NBA: How the bottom 7 in the East can make a return to the playoffs
By Ethan Becker
Taking a look at the bottom seven teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, and seeing what improvements they can make this summer
As of writing this, the NBA playoffs have officially begun. That means that all across sports media sites, there will be articles and editorials talking about who’s going to win the NBA Finals, and who the regular season award winners are.
However, not much attention will be paid to the teams that didn’t make the post-season, and what they need to do to improve. That’s where this article comes in. We’re going to take a look at the bottom seven teams, and figure out what they need to do to be playing ball come June 2020; starting in the Eastern Conference:
9. Charlotte Hornets: Walker and Development
The Charlotte Hornets just barely missed the playoffs this year, falling two games behind the eighth seed Pistons. So, it can be fairly safely assumed that the Hornets aren’t in need of much to make the playoffs. There are a couple of improvements they could make though.
The first one is that they need to make sure that they re-sign star point guard Kemba Walker. Walker has come into his own these last few years, even making his first All-Star starting spot this season. So, even though the price is probably going to be high, it will be worth it.
Another aspect the Hornets need to focus on is internal development. Their bench boasts some fairly talented players: Malik Monk, Miles Bridges, and Tony Parker just to name a few. Just developing these young players could pay dividends for the Hornets.