Hornets media day: LaMelo Ball braces for injury-free season; will playoff drought end?

There’s something different going on with the Charlotte Hornets, something that doesn’t mirror the usual offseason PJ Washington had grown accustomed to in his handful of years here.

“Well, it’s the first time that I’ve seen it, so I think it’s good,” the Hornets’ big man said Monday. “It just shows that everybody is locked in and ready to go. So, everybody is excited for camp and to get the season going.”

Washington was referring to the Hornets’ solid attendance for optional workouts following their return to town from their various summer vacation spots. Rather than waiting until the last week or so to rally the players together, Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward insisted on changing things this year and took matters into their own hands prior to the start of training camp.

Rozier makes his offseason home in South Florida and typically doesn’t head back north with the snowbirds until a few days remain before the team officially rolls out the basketballs for the first practice. But the Hornets’ disappointing 2022-23 season paired with Rozier’s own decreased production drove him to ensure an even more increased level of focus.

So, Rozier and Hayward assisted in organizing the player participation, collectively bringing the group together earlier than normal so they could get right down to business. It’s led to a general enthusiasm that hasn’t been too prevalent throughout the organization over the past half-decade.

“I think I’m way more excited this year than I’ve ever been putting on a Charlotte Hornets’ uniform,” Rozier said. “The main reason is because I think I took this summer, and I think I had the best summer, just doing things that I wanted to do. Just from the standpoint of being in the gym and weight room, making sure that my body is perfect.

“And obviously showing the young guys coming in here before training camp, start showing the young guys that I care and show them that we are all ready to get over this hump. These last couple of years haven’t been what we wanted. So, me coming in early was just something, just trying to let the young guys know that it is important, and I care and am ready to get to it.”

Same goes for Hayward. He’s ready to change the narrative that’s existed in his three years here. A trio of losing seasons also spurred him into action.

“Certainly, it’s what drove me to have the summer that I did,” said Hayward, who had a full offseason without needing any rehab for once. “I think you are not happy with how things have gone. And some of it’s out of our control, just with the health and different things like that.

“But I think these last three weeks have been good for our team; build some chemistry here and get acclimated to how each other wants to play out there. But certainly this year feels differently.”

It has a somewhat contrasting vibe to coach Steve Clifford, too.

He was at the head of the bench when the Hornets last made the playoffs in 2015-16, losing in the first round in seven games to Miami, and is already convinced this roster is loaded with an overall better collection of players.

“This is 20-something years for me, but it’s my 10th year as a head coach,” Clifford said. “This is the most talented of any team I’ve coached as a head coach, OK? If you go down through the teams I’ve coached, I’ve coached a lot of teams that were pretty good or whatever.

“We are young, but to me this is the most talented team .I’ve ever coached as a head coach. Now everything is about attitude and how we evolve.”

He won’t get an argument from Rozier. He co-signed Clifford’s thoughts.

“It’s no knock on our previous Charlotte Hornets teams, but this is definitely by far the most talented guys that really care in the locker room,” Rozier said. “But like I said, it’s no knock on previous teams. But we have a great locker room. We have guys that can really do what we need and play their role, and you can see that right now.

“And it’s good to see before the season starts, us all getting in there early. But this is the most talented team since I’ve put on a Charlotte Hornets uniform.”

Which is why the Hornets believe this will finally be the year they punch postseason tickets again. It’s way past time and they now boast the NBA’s longest playoff drought.

“We are shooting for the playoffs,” LaMelo Ball said. “So, definitely (it’s) just getting in there and making some noise.”

But first, the key is to keep putting in the necessary work, turning their words into action.

“I think our goal should be to be a playoff team,” Clifford said. “I just told them that. Right now, I think what they need to be thinking about, though … I think that’s down the road. What I just talked the guys about is this: starting (Tuesday) what we are doing the next 22 days. That’s it. ...

So the main part of practice and getting your intensity right is these next 22 days. And if we knock it out then we’ll be in a good place and then we can go from there.”

Here are some of the key takeaways from the Hornets’ media day:

New equipment for LaMelo Ball

Ball added some new gear to his wardrobe. And the hope is it will cut down on the ankle injuries that have plagued him in his three seasons in Charlotte.

“I’ll wear braces, yeah,” Ball said.

In fact, he’s tried them out already. The Hornets had him wearing the braces during summer workouts to test them out. And it didn’t hinder him at all.

“I thought it was going to be like a real big deal,” Ball said. “But it don’t feel too bad.”

Ball hasn’t made it through a full schedule yet as a pro, appearing in just 36 games last season after injuring his ankles four times. His season ended March 1 when he had surgery to repair a fractured right ankle.

The Hornets’ star also sprained his ankle in each of the past two preseasons. Perhaps now, though, some preventative devices can keep that from happening again.

“Melo’s a great all-around player,” Miles Bridges said. “The only thing you have to worry about with him is can he stay healthy? And I feel like him wearing ankle braces, that will help him. That’s something that Kemba (Walker) did. He put on knee pads, ankle braces, And I think it will help him. He’s just got to get adjusted.”

Cody Martin’s health

Martin doesn’t have a specific date or an exact timetable on his return.

Martin is still working his way back after playing in just seven games in 2022-23 and sitting out the Hornets’ final 38 outings nursing lingering soreness in his knee. So, what’s the holdup to his full-fledged return?

“I think just like with anything, with any injury, sometimes it’s more than the injury itself,” Martin said. “Sometimes it’s getting back into the rhythm of things. Sometimes it’s whatever it is. And some of that stuff varies. I think for me, specifically, I have to make sure, because last year I had a few times where I tried to go and I might not have been 100%. And that’s trial and error. And just learning from that.

“The best thing I can do is make sure when I go in next time, whenever that is, and making sure that I’m ready and there are no setbacks and I have the best possibility of going out there and being 100%. That’s what’s most important.”

Martin didn’t do any scrimmaging with his teammates during the offseason and has mostly stuck to individual work. He’ll likely be limited at the start of camp and will probably increase his activity as camp rolls on.

Still, he remains convinced he’s heading in the right direction.

“I think I’m optimistic in general with just my approach,” Martin said. “I think I’m going to be there at 100%. I just think we just have to be smart about when that is and when to take those steps. A lot of that is just a collaboration between us to where we have to make sure that we both feel like we are in a good spot to ... introduce different things and when it’s time to get on the floor, making sure that I’m in a good spot to where we all feel comfortable in that when I’m out there I can be myself.

“So, I think that’s the most important thing right now and I’m going to continue to do what I’m doing.”

Plan for Miles Bridges

After he missed a full season and understanding he’s going to be suspended for the first 10 games of the 2023-24 campaign, the Hornets have a plan to incorporate Bridges and get him into game shape.

But it could include a few peaks and valleys.

“Nah, that’s a tricky one to be sure,” Clifford said. “I’ve been through this twice with guys … and it’s hard. One of the things that we will do here, is we don’t do a lot of drills and stuff in training camp. And I know people are always surprised by that. The (Jeff) Van Gundy approach was always scrimmage. It’s better for intensity, it’s better for competition. They like it more.

“And so for him, that will be good.”

This is obviously uncharted territory for Bridges. He’s unsure how rapidly it will shake out. But he’s aware there are only a few true ways he can get back to where he wants to be physically.

“Just extra reps,” Bridges said, “going to the weight room more, pushing myself past exhaustion, pushing myself to where I’m uncomfortably tired, that’s what I’ve been working on lately. Because I’ll get the feel back for the game. It’s just me more so getting my wind back.”

Not so Miller light for this rookie

Brandon Miller is going to get a good night’s sleep. He’s not the least bit nervous about taking the floor for his first official pro practice on Tuesday.

“No, no, no, no,” he said. “We are here to have fun. We are here to have fun with it. I think that’s all I can ask for now is to have fun and compete at a high level.”

That’s apparently what Miller has been doing over the last few months. Miller said he’s reached his playing weight goal of 210 pounds, which he believes will help bounce off bumps and finish better through contact.

Coaches, players and team staff alike have all raved about Miller’s skills and personality. And he’s wasted no time in integrating himself into his new organization.

“It’s definitely a lot of work put in every day as far as on the court,” Miller said. “Off the court, I think it’s just a character thing. I’ve built bonds with everybody. I’ve heard from PJ everyday, I’ve heard from Melo everyday. All the vets. So, it’s kind of a nice thing to have to have other great players look over you like that and kind of steer you in the right direction.”

Everyone — from Ball to Bridges to Hayward to Clifford — is extremely confident that Miller is going to fit in easily — like a missing piece to a jigsaw puzzle. The pressure, in a good way, is on for Miller.

“Phew, that’s a big role to have just coming in as a rookie,” Miller said. “But I feel like as a team I think we will feel everything out. It’s going to be a long season, but it’s definitely going to be a great season.”