Charles Lee outlined where Charlotte must improve after a 44-win season, pointing to defensive turnovers, paint attacks and the Hornets' revamped roster.
Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee went through what he wants changed from last season and what the offseason brought in during media day Monday, one day before training camp opens. Matt Alquiza of Hornets On SI posted Lee's full answer.
Charlotte went 44-38 in Lee's second season after opening 4-14. After a home win over the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament, the season ended with a 121-90 loss at Orlando on April 17.
Lee took over in May 2024. His first team finished 19-63. Before last season, bookmakers set Charlotte's over-under at 27.5 wins, according to Basketball-Reference. Based on point differential, the site lists the Hornets' expected record at 53-29.
Lee Wants Hornets to Create More Turnovers
Charlotte ranked fifth in offensive rating last season at 119.4 points per 100 possessions. Its defensive rating of 114.4 was 12th. The defense is where Lee wants the gains, starting with what his players do with their hands.
"Who are the players that we have returning?" Lee said. "How are we going to help those guys get better? What are the things that we're going to need to do to improve upon what we did last year? Looking at, obviously, our offensive and defensive efficiency, what were the areas defensively that I think we can get better at?"
"The turnover percentage stuck out to me a little bit," Lee continued. "And so how are you a little bit more aggressive on the ball? How can your hands be a little bit more active? What coverage things can we do to maybe create one or two more turnovers?"
"I would love for us to continue to be a sound defensive team because I think that's what we've brought to the table every night," Lee added. "And we have an identity. We know what our absolutes are defensively and offensively. We know what our identity is. We know what our absolutes are, but what are the ways that we can cut back some of the turnover percentage? How can we get to the free throw line or break the paint a little bit more?"
The Hornets allowed 111.2 points per game, the seventh-fewest in the NBA. They played at the 26th-fastest pace, averaging 96.8 possessions per 48 minutes.
Hornets Reshaped Roster Around Returning Core
Two starters from last season are gone. Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and draft compensation, then sent Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick. Dennis Schröder arrived in a separate trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Coby White, Moussa Diabaté, and Grant Williams are among those back. White re-signed on a three-year, $74 million contract.
Lee sees value in what Charlotte retained before accounting for the offseason additions.
"Looking at our players that are returning," Lee explained, "we've got 11 unbelievable players coming back from a skills — from a talent standpoint but also just from like a [Hornets] DNA perspective as well."
Lee Values Hornets' Added Playoff Experience
By Lee's count, the veterans added this summer bring 219 playoff games to a franchise that has not reached the postseason since 2016.
"I think [we] went out and acquired some targeted veterans that are going to bring something to both sides of the ball," Lee detailed. "They've all played at a high level offensively and defensively throughout their career. I think that they bring, we're looking at 219 games of playoff experience to our group and so that's always very valuable. And then I think that we've also done a great job bringing in some young talent through the draft with our two-ways. Some guys that obviously fit the DNA on and off the court."
In June, the Hornets drafted Washington's Hannes Steinbach at No. 14 and Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson Jr. at No. 18.
Hornets Still Have Two Roster Cuts to Make
The roster kept moving into the final week before camp. Charlotte flipped Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks for Buddy Hield on Sept. 22, then traded Hield to the Chicago Bulls for Rob Dillingham. The Hornets have 17 players on standard contracts and must get down to 15 before the regular season.
Before the hamstring injuries to Knueppel and Williams, the projected starting five was White, Miller, Knueppel, Reid, and Diabaté, NBA.com's season outlook reported. Both will sit out the preseason, with a re-evaluation set for the first week of the regular season.
Practices begin Tuesday. The Hornets' first preseason game is Oct. 6 against the Brooklyn Nets, and the regular season starts Oct. 21 in Brooklyn.
