Charlotte Hornets: 2019-20 NBA season preview
Predictions
When Caesar’s Palace released the over-under win totals for the 2019-20 season back in July, the Hornets were near the bottom, to no one’s surprise. The odds-makers projected under 30 wins for six different teams with the Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers tying for the few wins at 24.
With the makeup of this team and the unknowns of the youth without Kemba Walker’s leadership, this team could go in a lot of different directions. The Hornets should not have any trouble winning 15 to 20 games this season with teams like the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies slowly rebuilding.
It will be good for James Borrego to experience this year as it will help him determine his core for the next three to four years. Miles Bridges will take that next step of his NBA career and form a dangerous tandem with Terry Rozier.
PJ Washington will carve out a role, albeit small, on the bench near the end of the season as a 3-point specialist. He won’t reach the same 42.3 percentage he reached while playing at Kentucky, but with little pressure on performing in his rookie season, he’ll still provide a needed boost to the second unit.
The focus on the Hornets this year will be defensively. Expecting over 20 wins might be pushing it for the talent level assembled, but if Borrego stays committed to it, he could build upon this year very quickly. Rozier will have his good moments and bad moments but will prove to be a serviceable replacement of Kemba Walker.
Next. 2019-20 record predictions for all 30 NBA teams. dark
The Charlotte Hornets haven’t won less than 30 games since 2012-13 (as the Bobcats); that was preceded by the infamous 7-59 2011-12 season, Kemba’s rookie year. It shouldn’t get that bad for this team, but they will finish as one of the worst five teams in the league, barely reaching the 20-win mark.