Complete 2017 NBA offseason grades for all 30 teams
Charlotte Hornets
Key additions: Dwight Howard (trade), Malik Monk (draft), Michael Carter-Williams (free agency), Dwayne Bacon (draft), Julyan Stone (free agency),
Key subtractions: Marco Belinelli (trade), Miles Plumlee (trade), Ramon Sessions (free agency), Brian Roberts (free agency)
The Charlotte Hornets are basically counting on the addition of Dwight Howard and a weakened Eastern Conference to return to the playoffs in 2018, which isn’t the worst strategy. Two years of D-12 should go smoother as he plays for his former assistant Steve Clifford anyway.
Taking a low-cost flier on Michael Carter-Williams is nice, but the biggest sense of excitement comes from Malik Monk falling to the Hornets in the draft.
It was a quiet summer overall and there are still long-term questions to be answered, but for now, Buzz City can at least look forward to a return to the postseason after last year’s disappointing step backward.
Bourguet Grade: B