Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee believes a healthier core and an influx of new talent can shift the club’s fortunes when training camp opens this fall.
Roster overhaul
Since the season ended, Charlotte has:
- Sent Jusuf Nurkić to the Utah Jazz for Collin Sexton and a second-round pick.
- Selected Kon Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Sion James and Liam McNeeley in the NBA Draft.
- Moved Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns in a package that helped secure McNeeley.
- Signed veteran free agents Pat Connaughton, Spencer Dinwiddie and Mason Plumlee.
- Re-signed guard Tre Mann.
Lee discussed the changes during an appearance on WFNZ radio in Charlotte.
Sexton’s early impact
The coach called Sexton “an immediate spark.”
“I’ve always witnessed him competing at a really high level,” Lee said. “Since he’s been around our group, he’s elevated the intensity… I think he’s going to add a lot to our group and our culture.”
Deep backcourt, flexible frontcourt
With LaMelo Ball, Sexton, Knueppel, Mann, Dinwiddie, James and Nick Smith Jr. all vying for minutes, Lee sees depth as a strength.
“Having so many guards and so many competitors with high basketball IQ, it’s going to help us play in a lot of different ways,” he said, noting the league’s shift toward faster, position-less lineups.
The center rotation changed after the Mark Williams trade. Lee expects Plumlee, Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabaté to share time in the middle.
He praised Plumlee’s experience, called Diabaté “one of our success stories,” and compared rookie Kalkbrenner’s two-way potential to that of Brook Lopez.
Injury updates
Ball and fellow cornerstone Brandon Miller combined for just 74 appearances last season. Miller is nearing full recovery from wrist surgery, while Ball’s durability remains under watch.
Elsewhere, forward Grant Williams (right ACL and meniscus) and guard Josh Green (shoulder) continue rehabilitation. “I can’t put a timetable on it right now,” Lee said, “but they are making positive strides.”
After several difficult seasons, Charlotte heads toward camp with a remodeled roster and hopes that improved health will spark a turnaround.
Source: Hoops Wire
