Previous team recaps: DET, IT WAS, PER
At a glance:
Record: 21-61 (13th, East)
Offensive rating: 108.6 (28th)
Defensive rating: 119.2 (29th)
Net rating: -10.6 (30th)
Pace: 97.82 (22nd)
2024 draft picks: 6.42
After a poor 2022-23 season, expectations were a little higher in Charlotte this season. Miles Bridges was back in the lineup after a 10-game suspension to open the season, and they added Brandon Miller with the second pick in the draft. Mark Williams showed promise as a rookie, LaMelo Ball was back healthy, and they still had veterans like Terry Rozier, PJ Washington, and Gordon Hayward, giving them a solid rotation. They played in the Play-In Tournament in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, so they should be able to get back there. Right?
Well, not exactly. Almost everything that could have gone wrong, did. LaMelo only played in 22 games, while Williams only managed to play 19 times. They ended up trading Rozier to Miami, Hayward to OKC, and Washington to Dallas because the veterans were languishing on a tank team once again. They finished with six fewer wins than the year before, but instead of jumping into the lottery, they dropped three spots to the sixth pick.
Still, it wasn’t all bad. Miller was one of the best rookies in the league, Bridges’ production was similar to his numbers before last season, and they were able to get a look at players like Grant Williams, Nick Richards, Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic who were expected to be part of their rotation advancing. They will have a chance to add another piece in the lottery, which should give them an intriguing young core to pair with first-year head coach Charles Lee. If this team can stay healthy, it should be much more competitive than over the last two seasons.
Fantasy Spotlight: Miles Bridges
Bridges was unsigned after a stellar 2021-22 campaign despite being in line for a big payday due to domestic violence allegations. It was an odd decision by the league, but after he signed a one-year contract to return to Charlotte last season, the NBA considered his year-long absence plus a 10-game suspension to be appropriate punishment.
Regardless of his off-court issues, Bridges has managed to be effective for Charlotte this season. He averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 triples per game, while also dishing out 3.3 assists and nearly adding a steal per game. He took a career-high 17.5 shots per game, which resulted in his shooting percentage dropping to 46.2%.
There were rumors at the trade deadline that the Suns were interested in trading for Bridges, but he reportedly refused to waive his no-trade clause. His priority is clearly getting paid, and Charlotte offers the best chance for that to happen. However, he is expected to enter unrestricted free agency, so there is a chance he could play elsewhere next season. The best situation for him in Fantasy is to return to Charlotte, where he was among the top 75 players the last two full seasons, missing just 15 games, 10 of them due to suspension. He was the only player on the team to offer top value and play more than 25 games, and there’s no reason to think that won’t continue if he re-signs with the Hornets.
Costume Reveal: Brandon Miller
Charlotte selected Miller with the No. 2 pick in a loaded 2023 draft despite most sources ranking Scoot Henderson as the No. 2 player in the class. Still, after one season, the Hornets appear to have made the right decision. In 74 games, Miller averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.5 triples per game while shooting 44% from the field and 82.7% from the line free throw. He started quickly and was able to contribute great value all season despite LaMelo barely being available to facilitate the offense.
He did not finish in the top 100, although that is not unusual for rookies. Miller showed a lot of flashes and was able to contribute value across the board, which makes him an excellent option for major leagues. His shooting percentages will increase with LaMelo on the floor, giving him easy looks, as well as improving as he logs more games. He finished his junior year on a high note, scoring at least 20 points in seven of his last 10 games, which also included two 30-point games. Miller has often compared his game to Paul George’s, and if he can feel the PG spike, he’ll be a fantasy superstar for a long time to come.
Fantasy Disappointment: LaMelo Ball
When he was on the court, LaMelo didn’t have much trouble being effective. Unfortunately, when you only play 22 games after going from the first to the second round, it’s hard to be classified as anything other than a failure. After playing the first 15 games of the season, Ball missed nearly two months before returning for seven games in January. After that, he was sidelined for the rest of the season.
Charlotte’s injury report was a major headache for Fantasy managers, as they almost never provided clear injury timelines for Ball or Mark Williams. Still, despite the small sample size, LaMelo averaged career highs in points (23.9) and steals (1.8). He is still young and is more than capable of being one of the top players in fantasy basketball. However, since playing in 75 games in his second season, he has only played in 58 games in the last two. His ADP will drop next year, which could end up making him an excellent value pick.
Fantasy recaps/previews
Marcos Williams:
After showing flashes during her rookie season, expectations for Williams entering her second year were high. He started well, playing 19 of the first 20 games and averaging 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 64.9% from the line. However, following the matchup with Toronto on December 8, Williams did not dress again. He missed the final 62 games of the year, and the team never officially ruled him out for the season. This was certainly frustrating for fantasy managers, so I hope his back is fully healed to start next season. As long as it doesn’t linger early in the year, Williams should be a strong central option in the middle rounds.
Nick Richards:
With Williams sidelined for most of the year, Richards ended up starting 51 games and averaging 10.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s not a fantasy star by any means, but he was able to contribute solid center numbers while holding down the starting spot. Williams has played just 62 games in his first two seasons, and if that trend continues, Richards should see time as a player worth passing on. However, his upside is virtually nonexistent, and if they take a center with the sixth pick (like Donovan Clingan), Richards will lose virtually all of his value. He’s not a player worth drafting, but if he enters the year as the team’s main backup, he’ll be worth keeping an eye on.
Three Mann:
After spending the first two and a half years of his career with the Thunder, Mann was traded to Charlotte as part of the trade that sent Gordon Hayward to OKC. Mann had fallen out of the rotation in Oklahoma City, but was quickly able to see a big role with the Hornets. In 28 games, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.4 triples in 31 minutes per game. He was known as a clutch shooter off the bench at OKC, but he displayed elite stealing numbers and improved play after the trade. Mann will likely return to the bench with LaMelo Ball healthy, but he’s only 23 years old and has managed to show that he’s worth keeping around. He won’t be worth drafting in standard leagues, but if LaMelo goes down, he could end up earning extra minutes and being worth streaming. However, there is probably no path to 12-team value without an injury ahead.
Grant Williams:
Williams signed with the Mavericks last summer, but his tenure with the team didn’t last a full season as they ended up trading him to the Hornets for PJ Washington. Williams was a solid piece for Boston, but was disappointing as a starter for Dallas. However, in 29 games with Charlotte, he averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 triples while shooting 50.3% from the floor. He saw some play at center when Richards was out of the lineup, but will likely be the team’s backup power forward when the lineup is fully healthy. Williams has proven that he can be a reliable rotation piece, but he doesn’t have much value in fantasy basketball. Even when he started, the numbers didn’t increase. He will try to find success playing in his hometown, but coaches shouldn’t expect a statistical leap from him.
Vasilije Micic:
Micic was drafted with the 52nd pick in 2014 by the 76ers, but remained in Europe to continue his professional playing career. His rights were traded to the Thunder as part of the Al Horford deal in 2020, and he ended up signing with OKC in 2023. The 30-year-old rookie played a minor role with the Thunder, but ended up playing a significant role. to Charlotte following a trade deadline change. He started 21 games for the Hornets and averaged 11.8 points, 6.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 triples per game. He also recorded four double-doubles, which included 13 assists in a game in March. He won’t be worth drafting, but if LaMelo struggles with injuries next season, Micic could be a useful streaming option.
Early Termination Option: Davis Bertans
Team Option: JT Thor
Unrestricted Free Agents: Mile Bridges
Restricted Free Agents: Amari Bailey
