Charlotte Hornets
Preseason Odds: Championship +10000
Having failed to make much of an impact for the last few years, there are still doubts about Charlotte’s quality this season. Star players Terry Rozier and Lamelo Ball have not shown the determination and will to carry the team forwards to the playoffs.
As one of the youngest teams in the NBA, the Hornets seem to be missing a core piece, possibly a veteran like Chris Paul who could be a mentor to the younger players and provide some form of playoff experience.
The team’s front office has also not made any significant moves during this off-season as they have not signed any player in free agency. However, this is primarily due to Bridge’s situation as he faces charges for domestic violence.
As such, expectations are not high for this team. This means there might be some attractive NBA betting odds available for those who like a long shot. It could be a good thing for the Hornets, as they can work without any pressure on their shoulders. Who knows? They could pull off an underdog story.
The Charlotte Hornets finished as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2021/22 season with a 43-39 record, making it the sixth consecutive season that the team hasn’t reached the playoffs. They played in the play-in tournament in the previous two seasons, but lost on both occasions.
The last time Charlotte made the playoffs was in 2016 when they lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference first round.
They have not shown any determination to better these results as we haven’t seen any major trade from the team this off-season. Instead, the Hornets have been surrounded by off-court news with some players involved in scandals. It remains to be seen if this will impact their on-court performance for the 2022/23 campaign.
The Charlotte Hornets compete in the Eastern Conference of the NBA and play their home games at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team is majority owned by one of the greatest basketballers of all time, and North Carolina native, Michael Jordan.
The Hornets do not have a rich history compared to many other teams in the NBA, as they were established relatively recently in 1988 as part of the NBA’s expansion plans. The team had modest success in the early years, reaching the playoffs a handful of times throughout the 90s.
A controversial move to New Orleans in 1999 saw the team change their name to the New Orleans Hornets. With that team having since evolved into the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA looked to introduce a replacement team in Charlotte in 2003. This franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, joined the league for the 2004/2005 season.
The Bobcats were bought out by Michael Jordan in 2010 for a reported $275 million. The investment has certainly paid off for Mike, with the team currently valued at around $1.5 billion. In 2013, the Charlotte Bobcats announced that they would return to being called the Charlotte Hornets for the 2014/2015 season.
With 32 seasons in the NBA under their belt, the Charlotte Hornets have never won the title (they have never even made the Finals). The team is widely regarded as being one of the weakest in the league, which should mean some potentially long odds can be had when they play, particularly against much favored rivals.
Despite lackluster performances in recent seasons, the Hornets are a team that often feels like it's on the verge of becoming better. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has also said that the Hornets would be the only other team he’d consider playing for in the NBA besides the Warriors, having been born and raised in the city of Charlotte.
The Hornets currently have star players like Terry Rozier and 2020/2021 Rookie of the year and all-star Lamelo Ball on their roster, who on their day are capable of match winning performances.
