Hornets training camp primer: Five burning questions Charlotte must answer

The No. 2 overall draft pick is on board. The new owners are settling in. LaMelo Ball and PJ Washington got paid. Miles Bridges is back. And Kai Jones’ curious behavior has him currently on the outside looking in

Yet another no-so-boring offseason is now finally behind the Charlotte Hornets, replaced by enthusiasm and a whole bunch of nervous energy ready to be unleashed. Preparations for a critical 2023-24 season will officially tip off on Tuesday when the Hornets host their first training camp practice, which comes a week before their preseason opener in Miami against the Heat on Oct. 10.

It all leads up to Charlotte’s regular season getting under way against Atlanta at Spectrum Center on Oct. 25.

“I feel really optimistic,” coach Steve Clifford told The Observer.

As the Hornets ready themselves and begin laying the groundwork to try to snap their eight-year playoff drought, here are five burning questions they’re facing heading into training camp:

Will LaMelo Ball’s ankles stay out of harm’s way?

After opening up the vault and offering the most lucrative deal in the 35 years of the franchise’s existence in Charlotte, locking him up with a new five-year deal that could be worth as much as $260 million, the Hornets have officially given LaMelo Ball the keys.

Now, it’s imperative for the star point guard to be available to drive the company car. That’s how much he means to the team’s success.

Ball hasn’t made it through a full slate in any of his three seasons, a frustrating trend he surely wouldn’t mind reversing. He was on the court for just 36 games in 2022-23 thanks in part to getting banged up on four occasions, and his season ended with March 1 surgery to repair a fractured right ankle. He’s also sprained his ankle in each of the past two preseasons.

In July, Ball said he was feeling good health-wise and that’s undoubtedly music to the Hornets’ ears. Charlotte posted 5.7 more points per 100 possessions when Ball was in the lineup — matching the production of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James (5.7) and placing him ahead of Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (5.6).

As Ball goes, so do the Hornets and having him able-bodied will go a long way in determining where they will finish in an ultra-competitive Eastern Conference.

Can Miles Bridges get in game shape quickly?

Miles Bridges turned in the best season of his career in 2021-22, taking his game to new heights as he sped toward what many thought would be a hefty payday.

But that all crumbled when he got arrested in June of 2022 in the hours leading into the official start of free agency. Bridges pled guilty to felony domestic violence in November and didn’t sign a contract all season, making him a restricted free agent this past summer. He signed a $7.9 million qualifying offer in July and will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

While he spent many days working out over the months preceding his return to the Hornets, it’s hard to simulate NBA action. However, Clifford said Bridges is much further ahead of things physically than he anticipated, and that bodes well for an athletic player who’s a year removed from competing against the world’s elite.

Given Bridges is betting on himself by taking a one-year deal to resume his career in Charlotte, and has the ability to choose where he’ll continue his career next summer, he’s going to need to put together an elite-level comeback campaign to gather enough steam prior to heading into the open market in eight months.

Where does Brandon Miller fit in?

One of the more intriguing things to keep an eye on over the next six-plus months centers around the Hornets’ prized No. 2 overall pick. And so far the internal reviews have done little to quell the franchise’s excitement.

Charlotte’s decision-makers continue to rave about Brandon Miller and he’s in line to fill more than one void. The Hornets expect Miller to bring even more versatility to their ultimate vision of positionless basketball.

With his stature, skill set and defensive ability, the Hornets think Miller can flourish in three separate spots among various five-man combinations. Where Clifford believes Miller slots best with certain lineups at the top of the questions the Hornets have to answer over the coming weeks.

What’s up with Cody Martin?

Cody Martin was a forgotten man in a sense this past season, unable to log much action due to lingering soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee. He played in just seven games and sat out the Hornets’ final 38 contests, which was not the plan after signing a four-year, $31 million contract last summer.

And he’s apparently going to start things off slowly over the coming weeks.

Martin will be limited at the outset of camp, according to Clifford. The Hornets likely have a plan to ramp things up with the 28-year-old using a gradual progression, giving him time to knock off the rust and make sure his body responds appropriately to contact and the wear and tear associated with the NBA daily grind.

Clifford values defense and never got a true chance to implement him into his system in 2022-23. Although the Hornets are deeper on the wing than they’ve been in recent memory, they have a head coach who values an ability to guard some of the opponent’s best players. And that’s where Martin could come into play — provided he can stay on the court and out of the trainer’s room more than he did during an injury-ravaged campaign a year ago.

Who will back up LaMelo Ball at point guard?

Remember how things all fell together with Dennis Smith Jr.?

Smith had a nice resurgence with the Hornets, riding a non-guaranteed deal inked just before training camp into becoming an integral piece off the bench. He nabbed 1.4 steals per game, which were a career best, and the 75 total steals he recorded were the most he’s produced in his career.

Oh, and defensively the Hornets surrendered 10.7 points fewer points per 100 possessions with Smith on the court, representing the second-best showing number of those who logged a minimum of 1,000 minutes, according to Cleaning the Glass.

But now Charlotte must look elsewhere for that kind of production with Smith in Brooklyn. The Hornets signed Frank Ntilikina to a non-guaranteed one-year deal and they’re hoping lightning can strike twice, given Ntilikina is known more for his defensive presence and isn’t an offensive threat.

They signed Théo Maledon to a two-way contract on Friday, and fared well in short spurts during his 44 games last season, averaging 6.7 points, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds.

Playing Terry Rozier at backup often could take its toll on the 29-year-old and wear him down over the course of the long season. So, that’s likely not a great option long-term.

Finding the proper floor general to keep things moving when Ball isn’t out there is essential to the Hornets’ success. There’s always going to be a natural drop off without Ball. But Charlotte can’t allow that dip to reach cavernous proportions.