Hornets’ aim: Transform preseason promise into wins

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Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets dribbles the ball while being guarded by Aaron Nesmith of the Indiana Pacers in the first quarter during a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The NBA regular season is here.

The Charlotte Hornets capped their preseason 2-3, but head coach Charles Lee is optimistic about what he saw.

“As a whole team, we had a great preseason,” he said. “We got to play a lot of different lineups. Our rookies and young guys got to play a lot of minutes, and this is valuable experience — valuable game time for them. I think they handled it really well.”

The Hornets picked up wins against Miami and Memphis while falling to New York twice and Indiana. While it was preseason, the Hornets topped their scoring average from a season ago (106.6 points per game) in these five games, scoring an average of 112 points.

To Lee’s point, it was done while experimenting with lineups, so one would think the scoring would continue at a higher level when the starters get more minutes.

Other than the blowout win against Memphis, every game was close, and Lee likes that the Hornets were able to hang tough and build camaraderie. Now, it is about closing out games.

“Another thing that makes me excited is seeing the togetherness of the whole group,” Lee said. “Even when our young guys are out there, the rest of our bench is in there during timeouts talking to the guys, or they are over there cheering them on. So, I just love the whole camaraderie during the whole preseason for us.”

Lamelo Ball and Brandon Miller tandem

The big question coming into the season was who was going to be the alpha: LaMelo Ball or Brandon Miller. If the preseason showed anything, it was that both players could lead the Hornets any given night.

In the first two preseason games, it was Ball who led in scoring and assists, scoring 18 and 24 points respectively while dishing out seven and four assists. A healthy Ball is still a top tier point guard and keeping him healthy was and is key for the Hornets.

Miller scored 20 or more points in the last three preseason games, leading the Hornets in scoring each. Miller shot an impressive 61% from three-point range over that span.

“[Miller] went from being a guy on the scouting report to now he's one of THE guys,” Lee said. “So, he’s got to be more mindful of his setups, owning his space, and getting guys off him. He answered the call and found a lot of different ways to impact the game.”

If Ball and Miller continue to develop their chemistry, they could be the league’s next dynamic duo.

Salaün ready for immediate impact

Top draft pick Tidjane Salaün was quite a pleasant surprise. Many NBA analysts thought Salaün was a few years away from meaningful contributions, but based on his preseason play it might be sooner rather than later.

The Frenchman scored in double figures in four of five preseason games, and even got a start in the second game against the Knicks. Also in four of five games, Salaün had five rebounds or more, with his best outing on the glass coming against Indiana when he grabbed 14, 12 on the defensive end.

Teammate Grant Williams sang Salaün’s praises about his work in the offseason to get to where he is.

“I remember when he was drafted, people said he was like three years away,” Williams said. “They didn't realize how good a shooter he is and how confident he is with the ball in his hands. The game's going to keep getting slower for him and he's going to start seeing how much of an impact he makes for our team, not just this year, but for years to come. He's going to be really special. Honestly, he works his tail off.”

Looking ahead

The Hornets will have five days off before they start the regular season on the road against the Houston Rockets, another young team with high hopes. The Rockets finished last season 41-41 and were the hottest team in the NBA in March, losing just two games.

The Hornets will be on the road for two games before playing their first regular season home game on Oct. 26 against Miami.

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