3 Tough Choices The Hornets Have To Make This Off-Season

#1- Gordon Hayward

During every offseason, NBA teams aim to improve, and the Charlotte Hornets are no exception. Their failure to make the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons highlights the need for change. However, making roster improvements often involves difficult decisions.

These decisions may involve trading away beloved players or choosing not to retain reliable contributors, all in the pursuit of creating more salary cap space. Such choices are never easy. This summer, the Hornets will face several tough decisions, particularly regarding the direction they want to take in building their current core.

Undoubtedly, some of these decisions will be unpopular. However, as long as they are made in the best interest of the franchise, we should be able to accept them. With that in mind, let's explore three challenging choices the Hornets will likely face this summer.

First, they must determine what to do with Gordon Hayward. Acquiring Hayward through a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics was initially seen as a significant victory. He brought All-Star caliber skills, scoring ability, playmaking, and versatility on defense. However, his history of health struggles with the Celtics raised concerns about the future.

Unfortunately, those concerns became a reality. Hayward has consistently missed a significant number of regular season games during his time with the Hornets, putting additional pressure on his teammates to compensate for his absence. Moreover, he is the highest-paid player on the team, consuming a considerable portion of the salary cap.

Entering the final year of his contract, Hayward becomes a tradeable asset for the Hornets. It is likely that the franchise will explore trade possibilities to gauge the return they could receive for the 33-year-old forward. However, moving Hayward would weaken the team's rotation in terms of talent. Despite the presence of talented players like LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, and potentially Miles Bridges, Hayward is currently viewed as the most skilled and dynamic player on the roster when he is healthy.

Nevertheless, Hayward's talent has not translated into postseason success for the Hornets. Now, the team must choose a path forward, one that will likely involve getting younger and acquiring assets.

#2- P.J Washington's RFA

The Charlotte Hornets are expected to extend PJ Washington the $8.4 million qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent this summer. It's clear that the Hornets want to maintain control over one of their promising young assets, so the qualifying offer is a predictable move.

However, the real question arises once restricted free agency begins. The Hornets will have a specific number in mind and will draw a line to avoid engaging in a bidding war that could lead to overpaying for Washington's services.

This past season, Washington demonstrated his value as a key contributor to the Hornets' rotation. He showed that he could handle an increased workload without a significant drop in efficiency on the court.

In 73 games, Washington averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 51.8% from two-point range and 34.8% from beyond the arc. It's reasonable to expect that multiple teams will express interest in the former lottery pick, hoping to lure him away from the Hornets during the offseason.

#3- What do we do at number 2?

The Charlotte Hornets face a challenging decision with the second overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Currently, two names, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller, are being discussed in the media as potential options.

However, there are doubts about Henderson's long-term compatibility with LaMelo Ball and whether selecting him, as a guard from the G-League Ignite, would be the right choice for the Hornets in both the short and long term. Despite the questions, some, including ESPN college analyst Fran Fraschilla, believe that adding Henderson alongside LaMelo could work well.

On the other hand, there is a strong argument that Miller fills a positional need and would provide a diverse roster that can maximize LaMelo's potential in the long run. Every team desires a potential two-way wing with scoring ability at all three levels and valuable size, making Miller an attractive prospect.

Fortunately, the enormous responsibility of making this decision falls on the shoulders of Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan, not us. However, the choice they make will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the team's competitiveness in the near future, making it one of the toughest decisions of the summer.