Charlotte Hornets Better Off Missing NBA Playoffs

By Andrew C. Fisher | Apr 9, 2015

Apr 7, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) dribbles the ball as Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo (8) and guard Kemba Walker (15) defend in the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports /

There are few things worse in sports than throwing in the towel, tapping out or waving the white flag. All of those scenarios mean one thing — it’s over. What exactly it is depends on the situation. In the case of the Charlotte Hornets, they’ve all but been forced to give up on the 2014-15 NBA season.

With only a few games remaining on the schedule and three teams ahead of them in the race for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, hope is rapidly slipping away in Charlotte.

More from Charlotte Hornets

Injuries are no doubt one of the main reasons why the Hornets are in this position and also why they don’t stand much of a chance at making the postseason with a win streak over the final few games.

Al Jefferson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller are all battling various ailments and look doubtful to return this season. With key players like that on the shelf it’s just more writing on the wall for Steve Clifford’s team.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford on Kidd-Gilchrist, Jefferson and Zeller: “Eight days left and they’re not close.”
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) April 7, 2015

At this point in the campaign it’s probably a good thing that Charlotte ends up on the other side of the postseason. By missing out on a playoff “run” that would have likely ended in four to six games, Michael Jordan’s Hornets will instead move closer to the top of the NBA Draft board.

The Hornets are in the NBA’s version of no-man’s land at this point (the middle of the pack), but with so many stars out of action down the stretch they could move a few spots in a positive direction for the draft.

Nobody likes to use the t-word, but a little mini losing streak to end the season wouldn’t be the worst thing for Charlotte. If you’re not in the playoffs, you might as well be working on improving your draft position. Right? And why risk further injury to key players who will likely be returning next season?

It hurts that this season didn’t play out the way many thought it would. After clinching the No. 7 seed last year it felt like the Hornets should have, at minimum, been back in the same position this April.

Due to a big swing-and-miss in free agency and many significant injuries the Hornets just never really hit full stride. There were stretches of good and bad basketball, but not enough of all the parts working together at full strength.

It’s also pretty clear at this point that the current roster has peaked. Even with better luck on the injury front the same group wouldn’t have fared much better in the scheme of things. Best case scenario, this group is a low seed in the playoffs.

Just getting into the postseason is clearly not where fans or management want to be. The goal is the top. To get there you have to call audibles along the way, but you can’t fully abandon ship either. The Hornets have some pieces in place, they just don’t have all the pieces they need yet. It’s time to starting looking ahead to next season.

Next: The 30 Best Centers of All-Time

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Charlotte Hornets