The National Basketball Association is a month away, and it is once again time to preview every NBA franchise. I will be covering the teams in the Eastern Conference and my colleague, Joel Beatton, will feature teams in the Western Conference. Today we are featuring the Brooklyn Nets.
Key Acquisition
The most notable acquisition for the Hornets in the off-season came at the 2023 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Charlotte selected swingman Brandon Miller of Nashville, Tennessee. Miller, who can play small forward and shooting guard, played his College Basketball at the University of Alabama, a university in the United States known for its football more than its basketball. He was the top American born player taken in the draft, and was only selected behind San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama of Le Chesnay, France.
Fantasy Star
Guard LaMelo Ball of Anaheim, California was in his third season with the Hornets in 2022-23. Last year he had 23.3 points per game, 8.4 assists per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 1.3 steals per game. Ball had a field goal percentage of .411, free throw percentage of .836, and three-point percentage of .376. However, he only played 36 regular season games because of a broken ankle in a 117-106 Charlotte win over the Detroit Pistons. Ball is projected to be fifth among point guards and third among shooting guards.
Projected Finish
The Hornets were a massive disappointment to me in 2022-23. I really thought they had the overall talent and skill set to contend for a division title. They were simply awful, and had the second worst record in the Eastern Conference at 27 wins and 55 losses. Charlotte is in a massive rebuild, and will have a similar record in 2023-24.
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