It's a low bar to clear, but the Charlotte Hornets have enjoyed more success than the Pistons over the roughly similar rebuilding timeline of the past five years. Charlotte had a winning record (43-39) in 2021-22 and saw LaMelo Ball earn an All-Star nod as a 20-year-old that season, giving it two things—recent success and a cornerstone—Detroit lacks.
That said, the Hornets also seem precariously positioned as they try to take a step toward consistently competitive play.
The recent sale of the team from majority owner Michael Jordan to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall should be an upgrade by default; Jordan's 13 seasons in that role produced just two playoff appearances. At the same time, change at the top usually signals managerial restructuring, which began with general manager Mitch Kupchak moving to an advisory role, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and should continue with head coach Steve Clifford's seemingly imminent removal. The installation of new leadership could bring sweeping change to the roster and coaching staff, a reset that might set Charlotte back a year or two.
Ball seems like a legitimate building block, the type of pass-first force-multiplier who makes his teammates better. But health is a real concern for the undeniably skilled point guard. Ball played just 36 games last year and is stuck at 22 this season, which makes it hard to be sure of his ability to avoid injury going forward.
No. 2 pick Brandon Miller may not have superstar upside, but his high floor and plug-and-play skill set as a plus-shooting big wing mean he'll fit into whatever form the Hornets take over the next few years. Other than those two, though, Charlotte is short on projectable talent.
This is where one might note the franchise's many draft misses, dating back to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at No. 2 in 2012; extending past Cody Zeller (No. 4), Noah Vonleh (No. 9) and Frank Kaminsky (No. 9) the next three years and running right up to James Bouknight (No. 11), who Charlotte waived just after this year's trade deadline. It also might have been a good idea to hold onto Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11 in 2018, rather than trading him to the Clippers for Miles Bridges and two future second-rounders.
Perhaps Ball will stay healthy going forward, and Miller will flash a little more future All-Star potential. If the restructuring under new ownership doesn't involve a start-from-scratch mandate, the Hornets can compete for a play-in spot as soon as next year. But those are all sizable "ifs", and the team's deadline dealing, while shrewd, was extremely future-focused and indicative of a construction plan in its early stages.
From a distance, Charlotte looks further along than Detroit. But it's also possible this team is as far away from reliable success as the Pistons are.
