PHOTO/TROY HULL

The Charlotte Hornets' 36-46 season produced one positive: An All-Star performance by point guard Kemba Walker.

The Charlotte Hornets can’t afford another failed season.

A year after tying for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and pushing Miami to the seventh in the playoffs’ first round, they missed the postseason by five games at 36-46. Underachievement was an understatement from players to the front office.

“[This season was] disappointing after winning 48 games the previous year and going to seven games in the first round [of the playoffs],” General Manager Rich Cho said at the season-ending media availability. “We definitely had higher expectations, so overall, disappointment. We expected to be in the playoffs and compete to win a playoff round at least. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen for a number of reasons. We’ve just got to look to get better this summer and look to build for next year.”

Said coach Steve Clifford: “Obviously, it’s a disappointing year. If you go back to the beginning, when we started, I think I told you guys the same thing I told the players, which is with our team and the roster that we had, our goal was to make the playoffs. We don’t have an overpowering roster, but we had a roster that was good enough to be a playoff team. I think the East was, of my four years here, the strongest the East has been. But the reality is we didn’t do what we’ve done here for three years, we didn’t get better. “

Fixing what went wrong with these Hornets won’t be easy. Six players earn at least $12 million annually, due in part to contracts negotiated or traded for by Cho as well as a change in Clifford’s offensive philosophy to lean more heavily on perimeter shooting. Of course, Charlotte’s defense also had a nasty habit of going AWOL in the fourth quarter, which led late-game collapses in which they went 0-9 in games decided by three points or less and 0-6 in overtime.

“I felt like we were definitely capable of playing some really good defense and definitely capable of even winning more games this year, but it just didn’t happen,” guard Kemba Walker said. “It happens, it happens, so very unfortunate. I think that’s what the summer is for as well, to look back and try to get better. Hopefully everyone comes back better and mentally stronger and ready to go next year.”

It’ll be easier said than done with this group as currently constructed. So what will it take? Here are five ideas:

• Walker continues to improve.

In making his first All-Star game appearance, Walker firmly established his reputation as an elite point guard with an improved perimeter game in addition to a proven ability to get to the basket. He’s the one Hornet who plays beyond his salary as top scorer, facilitator and leader.

• Nic Batum needs to be more selfish.

The guard has the tools to be the versatile asset Charlotte needs, but Batum focuses too much on facilitating. The good news is he’s come to the realization that this team is better when he’s scoring in tandem with Walker instead of acting as an appendage.

“I thought he was up and down as well on both ends of the floor,” Cho said. I told him that…as well. And yet, Nic is the kind of guy that is too unselfish, maybe too a fault and I think he’s got to take more of a burden at times, but he’s kind of the cog that makes the wheel works. He helps Kemba play better, really all our guys. He’s good for Cody [Zeller] and really everyone on the team and that’s what makes him a good player.”

• Improve the defensive effort.

This is the failing that really got Clifford steamed, and for good reason. Charlotte didn’t have proper rim protection on a consistent basis, which opened them to drives and drive-and-kicks from the perimeter. That type of big man still has a place in the perimeter-crazy NBA.

• Establish a reliable force in the post.

Zeller is a good player, but he’s not going to instill fear in the paint the way Al Jefferson did before the Hornets let him walk in free agency last year. Defensive specialist Roy Hibbert was hurt early in the season and traded to Milwaukee for Miles Plumlee, who got hurt and was never a factor. The Hornets managed to mess up both ends of that trade, especially since Plumlee is one of the players making more than $12 million over multiple seasons. If they’d kept Hibbert, his salary would’ve gone off the books at season’s end.

• Go shopping.

Two seasons ago, Cho did a decent job of stocking capable talent that didn’t break the bank. Free agency isn’t likely to bring big-name players to Charlotte, so Cho will likely look to swing a trade or two in order to remake the roster, especially to rebuild an anemic and inconsistent bench. He’ll need to, or heads – likely Cho and Clifford’s – will roll if the Hornets struggle next season.
 
 

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