Hornets mailbag: What’s LaMelo’s future look like? Why are the veterans still playing?
The All-Star point guard is done for the season. Another losing streak is upon them. And they’re currently on the outside of the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.
Welcome to the Charlotte Hornets’ world.
As usual, there are plenty of questions surrounding the franchise and some of its key players. In this latest mailbag, we answer questions about LaMelo Ball’s future, Steve Clifford’s tenure, why the veterans are playing, and more.
Did we just see LaMelo Ball’s final game as a Hornet? — @brotherEDEN vis Twitter
This is something that will be addressed by yours truly more in depth soon, but there seems to be an obsession with people pushing LaMelo out of town just because the Hornets haven’t won in his nearly three years in Charlotte. He’s given no indication — none — that he wants out, and the Hornets will most likely offer him a hefty rookie extension before the fall deadline.
Now, the Hornets must surround him with the proper talent as they reshape the roster. It’s definitely on them to do that, and if it doesn’t happen within these next couple of seasons this conversation can be furthered. But it almost feels like we’re dealing with the Queen City version of Portland’s Damian Lillard, where fans and observers who don’t root for the Trail Blazers keep thinking Lillard is headed out of the Pacific Northwest despite him repeatedly suggesting he’s in it for the long term. People haven’t even given Ball the opportunity to figure out which direction he wants to go before acting like they have inside information.
Let’s not jump to conclusions based on a hunch. It’s too early in the process to pretend anything is a given with a 21-year-old. Remember where you were in your life at that point mentally before booting LaMelo out of town.
Why are any of the vets playing at this point in the season? What is Steve Clifford doing? — @MARSAYLAH_ via Twitter
So you mean to tell me that with just under a dozen and a half games left, Clifford is supposed to tell the team’s oldest players to take their sneakers and basically go home? With five weeks left? That makes no sense. There will come a time near the season’s tail end where the end-of-the bench guys get more playing minutes and Clifford has said as much. But now isn’t the time, grasshopper.
For one, 10 of those final remaining 16 games are at home. After paying their hard-earned money, fans will want to see at least one big ticket player out there. Plus, Clifford isn’t the type to turn the Hornets into the Greensboro Swarm for the rest of the season just to increase their odds to potentially land Victor Wembanyama.
Is the sense that Clifford will continue to be the coach next season? — @akaCK via Twitter
Why wouldn’t he be? While you can put some blame on him for a few things that haven’t gone in the Hornets’ favor in the handful of games they’ve been whole, Clifford isn’t the one to pin their record on. Injuries have to be taken into account. That gives him a pass. And on top of all that, did you forget about the extension they gave James Borrego in 2021? Well, it didn’t kick in until this season. Do you really believe the Hornets want to pay three coaches?
Do you think the Hornets look to extend both PJ Washington and Miles Bridges this offseason? — @Matthew_Risser via Twitter
That seems to be the plan. The Hornets like PJ a lot and it’ll come down to numbers as it always does in free agency. But having the ability to match any offer Washington receives on the open market gives the Hornets the upper hand, and they’ll certainly use it to their advantage.
As for Miles, from everything that’s been gathered on this end, all indicators are nothing has changed in regards to what The Observer has previously reported about the Hornets’ interest. But it’s still going to hinge on the results of the NBA’s investigation.
Does the front office believe the core of this team is already in place? — @PHPistooshort via Twitter
That answer will come this summer, but they think they at least have found a center to team alongside Ball in Mark Williams. If you include Washington, three-fifths of their early-projected starting lineup will be 25 years old or younger.
Bryce McGowens is also a big part of the future and they showed that last week by rewarding him with the new contract and converting his two-way deal. So, yes, there are pieces. But when a team finishes among the bottom four in the league, there aren’t many guarantees.
