The Charlotte Hornets are in need of some good news. LaMelo Ball's lone All-Star season feels like it's more a fluke than an early predictor of greatness at this point, and no one seems to believe this team can go anywhere for the rest of the decade.
But here's why they're wrong. These are three reasons why Charlotte might be able to sneak into the postseason as soon as this season.
1. The next generation
Ball somehow already feels like an elder statesman, and he's only five years into his career. Dragging a basement-dwelling team kicking and screaming through season after season is like the presidency in that way (seriously, look up timelapse photos of Barack Obama between 2008 and 2016).
But comparison is the thief of joy. Yes, his draft classmate Anthony Edwards is the third coming of Michael Jordan, but LaMelo is still just 23. And, no matter what anyone says about who Ball is as a player, he'll always be the first of the two to become an All-Star. And funnily enough, the first and last time LaMelo played in the All-Star game was also the last time he was available for 50 or more games. So the biggest improvement he can make on a game that looks like an All-NBA-level bag when healthy is coming back in full from his most recent surgeries.
And this time, LaMelo has the most well-rounded help he'll have ever had in his career. Brandon Miller finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, and was also a 20-point scorer over 27 games. Kon Knueppel is as NBA-ready as NBA-ready gets and is coming off of leading the Hornets to a Summer League title (yes, I know it's Summer League, but still). And even though it's real gross, Miles Bridges is back and is every bit the star-powered second banana he was before ... you know.
That makes four high-level starters, three of whom can possibly make an All-Star team in the East when healthy.
2. Opportunity
The East's playoff bracket in 2025 was weird. Seriously, if in 2024 you'd said that all five teams in the Central Division would make a playoff or Play-In push, I would have called you a liar. I mean, Josh Giddey's Bulls!?
Well, that's not happening again. The Bulls are going to be new tenants in the NBA's basement, Indiana isn't close to making a second deep playoff run with Tyrese Haliburton out for at least a year and, moving to the Hornets' own division, the Heat are in their own horrible holding pattern.
Throw in Boston punting on the year with Jayson Tatum out, and that gives Charlotte four chances to fill newly vacant playoff or Play-In slots.
3. Un-fluking the fluky
The Hornets' PR is in the toilet. Forget the 19-63 record; it feels like most fans and analysts are still dwelling on this (admittedly damning) clip of their bench. In fact, between that clip, Bridges' issues and Miller's takes (seriously, Paul George?), Charlotte looks more like a joke than a viable playoff team.
Except that this team took basketball more seriously than it looked like in 2024-25. During Ball's All-Star season, Charlotte had a top-five offense and bottom-five defense in the league. It was clear as to where they needed to improve. Fast forward to 2025, and limited time from most of their core ( Bridges and Josh Green were their only players to start over 60 games) understandably tanked their offense to the bottom of the NBA.
Weirdly though, the Hornets finished in the middle of the pack in points allowed. It's not a stretch to claim that Bridges didn't just star on offense but essentially did it 1-on-5 for most of the season. LaMelo and Miller will be coming back with almost a whole year's worth of recovery and rehab under their belts, which should jumpstart Charlotte's scoring and pace. And if they go down again, Charlotte is more than covered.