Charlotte Hornets: 2018-19 is a pivotal season for the Buzz

The 2018-19 season will be a pivotal period of time for the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the biggest enigmas in the NBA over the last several seasons. And the 2018-19 season will be a pivotal period of time in their efforts to get back on the NBA map.

Last season, the Hornets missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Winning just 36 games, they were the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. As a result of their failures, management made some significant changes.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the Hornets opted to fire head coach Steve Clifford, ending his five-year stint running the show in Charlotte. To fill the void, the Hornets hired San Antonio Spurs assistant James Borrego.

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Borrego was an assistant in San Antonio for the last three seasons, and beforehand, he assumed such a role with the Orlando Magic for the same amount of time, but took over as interim head coach for the final 30 games of the 2014-15 season. He was also an assistant for the New Orleans Hornets in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons (before they became the New Orleans Pelicans).

There’s no questioning whether Borrego is worthy and capable of being a head coach in the NBA. The question is how will he approach coaching the oddly constructed Hornets?

Over the last three seasons, the talent has been there in terms of both proven commodities and young players with the Hornets. But they have struggled to establish an identity. Are they a run-and-gun unit who thrives on athleticism? Are they a team who relies on its defense to kickstart its offense and keep them in games? Are they capable of competing for the playoffs?

Priority number one for Borrego in his first year as head coach is to establish an identity for the Hornets, and he has the talent to do as such.

Kemba Walker is the Hornets, and the Hornets are Kemba Walker. Their offense will be run through his play-making abilities and scoring prowess. He’s averaged 20-plus points per game in each of the last three seasons and is one of the more underrated point guards in the sport. But he’s about to enter the final season of a four-year contract, and it’s unknown whether he will prioritize staying in Charlotte, or heading elsewhere.

Is Walker the focal point of the Hornets’ future? With little to no other point guards in place who are viewed as long-term pieces, it’s reasonable to believe that the Hornets want Walker to run their offense for the foreseeable future. But they will still need capable scorers and a cohesive group around the 28-year-old to prosper.

Nicolas Batum is still a reliable two-way player and source of offense, but his $24 million annual salary is a bit much for the player he is today. With that said, he, Marvin Williams, Tony Parker (who the Hornets signed to a two-year deal this offseason), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Walker form a respectable veteran core. But over the last two seasons that core (minus Parker) and the Hornets young players have not coexisted well alongside each other.

By firing Clifford, trading away center Dwight Howard, and holding onto their young players, it’s clear that the Hornets are looking to develop a promising young core, and there is plenty of intriguing players on this roster for Borrego and friends to be optimistic about.

Whether it be Malik Monk, Frank Kaminsky, Jeremy Lamb, Willy Hernangomez, or Miles Bridges, the Hornets have several young players who could play prominent roles in Borrego’s rotation. But uncertainty surrounds all of their games for the time being.

Monk endured a bumpy rookie season. After struggling to shoot with efficiency and failing to take advantage of the opportunities he was given, the guard was sent to the G-League and even when he was recalled, Monk struggled to get into a groove offensively.

Kaminsky has been a steady player in the Hornets rotation in his three years on the scene. But the Wisconsin product still hasn’t had a breakout season. He’s held his own on the defensive end and been a competent source of offense when called upon, but he has been unable to play himself into the starting five.

Jeremy Lamb has been a reliable source of offense off the bench, but can he become a vital piece to the puzzle in the team’s offense? Hernangomez didn’t get much playing time last season with the Hornets or New York Knicks (before being traded to the Hornets) primarily due to his defensive woes. Will he improve in that aspect of his game this season? Bridges showcased a complete skill set in his two years at Michigan State, but can he thrive in Charlotte and earn a starting spot?

Having a plethora of young players is crucial in a rebuild. But, at some point, at least a couple of them have to grow into long-term assets and players who the franchise can lean on to be a focal point going forward. Right now, while their youth holds potential, it’s unclear whether one of the Hornets youngsters is capable of breaking out to provide the organization with such confidence.

It’s difficult to envision the Hornets reaching the playoffs this season. There are certainly some talented and proven players on their roster, but there are more questions than answers with this team. Will they undergo a midseason fire sale if they quickly fall out of the playoff picture? Can someone emerge as a franchise player, or, at the very least, come into their own as a go-to scoring outlet besides Walker? How will Borrego approach his first permanent head-coaching gig in the NBA? How will his players react to his guidance?

Working under the likelihood that the Hornets won’t be competing in the playoffs, it’s crucial that they establish an identity under Borrego, develop their young players, and get a gauge on whether Walker wants to stay in Charlotte past this season. All three factors are vital elements to the well-being of their future.

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You hate to say that an upcoming season is lost before it begins, but the Hornets project to be in the bottom third of the East. The way that they can defy that expectation and the rebuilding notion is by their young talent blossoming and their roster, as a whole, getting on the same page offensively. If the Hornets can do as such, then they could duel it out for a playoff seeding.

It’s not a playoffs-or-bust, or window closing season for the Charlotte Hornets. But it is a year in which many make-or-break factors will fall into place, or implode regarding their future.

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