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The Charlotte Hornets are four years removed from their last playoffs appearance back in 2016. They finished ninth in the Eastern Conference last season but that was mainly due to the Washington Wizards' losing steak in the NBA bubble. They're not expected to be anywhere close to the postseason or feature in a lot of NBA trade rumors, except for the ones involving draft-day trades.
Dream starting 5 for Charlotte Hornets in the 2020-21 season based on NBA trade rumors
The Charlotte Hornets have a core of young players that they'd like to develop. They have good cap space but given their small market and loss of finances, they're unlikely to trade for a renowned named. They could, however, move up the draft to acquire a top prospect.
As such, this is what Charlotte Hornets' ideal starting five for next season would look like.
Point guard: Devonte' Graham
Many people saw Devonte' Graham as one of the contenders for the Most Improved Player honors and rightly so. He went from 4.7 points and 2.6 assists per game in 2018-19 to 18.2 points and 7.5 assists per game in 2019-20.
Efficiency still remains a concern and Graham needs to improve there if he wants to lead the Charlotte Hornets' offense. You simply cannot attempt 15 shots per game and make less than 40% of them. His defense is also a work in progress.
Shooting guard: Terry Rozier
Terry Rozier had a tough start to life in Charlotte with him struggling to get the offense going. But he eventually found his rhythm – especially from beyond the arc – and averaged 18 points per game at an accuracy of 40.7% from downtown. He had a massive 40-point outing in his last game of the season.
Rozier would be hoping to break the 20 points barrier next season but also needs to improve his defense a lot. He also needs to do away with the habit of hijacking the offense entirely at times.
Small forward: Miles Bridges
Entering the third year of his NBA career, Miles Bridges has a lot riding on him. Head coach James Borrego will be expecting him to lead the defensive charge for the Charlotte Hornets. He improved his production on offense last year, averaging 13 points per game on 42.4% shooting from the field. Bridges' two-way potential will go a long way in deciding how high the Charlotte Hornets finish in the East.
Power forward: PJ Washington
The Charlotte Hornets took a risk by drafting PJ Washington with the 12th pick last year and it paid off. Washington averaged 12.2 points per game and is a real shooting threat given his field goal accuracy of 45.5% (37.4% from downtown).
Washington is another foundational piece who is switchable on defense and has got multiple offensive weapons. He's a decent rebounder too. He needs to improve his efficiency from the charity stripe but that can be worked upon.
Center: James Wiseman
The Charlotte Hornets have not tried to hide their interest in Memphis' James Wiseman. The Golden State Warriors also seem to love Wiseman so Charlotte may have to trade up the draft in order to acquire him.
Although he played only three games for the Memphis Tigers, James Wiseman showcased his athleticism amply to awe scouts around the NBA. Given his huge 7'1 frame and the mobility despite that, Wiseman has the potential to become one of the best rim protectors in the league.
Also read: NBA Draft 2020 - Charlotte Hornets willing to trade up for securing James Wiseman
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