Despite a solid offseason, the outlook for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025-26 season still doesn't appear bright. Zach Lowe doesn't just think they won't reach the postseason, but he ranked them in the bottom three of the East. His reason? The Hornets have done nothing to bolster their defense, which he believes will rank one of the eight worst in the league.
Lowe's assessment may be a bit harsh, considering that he grouped Charlotte into the same tier as the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets. It's tough to imagine a squad top-billed by LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel might not be significantly better than those two teams.