Charlotte Hornets: 5 biggest disappointments from 2017-18 NBA season

1. Missing the playoffs yet again

The biggest disappointment of the season has to be missing the postseason. The Hornets turned in an identical record (36-46) to the one they produced in 2016-17. Injuries kept their main contributors from contributing in a meaningful way, leaving Kemba Walker on an island by himself.

Walker was stellar all season long, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals through 80 games. He had five 40+ point performances and nine 30+ point performances in 2017-18, showing off his unstoppable tenacity as one of the best point guards in the East. When it came to his support, Dwight Howard was there, but that’s about it.

Nicolas Batum was the team’s fourth-leading scorer, averaging 11.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game in 64 appearances. In his third season with Charlotte, he took a step back. Granted, he battled injuries but in 64 games, but his impact wasn’t where it usually is. He turned in a net rating of 0 after producing a rating of 107.7 on both offense and defense.

As discussed earlier, Cody Zeller appeared in just 33 games, depleting their frontcourt even more than it already was. Seven-footer Frank Kaminsky was eighth on the team in rebounds (3.6 per game), a stat that needs to change sooner rather than later.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

It will be interesting to see what the Charlotte Hornets do in the NBA Draft and free agency this offseason. They will need to make some adjustments or they could see their All-Star point guard sign elsewhere.