Charlotte Hornets: The Challenges They Face Next Season

Despite being able to keep key players this offseason, the Charlotte Hornets face an intriguing challenge as they try to build on last year’s success.

An offseason filled with major changes is nothing new for the Charlotte Hornets at this point.

With the many players that were headed towards free agency this summer, change was inevitable for the Hornets.

That list of players ranged from vital contributors that were instrumental to their success last season like Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams, to key mideseason pickups/additions like Courtney Lee and to players who made a big impact coming off the bench like Al Jefferson and Jeremy Lin.

While it was easy to think of who they should have prioritized in the lead up to free agency, there was no doubt the Hornets had to concoct a backup plan, in case of emergency.

That’s where the baffling decision to trade for shooting guard Marco Belinelli in exchange for the 22nd overall pick (who later ended up being rookie Malachi Richardson) with the Sacramento Kings at least makes a little more sense, in retrospect.

By now, we know how the bulk of the Hornets’ offseason unfolded.

The team was quick to lock down Batum to a five-year, $120 million deal, with Williams following a little while later as they signed him to a four-year, $54.5 million contract.

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On the other side, the Hornets saw all of Lee, Jefferson, Lin and restricted free agent Troy Daniels (who the Hornets officially traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a sign-and-trade) leave to find new homes and in the process, land lucrative, multi-year deals.

Looking to counteract those losses, the Hornets locked down journeyman point guard Ramon Sessions to a two-year, $12 million deal (with a team option for the 2017-18 season), big man Roy Hibbert on a one-year flyer worth $5 million and brought in backup guard Brian Roberts on a one-year deal.

On first glance, the Hornets did a serviceable job regrouping this offseason.

There clearly wasn’t enough money to keep everyone that they thought was worth keeping and in some specific cases like Jefferson and Lin, there was a long shot that the Hornets would be able to meet either of their priorities, whether it’d be playing time opportunities and/or high priced, long-term deals.

Additionally, they didn’t tie themselves down to long-term big money, at least with their bench players and took some low-risk fliers on players like Christian Wood, in hopes that he eventually develops into a regular rotation player.

However, the biggest challenge the Hornets face this upcoming season is trying to replicate what they have lost.

Sessions is a solid, replacement-level point guard that’s capable of delivering a good amount of backup minutes (and even spot starter minutes, if need be), but he’s far from a solid, reliable floor spacer, as he’s a career 31 percent three-point shooter.