The Charlotte Hornets are one of the most surprising teams in the NBA, and they are actually winning. That’s right, they are winning games. Charlotte won a whopping 19 games in 2025, one of the the worst records in the NBA, they have missed the playoffs for 9 STRAIGHT years, the longest draught in the NBA, and analysts predicted the Hornets would win 27 games this season, they have already won 32/63.

Charlotte has a legit chance to make the Play-In tournament, with a 32-31 record and a big win vs the Celtics Yesterday, the Hornets sit 9th in the east, 3rd in their division and firmly in the East’s top 10 teams. Charlotte holds the 2nd best record in the NBA (Last 30 Games) with an impressive 21-9 W/L ratio, sitting only behind the 22-8 Cavaliers. But does all of this matter in the long run?

After years of instability and rebuilding, the Hornets have finally constructed a roster that wants to compete, a roster that is capable of winning. With a +3.5 Net Rating (10th in the NBA), an offensive rating of 118.6 (4th in the NBA) and a 115.1 Defensive Rating (16th in the NBA), the NBA better look out, because the Hornets are finally back, and it all starts with their young stars.

Young Core Breakout & Offensive Identity

LaMelo Ball Leading the Offense

LaMelo Ball is still the franchises centrepiece for the Hornets, and he is the main offensive engine in Charlotte. His elite playmaking with 7.3 Assists, he always orchestrates the offense, and when he doesn’t want to pass, he can score at will with 19.2 PPG, he is and always has been the Hornets identity.

He creates the pace and spacing for an otherwise slow and low volume shooting team, and is usually the main initiator in pick and rolls, driving the Hornets top tier offense. Between his creativity and tempo, he has literally transformed the Hornets into a deadly offensive team capable of taking down even the NBA’s best during their current hot streak, and credit is also due to Brandon Miller.

Brandon Miller’s Emergence as a Star

Brandon Miller might have been one of the best picks of the 2023 Draft. Picked 2nd after Victor Wembanyama 3 Years ago, he has taken a leap that everyone likes to see. 20.9 PPG on only 30 Minutes a game, leading the Hornets in scoring with his elite perimeter game and a reliable scoring option next to LaMelo’s down year, the versatile wing shows high defensive potential, being able to now guard most positions.

Kon Knueppel is the Clear Rookie Of The Year

Kon Knueppel is one of the NBA’s brightest stars, having a big lead in the Rookie of the Year race over Cooper Flagg, and for good reason. Kon recently broke the rookie record for most 3’s made in a season, a mark previously set by Keegan Murray back in 2019, when he knocked down 206, Knueppel did it in 62 games, he has 216 and is going to absolutely demolish the record, and all this adds up to the reason for the Hornets rise this season.

Miles Bridges is another one of the Hornets best pieces. Averaging 17.6 PPG this season, Bridges is having a bit of a down year after averaging 20+ PPG in his last 3 seasons, he is still one of the most versatile scoring forwards and the best secondary offensive creator behind Ball and Miller.

Lastly, the Hornets latest acquisition, Coby White, has added new levels to the Hornets expanding playmaking and spacing abilities. Coming of a career year last season averaging 20.4 PPG, Coby White has been the same this season, averaging 18 PPG, but still adjusting to a new team after being traded from the Bulls for Collin Sexton and Ousmane Dieng, and three second-round picks.

Other Incredible Players:
• Josh Green (two-way wing)
• Moussa Diabate (rebounding presence)
• Grant Williams (rotational forward)
• Pat Connaughton (veteran stability)

The Hornets now possess a legitimate offensive ecosystem, with LaMelo Ball innating, Brandon Miller scoring at a high level, Kon Knueppel torching defences with his shooting and spacing, the Hornets seem like contenders, but their improvement is not just about star power, it is about momentum.

Team Improvements, Momentum, and Play-In Push

Coaching and System Under Charles Lee

Every good team has to have one of the best coaches in the NBA, and Charles Lee has what it takes. He is a young coach, only coaching the Hornets for 2 Years, but he has installed a structured offensive system that the Hornets have been following to a tee and it has been working. He encourages spacing, pace control and emphasizes on rebounding, especially offensive boards.

They have one of the most efficient half court offense, and with their strong rebounding numbers (5th In the NBA), has led to one of the best road records in the NBA, winning 8 straight games on the road, their franchise record.

But it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, their defensive numbers are questionable. They rank 29th in the NBA in steals with 7.1, and 20th in the league in Blocks with 4.5, but still rank 10th in Opponent Points Per Game, allowing only 112.3. They must start to get these numbers up rather then just forcing the turnover, because when the game get’s messy, it get’s floppy and confusing.

Injuries and Roster Stability

The Hornets injuries are one of the main conflicts in the front office. With Tidjane Salaun and Grant Williams both out with knee injuries, it adds to the ever looming injury history of their star players, including LaMelo Ball’s consistent ankle problems, Brandon Miller’s injury concerns and Coby White having a lot of issues this season.

Despite all of this, their bench production has kept them competivie and their young players are always ready to step up into biugger roles, and the best part is (For the team not the players), is they are not getting paid that well at all.

Contracts / Financial Core:
• LaMelo Ball: ~$37.96M (2025–26), $40.7M next year
• Miles Bridges: ~$25M
• Brandon Miller: rookie scale (~$15M range)
• Josh Green: ~$13.7M

With LaMelo Ball paid for the next 4 seasons with a guaranteed $168 Million, the rest of the team is earning not that much. Brandon Miler is still on his rookie deal while Kon Knueppel just signed his 1st ever contract, they are in a good situation financially and have a lot of flexibility going into the future.

Summary Points:

• Jump from 19 wins to playoff contention
• Top-tier offense emerging
• Ball and Miller forming a legitimate young star duo
• Strong coaching and improved depth
After nearly a decade of irrelevance, the Hornets have re-entered the NBA’s competitive conversation. If their young core continues developing and health holds, Charlotte may not just end its playoff drought, it could establish the foundation for a long-term contender in the Eastern Conference.

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