Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) looks to pass as he is defended by Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (14) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Sam Sharpe USA TODAY NETWORK
In the shadows of Spectrum Center, across the street in what used to be a gravel parking lot, the signs of a rapid progression are easily visible.
A huge white tent is set up in the middle of a construction site, ready to welcome city officials and a host of distinguished individuals whose hands will be holding a ceremonial shovel to kick off the latest earth moving project in uptown.
The site is surrounded by bulldozers, excavators and other heavy machinery paving the way for the building of the $150 million-plus Novant Health Performance Center, which will serve as the Charlotte Hornets’ new training facility.
And that’s about the only activity that will be buzzing around the arena this spring, mostly because an annual ritual locked in for the better part of the past decade is taking place once again.
Rather than the building bursting with excitement and worked into a fervor, similar to how things were during Charlotte’s last playoff appearance against Miami in 2016, it will be shuttered and quiet, getting prepped for the second phase of renovations.
“It’s tough, man,” Josh Green said after the Hornets’ 111-104 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. “The playoffs, there’s nothing like the playoffs, being in this time of year fighting for your seeding and what not. So, it should make everyone hungry watching the playoffs this year. Everybody should be motivated.
“...It’s obviously tough, but at the end of the day we’ve got to make sure that we are ready to go next year and good habits start now for us, said Green, who played in the NBA Finals last year with the Dallas Mavericks. “So, that’s all we can look at and that’s all we can do.”
In the eyes of some, this was supposed to be the year the Hornets (18-54) began reversing the disappointing trend, a situation that felt exacerbated by the inordinate amount of injuries the Hornets have dealt with since 2021, highlighted by the difficulties star guard LaMelo Ball has had battling ankle woes.
A new 10-person health and performance staff was hired and put in place, but the Hornets’ health fortunes weren’t altered much. They’ve amassed 337 games missed due to player injury, ranking among the top 10 in the league.
Charlotte’s pesky troubles began with Mark Williams getting hurt prior to training camp in October, marring any kind of cohesion from the Hornets’ projected starting unit since the 7-footer didn’t make it back into the lineup until Dec. 3.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives in during the second half against the Orlando Magic at the Spectrum Center. Sam Sharpe USA TODAY NETWORK
Season-ending surgeries for Grant Williams (ACL) and Brandon Miller (right wrist) were like sticking an unattached pump needle into the air hole on a basketball, completely deflating it. Not much has gone right for the Hornets and it’s been a frustrating campaign all the way around, putting them in position to be among the NBA’s worst teams and have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft.
But coach Charles Lee remains more focused on the long-term prognosis instead of a postseason-less first campaign as the end of the Hornets’ bench.
“I would say definitely no disappointment,” the coach said. “Coming into the year, the goal was for us to create a standard of competitiveness, create an environment of just work and obsession with daily improvement. Practice days, weight room sessions, our diets, game days — all of it. Just loving the whole journey.
“And the third part was building an environment of togetherness and a culture of togetherness, because we go through this journey together. We are going to compete together, we are going to be getting better and growing together. So, I think all those goals are still in motion, and I’m happy as hell with them. And they are all going to take us a long way as we continue to build.”
Decisions regarding the roster reconstruction and any player movement are still weeks away, fully tabled until the regular-season finale in Boston on April 13. In the meantime, it’s on the Hornets to make the appropriate use of these remaining two-plus weeks until they clean out their lockers and go their separate directions.
“We still get to play in the NBA,” Miles Bridges said. “We get another day in the NBA. Despite us being out of the playoffs, we still want to play for pride and play to get better for next season.”
That’s what these nine remaining games are all about.
Simply going through the motions won’t cut it, and finishing the disappointing season out with the proper attitude is of the utmost importance for the likes of rookies KJ Simpson and Tidjane Salaün, and others needing to gain as much experience in actual live action as possible. The grind of an 82-game schedule can be grueling and developing a bunker-like mentality is key at times.
“I think everyone just understands at the end of the day, we understand our role or our job — it’s always go out there and win,” Simpson said. “Whether we are making the playoffs, we are not making the playoffs, that doesn’t mean just take a back seat and just quit pretty much. That’s not something that we are going to do and that’s not something this organization does or honestly this league does.
“Everyone here is here for a reason. I think the main thing, especially from the older guys. They’ve just been telling us to keep the same focus at the end of the year that you had at the beginning of the year. You want to finish strong and finish almost how you wanted to start. Whatever regrets you had, that’s in the past. Now what are you going to do on the next day? Long season, but finish the season all the way through.”
Words the veterans themselves intend to heed as well.
“Just continue to get better, bring some momentum in for next season,” Bridges said. “Just learn how to keep playing. Despite not being in the playoffs, you still want to play and get better. And the main way to get better, especially with younger guys, is to play on the court.”
The Charlotte Observer
Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly. Support my work with a digital subscription