5 offseason needs for the Charlotte Hornets

5. Fix the defensive personnel

So first, let’s begin with the practical: This Hornets team, despite playing a more switch-heavy defensive scheme that better suits the talent it did have when it went three consecutive years with a top ten defense under Steve Clifford, dropped to 22nd in defensive rating. In other words, the defense, which was already waning before firing Clifford, is no longer a scheme issue and is now a personnel issue, and that’s an offseason need.

There are certainly internal fixes to this — playing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist an appropriate amount and getting Cody Zeller back to 2000 minutes for the season would both be major boons for the defense, much like playing Willy Hernangomez less would be. But more directly, this team is going to add a few new players next season, whether through the draft or through free agency, and this team needs to prioritize players who hold their own on the defensive end. Whether that means bumping a guy like Brandon Clarke up the draft board, or seeking to entice a guy like Nerlens Noel with the mid-level exception, defensive personnel need to be a priority of the offseason.