A new NBA power ranking has placed the Charlotte Hornets in a stronger-than-expected spot entering the season.
The new NBA season is almost upon us, with all teams chasing the New York Knicks to become champions.
There are a few very interesting teams across the league, with one of them coming from the Eastern Conference. This would be the Charlotte Hornets, who aren't generally seen as a title contender.
But the Hornets could be one of the most fun teams in the NBA, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Charlotte has a lot of young, talented players, and this could result in them being a tough opponent each night, no matter who they are facing.
The Hornets will come into the season expected to miss the playoffs entirely or to just make the NBA Play-In Tournament out East. This seems to be a decent expectation for this group until they can prove otherwise.
But in new power rankings from NBA analyst Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, Charlotte was given a decent landing spot. The Hornets came in ranked No. 18, giving them a higher-than-expected ranking.
Forward Brandon Miller takes over as the face of the Hornets this season, with star guard LaMelo Ball being traded over the offseason. Miller will now be the top option in Charlotte, and the organization is going to need him to take that next step.
The former No. 2 overall pick certainly has the talent to make it happen, but now he will have more responsibility on his shoulders. Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.0 steals over 65 games played last season.
Next to him will be second-year player Kon Knueppel, who broke out as a rookie. Knueppel put up 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.7 steals per game, while shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the three-point line.
The sharpshooter broke multiple records, including the NBA's all-time rookie single-season three-point record. Charlotte will be counting on Knueppel to keep developing, giving them more production this season.
The big piece added to the roster over the summer is center Naz Reid, who came over in the Ball trade. Reid has been a strong Sixth Man over his career, but now he should be given starting minutes.
The center can play both ends of the floor while spacing the offense out, giving the Hornets another weapon. Like Miller, Reid will have a lot of pressure on him to put this team on his back, but on the defensive end of the floor.
Overall, this Hornets team could shock some people this season if they can figure out how to play some defense. The playoffs could be in line for Charlotte this year, and if they can make it, the Hornets won't be an easy out for anyone.
