Center James Nnaji was selected in the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons but his draft rights would go to the Hornets in a trade made on draft night.
The plan all along was to have Nnaji continue his development overseas before bringing him over to be a part of the rotation in Charlotte. Unfortunately, things are happening a little slower than anticipated. In 46 games this season Nnaji averaged just 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in very little action (just over seven minutes per contest).
On top of that, he underwent surgery to address lumbar spine issues he had which will keep him out for a few more months. According to Jose Ignacio Huguet, he is expected to remain in Barcelona for another year.
The Hornets have three centers on the roster in Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and Taj Gibson, and likely have a spot reserved in Greensboro for Jake Stephens who has performed well in Summer League.
The Charlotte Hornets have not made the playoffs since 2016 and their last playoff series win came in 2002. They have arguably been the worst franchise in the NBA in the 2000s, and things are trending in the wrong direction. Charlotte won 21 games last season, tied for their fewest in a full season since 2005.
The Hornets have young talent, but building them into a winner has been problematic. LaMelo Ball has struggled to stay healthy. Charlotte has missed on several high draft picks, which has made the bad run longer. Brandon Miller was a fantastic selection with star potential, but he cannot do it alone. They need a roster around Miller and Ball.
The Hornets re-signed Miles Bridges on a three-year deal worth $75 million in one of the most baffling moves of the offseason. It further shows Charlotte has not changed and will not be vaulting up the standings anytime soon.
Overpaying Miles Bridges proves Hornets won’t be contending anytime soon
By the time Charlotte re-signed Bridges, only two teams had significant cap space. It was the Pistons, who were fresh off signing Tobias Harris at the four, and the Jazz. Utah wants to renegotiate Lauri Markkanen’s contract, so they were not spending on Bridges. That leaves the Hornets bidding against no team for his services.
Instead, Charlotte gave Bridges roughly 16 percent of the cap over the next three seasons. The Hornets will have a bit of room in the 2025 offseason, but they had zero reason to sign him to that number. They could have let things draw out and got him for significantly less as training camp neared.
Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.9 steals last season. His talent is unquestionable, but he missed an entire season because of a domestic violence charge. Beyond that, Charlotte has won a total of 159 games in the five years Bridges has been on the floor. That is 31.8 games per season. There was no reason to keep him if the goal is to build a contender.
Fans have seen the NBA’s new spending restrictions impact franchises this summer. The Hornets are spending unnecessary money on a player who has not helped them win on the floor and his history off it creates plenty of uncertainty. It was a move Charlotte will regret for years to come.
The Charlotte Hornets are not close to contending. They have some pieces but need more talent to have any shot of making the playoffs. Signing Miles Bridges will remain a head-scratching decision. It will be a multi-year process to get back into the mix and the Hornets must make wiser decisions to make it a reality.
