’s hardest workers.
But he didn’t show much consistency and his non-guaranteed salary could have him on the outside looking in during the Hornets’ roster shuffling.
