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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The start of the NBA season is still months away.
But, it's not too soon to start putting together a picture of what each NBA team brings after the offseason.
The Charlotte Hornets are heading into the season with a very different identity. The biggest change is obvious: LaMelo Ball is no longer running the show. Losing your franchise player always creates questions, but Charlotte clearly decided it was time to shift the focus toward a younger core and a longer-term plan.
The return is a roster that looks much deeper. The Hornets snagged Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith through trades, adding a collection of players who can shoot, defend and fit into different lineups. It is a very different approach from relying heavily on one creator and hoping everything falls into place around him.
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Charlotte led the NBA in three-pointers last season, and there is a good chance that trend continues. Reid, Allen, O'Neale and Finney-Smith all give the Hornets reliable spacing, which should help open things up even without Ball creating shots out of nowhere.
That doesn't mean replacing Ball will be easy. His ability to make something happen with the ball in his hands was a major part of Charlotte's offense. The Hornets will need to find new ways to generate opportunities, especially late in games when defenses tighten up.
One interesting piece of the puzzle is Coby White. After joining Charlotte midway through last season, White was brought back in free agency and gives the team another guard who can create offense and provide scoring. He won't replace everything Ball brought, but he sure gives the Hornets another option in the backcourt.
The biggest storyline, though, will be the continued development of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
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Those two players now represent the direction of the franchise. Charlotte moved on from established names because it believes the future is built around its younger talent. Miller has already shown pieces of becoming a major scorer, while Knueppel enters a situation where he should have plenty of chances to grow.
This season may come with some growing pains, but the Hornets have really built a roster with more balance. Now the next step is finding out how quickly their young core is ready to take over.
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