After a promising season, Lamello Bauer became a star, Miles Bridges continued to improve, Terry Rozier's career was revived and the Charlotte Hornets hoped to return to the playoffs in 2022.
Now, the Hornets are competing in a new, more superior Eastern Conference, and they will face some big challenges this season.
Hopefully back in the playoffs starting last year, the Hornets will make some significant improvements in the 2021-22 season.
With their hopes of moving up the rankings in the East and leaving their mark in the league, let's take a look at four bold predictions for the Charlotte Hornets.
Lamelo Ball will be an All-Star
After a great rookie season, Ball Brother won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and in this year's All-Star Game, he is expected to become an Eastern Conference All-Star and continue to take his game to the next level. With his ball possession, organisational skills and unlimited scoring range, Ball has proven himself to be a true superstar, and he's only going to get better over time.
For the Hornets, they've been on the lookout for their own superstar, and there's no doubt they've found that in Ball, who has shown his leadership to make everyone around him better. Heading into his second season, Ball might even take things up a notch, elevating the Hornets to the playoff contenders of the season.
Gordon Hayward will return in a form of revenge
After another season plagued by injuries, Gordon Hayward missed much of the 2021-22 season and will return healthy and ready to be part of the upstart Hornets team that is seeking to make it to the playoffs. With his skills and previous experience, Hayward will be a savvy veteran who can continue to serve as a mentor to young players and provide them with some key offensive arrangements at key moments.
With Hayward working tirelessly to get back to All-Star form, he'll be locked in and ready for a big year for the Hornets, hoping to lead them into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Given his previous injury history, Hayward must be healthy back to a full season and provide the Bobcats with the high-quality depth and some great games he was previously familiar with.
James Borrego will be the NBA Coach of the Year candidate
In his third year as Hornets head coach, James Borrego made huge strides on the team and brought them into the game stage. Despite their big loss to the Indiana Pacers, they still show a lot of hope and will continue to work on the NBA season of 2021-22, especially with the young and dynamic team that the Hornets have assembled in the past few seasons.
In his fourth season on the team, Borrego will continue to implement a culture of winning in this thriving Hornets team that is destined to be the star of the playoffs for years to come. So, for Hornets head coach James Borrego, he has a good chance of being a hot pick for the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year.
The Hornets will return to the NBA playoffs
After five turbulent seasons since the last playoffs, the Charlotte Hornets are ready to turn things around and return to where they belong. When they parted ways with Kemba Walker in previous seasons, it seemed that things were clouding uncertainty about the future of this team for their rights, but after drafting the ball, we all saw this team being able to run with him at the point.
Not to mention the squads the team now has for Hayward, Miles Bridger, Terry Rozier, PJ Washington, Kelly Aubrey Jr., James Bunnett and Mason Plumlee. Under Borrego, the team can go further and have an efficient season as they will fight in the tough and tough East to ensure they are in the top 8.
This year, they will try to keep up with the pace of the playoffs. There's so much that has happened, but things are moving in a positive direction for the Hornets as they continue to improve, living up to the standards of winning the bid in place, and team owner Michael Jordan happens to know how to win at the highest level.