Why Thunder’s championship rebuild should inspire Hornets

Teams like the Charlotte Hornets at the bottom of the NBA standings often have a slim chance of winning the NBA Finals in the near future. If done correctly, though, a rebuild can be used to elevate a team from the basement of the league to the top of the mountain.

Five seasons ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder won just 22 games. After going through a rebuild and being at the bottom for a couple of years, they are now a threat to go on a dynastic run after they earned their first title on Sunday night with a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

While they endured a rough 2024-25 campaign, Charlotte stands out as a team that could follow OKC’s blueprint in an effort to make a similar…