Armed with a massive stockpile of future draft picks and elite trade assets, Charlotte is primed to surround stars LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel with championship-caliber depth.
The Charlotte Hornets took a major leap by making the Play-In Tournament this April.
The Hornets won their first tournament game, but were blown out by the Orlando Magic in the second game.
The loss to Orlando shows that Charlotte has much that it needs to do to become a contender in the Eastern Conference, much less catch the giants in the Western Conference.
Still, the future is bright for a Hornets team that has young stars in LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel.
Bobby Marks of ESPN placed the Hornets in "Tier 1" for having some of the most league wide assets. Charlotte owns the No. 14 and No. 18 picks in this year's draft. They have 10 incoming future first-round picks, seven maximum tradable future first-round picks and 14 future second-round picks.
Over the next two offseasons, the Horners can add five players in the first round.
"Besides having two firsts this June, Charlotte could have three next year; its own, a top-two protected pick from Dallas and a top-14 protected pick from Miami," Marks wrote.
"(If not conveyed, the Heat will send their 2028 unprotected pick.) Charlotte also has a 2029 least favorable first among Cleveland, Minnesota (if 6-30) and Utah."
It's imperative the Hornets don't squander the opportunity they have to build a championship roster.
Hornets head coach Charles Lee recently told Ryen Russillo, that Hornets do a good job of communicating their needs before the draft. Hornets President of Basketball Operations) Jeff Peterson makes sure the team can find players that fit the team's needs and budget.
"As we went through that draft process, it was good to say, 'Hey, this is where we see our team right now. This is what we saw day-to-day, at practice, during games, what we struggled with, what we're good at, and then what player is best going to help not only our environment, but also the on-court product.'" Lee said.
"And I think we were able to figure that out at a pretty high level."
The Hornets did an amazing job finding talent last year. If they hit on more picks in the next few years, Charlotte could build a dynasty.
