28. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets may be playing like the worst team in the league at the moment. Since starting the season a pretty respectable 4-5, the Hornets are just 3-21. It'd be easy to suggest that young teams are naturally going to struggle but with how much the Hornets have had difficulty finding their footing recently, you can't help but wonder if there's something more at play with this team. At some point, you have to wonder if there's something else off that could suggest this team is never going to turn things around.
That's certainly something the Hornets will have to figure out behind closed doors and a conversation that they're probably already having or have had. If there's one bright spot on the year so far, it has to be the continued development of Brandon Miller. He's averaging 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists so far this season. While there are some efficiency concerns, the production has been good to see from their young developing wing. Still, this is a team to keep a close eye on heading into the offseason.
27. Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have won just one game in their last 13 contests but there are some positive signs that continue to emerge for the team. Scottie Barnes continues to show quality signs as one of the most well-rounded young stars in the league and RJ Barrett continues to be highly productive on the offensive end of the floor. The story this season may all be about Gadey Dick's breakout campaign but he still very much has some proving to do in his own right.
Having missed almost the entire first half of the season, it's good to see that Immanuel Quickley is finally working his way back and has shown some positive signs in the two games he's played so far this season. The hope is that he will continue to build off those performances and he can be a real boost to this team during the second half of the year. The playoffs are probably not realistic for the Raptors but this is a team that could build momentum heading into next season.