Charlotte Hornets Team
On Feb. 8 trade deadline, Gordon Hayward was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and PJ Washington was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, as the organization looks to get a head start on rebuilding.
The Hornets finished 21-61 during the 2023-2024 season, which ranks them as the 27th team in the NBA and No. 13 in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets were eliminated from playoff contention on March 23.
| 🏀 2023-24 Record | 21-61 |
| 🏀 NBA Rank | 27 of 30 |
| 🏀 Eastern Conference Rank | 13 of 15 |
| 🏀 Southeast Division Rank | 4 of 5 |
| 🏀 ESPN BPI Power Index | 28 of 30 (-7.7) |
| ✅ Rankings Last Verified: | April 26, 2024 |
🎁 MORE: North Carolina Sports Betting Promos
Charlotte Hornets Offense
The Charlotte Hornets offense goes as star point guard LaMelo Ball goes. He didn't play between Nov. 26 and Jan. 12, but still leads the team in points per game—which should give you some indication of how the team is faring as a whole.
Forward Miles Bridges took on some of the offensive load, ranking third in scoring and leading the team in average minutes played (36.8).
Here's a look at the Hornets offensive stats and rankings, per ESPN:
| 🏀 Points Per Game | 106.5 (29th) |
| 🏀 Point Differential | -10.2 (30th) |
| 🏀 Assists Per Game | 24.7 (27th) |
| 🏀 Field Goal % | 46% (26th) |
| 🏀 3PT % | 35.2% (24th) |
| 🏀 Free Throw % | 78.5% (12th) |
| 🏀 Offensive Rebounds Per Game | 9.4 (26th) |
| 🏀 ESPN Offensive BPI | -5.9 (26th) |
| ✅ Rankings Last Verified: | April 26, 2024 |
His backcourt mate Terry Rozier stepped up in Ball's absence. However, Rozier was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a future first-round pick on Jan. 23.
The Hornets offense struggles from three-point range, as they rank 24th in three-point percentage and gain just under 46% of their points from the paint. While the Hornets offense does struggle in many areas, they have found success scoring off turnovers and fast breaks.
The problem, as you'll see below, is that they don't force many turnovers on defense.
Charlotte Hornets Defense
The Hornets defense ranks in the lower third in most major defensive stat categories:
| 🏀 Points Per Game Allowed | 116.7 (22nd) |
| 🏀 Defensive REBs Per Game | 34.8 (27th) |
| 🏀 Steals Per Game | 6.9 (25th) |
| 🏀 Blocks Per Game | 4.4 (26th) |
| 🏀 ESPN Defensive BPI | -3.6 (26th) |
| ✅ Rankings Last Verified: | April 26, 2024 |
The Hornets struggle to rebound and keep opponents from getting second-chance points. Center Mark Williams is perhaps the only player close to double-double range, averaging 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He and Nick Richards average just over 1 block per game, while every other Hornets defender averages less than 1 per game.
Two of the team's top five players in steals—Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier—were traded at the deadline, limiting the Hornets' ability to create turnovers.
Notable Charlotte Hornets Players
LaMelo Ball only played in 22 games so far this season and only 36 total games the season before. Ball broke his ankle last season and has struggled with lingering ankle injuries.
Such was the story of the Hornets season. The team dealt with injuries all year long.
| ⭐️ Starters |
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| 📈 Contributors Off the Bench |
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| ❌ Out for Season |
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Power forward P.J. Washington was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for a 2027 first-round draft pick and two Charlotte natives, F Grant Williams and G Seth Curry. The Hornets also sent two second-round picks to Dallas as part of the deal.
Veteran Gordon Hayward was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for G Tre Mann, G Vasilije Micic, and F Davis Bertans, and two second-round picks.
Charlotte Hornets Schedule: Most Important Games of 2023-24
- ❌ Nov. 26 at Orlando Magic: L, 130-117
- ❌ Dec. 11 vs. Miami Heat: L, 116-114
- ❌ Dec. 13 at Miami Heat: L, 115-104
- ❌ Dec. 16 vs. Philadelphia 76ers: L, 135-82
- ❌ Jan. 14 @ Miami Heat: L, 104-87
- ❌ Jan. 20 vs. Philadelphia 76ers: L, 97-89
- ✅ Jan. 23 @ Minnesota Timberwolves: W, 128-125
- ✅ Feb. 14 vs. Atlanta Hawks: W, 122-99
- ❌ March 1 @ Philadelphia 76ers: 121-114
- ❌ March 5 vs. Orlando Magic: 101-89
- ❌ March 16 @ Philadelphia 76ers: 109-98
- ❌ March 19 vs. Orlando Magic: 112-92
- ❌ March 23 @ Atlanta Hawks: 132-91
- ✅ April 5 vs. Orlando Magic: 124-115
- ✅ April 10 @ Atlanta Hawks: 115-114
Charlotte Hornets Rivals
Having a rivalry makes North Carolina sports betting that much more fun and engaging. The Hornets have a few of their own in the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks.
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Washington Wizards (60-70 vs Hornets All Time) The geographically-close Wizards and Hornets have a mini-rivalry, considering they are division rivals who play near each other. The other commonality they have is former Hornets owner Michael Jordan once played for the Wizards.
They have yet to play a truly meaningful playoff game or series, but in their bouts in the regular season they have been evenly matched. Their rivalry has been limited to trying to get atop the division. -
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Miami Heat (78-48 vs Hornets All Time) Despite having the same birth year, the Hornets and Heat have gone in two completely directions, with the Heat winning three NBA championships since 1988.
Some may say an actual rivalry budded between the teams in the 1990s when the Hornets traded fan-favorite center Alonzo Mourning to the Heat in November of 1995. The Heat also knocked the Hornets out of the playoffs in 2014 and 2016. -
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Atlanta Hawks (63-68 vs Hornets All Time) The Hawks are the closest team geographically to the Hornets, naturally sparking a rivalry. The Hornets have done surprisingly well against the Hawks.
📅 Upcoming Dates of the Rivalry Games: March 23, April 10
NBA Hornets 2024-25 Season Outlook
The Hornets are not eligible for the NBA Finals, having been eliminated from postseason contention in March.
The Hornets are more or less in a complete rebuilding mode: Former GM Mitch Kupchak stepped down in February after 6 seasons. He was replaced by Jeff Peterson in March. Then, not too long after, head coach Steve Clifford announced he would also be stepping down at the end of the season, and the team is still searching for his replacement.
In the middle of the season, the team traded away key playmakers in exchange for future draft capital.
Star point guard LaMelo Ball was slower to return from his lingering ankle injuries than the Hornets hoped, only playing in 22 games this season.
Charlotte Hornets Stadium
The Hornets play at the Spectrum Center, located in the Uptown area of Charlotte, North Carolina. It seats 19,077 for NBA games and 20,200 for college basketball games. It opened in 2005 and has been the home of the Hornets ever since.
The Hornets announced a partnership with bet365 North Carolina, so visitors at the Spectrum Center can see more sports betting integrations at the arena and on broadcasts.
How to Get Tickets to Hornets Games?
The most direct method is to buy tickets for Charlotte Hornets games at the Spectrum Center through the team's official website and their Official Ticket Marketplace, Ticketmaster.
Another popular option is an online ticket resale marketplace like VividSeats or StubHub. These sites allow fans to shop for previously purchased tickets being resold by other individuals.
Memberships and packages are also available through the Hornets Ticketing office for season tickets or multi-game deals.
Charlotte Hornets FAQs
The Charlotte Hornets are partnered with bet365 Sportsbook in North Carolina. They announced an exclusive multiyear partnership on Nov. 17, 2023. Expect to see signage and other branding at the Spectrum Center, Hornets digital platforms, and TV and radio broadcasts.
There is only one NBA team in North Carolina: the Charlotte Hornets. The Charlotte Hornets are the only NBA team in North Carolina. They started out as an expansion team in Charlotte in 1988 before moving to New Orleans as the Hornets/Pelicans. The franchise moved back to Charlotte as the Bobcats from 2004-2014.
The ownership group is led by co-chairman Gabe Plotkin and majority owner Rick Schnall. Plotkin and Schnall purchased the majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets from NBA legend and North Carolina native Michael Jordan in June 2023. Jordan is still a minority owner, along with country singer Eric Church and rapper J Cole.
Yes, Michael Jordan still owns a minority stake the Hornets. He never owned 100% of the team, but was a minority owner from 2006-2010 and the majority owner from 2010-2023. He sold his stake to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall for $3 billion.
The team was called the Charlotte Hornets from 1988 to 2002. Then they moved to New Orleans, where they became known first as the New Orleans Hornets, then the New Orleans Pelicans. The then-Charlotte Bobcats came to Buzz City in 2004. In 2014, Charlotte reclaimed the Hornets moniker.
The Hornets left Charlotte for New Orleans as then-owner George Shinn's decline in popularity led to a massive decrease in game attendence. Shinn was accused of kidnapping and sexual assault and, though he was found not guilty, his tarnished reputation drove him and his team out of Charlotte. In 2002, the NBA awarded Charlotte a new expansion team.
The Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and Atlanta Hawks are the Charlotte Hornets' biggest rivals in North Carolina. The Charlotte Hornets play in the Southeast Division, as do the Heat, Wizards and Hawks. The Hornets are 48-74 vs. the Heat all time, 70-60 vs. the Wizards and 68-63 vs. the Hawks.
The Charlotte Hornets primary colors are teal and dark purple. Their secondary colors are gray, black and light blue. After a 10-year stint as the Charlotte Bobcats with blue and black as their main colors, the franchise returned to the Hornets brand, including their former colors.
The best way to buy tickets directly for Charlotte Hornets games at the Spectrum Center is through the team's official website and their Official Ticket Marketplace, Ticketmaster. Another way to find tickets are through popular online ticket resale marketplaces like VividSeats or StubHub. Memberships and packages are available through the Hornets Ticketing office.
Author
Shannon Lane is a commercial editor and fact-checker for BetCarolina. She's spent the last decade working in sports media, including at NFL Media and as a reporter/fact-checker at Sports Illustrated. She covers everything NFL football to give North Carolina sports betters the best information on the Panthers and other NFL teams.
