The Charlotte Hornets are near the top of an unwanted NBA list, ranking second among teams without a playoff series win in the 2020s according to ESPN analyst Zach Lowe. Lowe discussed the team's outlook on his podcast, noting their long postseason drought continues despite recent roster changes.
On the September 10 episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe listed the seven NBA franchises without a playoff series victory this decade. Only the Orlando Magic ranked ahead of Charlotte. The Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings followed. Lowe suggested the Hornets are "penciled in as 11th in the East" for the upcoming season, acknowledging defensive challenges but leaving room for upside.
The franchise last won a playoff series in 2002. Their most recent appearance was a first-round loss to Miami in 2016. Last season, Charlotte started 4-14 but rallied with a nine-game winning streak between January and February. They finished 44-38 with the league's fifth-ranked offense, securing the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
LaMelo Ball's layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in the first play-in game on April 14. Their season ended three nights later with a 121-90 loss to Orlando. That marked a tenth straight season without a playoff berth, the longest active streak in the NBA.
The core of the offseason was the June 25 trade sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In return, Charlotte acquired center Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. Reid averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season for Minnesota.
General manager Jeff Peterson indicated a broader reshuffle, saying, "If we trade LaMelo, we're probably trading Miles." Three days later, Charlotte agreed to send Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 Phoenix first-round pick. Bridges was entering the final year of a $22.8 million contract.
Charlotte also re-signed guard Coby White to a three-year, $74 million deal. Before his mid-season trade from Chicago, White averaged 18.6 points and 4.7 assists. Lowe commented on the Ball-for-White swap, calling it "probably a step back offensively" but questioned the size of that step.
Brandon Miller, who led the team with 20.2 points per game last season, is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. He forms a new foundation alongside 2025 fourth overall pick Kon Knueppel, who averaged 18.5 points as a rookie. The team also drafted Hannes Steinbach 14th and Christian Anderson 18th in June.
Peterson, in a team preview, clarified the organization's ambition extends beyond a single appearance. "The goal isn't to get to the play-in or even the playoffs for one year," he said. The focus is on sustainable growth.
The Hornets head into the new campaign with mixed recent results.
They open the regular season against the Brooklyn Nets at Spectrum Center on October 21, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. ET. The rebuilt roster aims to finally end the league's longest playoff drought.
