A little bit later than I normally start this thread, here’s your chance to make the biggest call of your life (relatively) to prove that you’re smarter than the media and all the AI bots online.
What is your predicted record for the Hornets this year? Playoffs? PlayOFFS??
Any All stars or NBA awards?
Major trades expected? Who will have the biggest jump or impact of the young guys?
I’m going to go BOLD, and be optimistic about health this year. I would not go to Vegas (or FanDuel) with this, but I really like the vibe this year, is this the first non-dark cloud offseason in the past 5 years? I’m feeling a playoff run, hitting the 40 win mark, and winning the play-in to get into the playoffs!
For awards, I think Melo will be an all-star this year. With the fan vote and efficient production, he very well could be a starter. I think Kon will be on the all-rookie 1st or 2nd team, with Kalk having a chance at 2nd team if he gets a big role. And if Collin is coming off the bench, he’ll be in the running for 6th man of the year.
And less bold, I think OKC repeats, taking out the Knicks in the Finals.
Sadly, I don’t think we make the playoffs. I think we are strongly in contention for play-in and I would not put it past us to win a play-in game but ultimately, I think we’re picking late in the lottery (for the last time for a while).
I think if we are near .500 in Jan, Melo gets the nod. He’ll have the fan vote anyway but if he plays defense at all and shows himself to be a winning player, he’ll be in there in some capacity.
I am believing the hype that we will move Pat Connaughton’s contract as part of a larger deal. If we were to combine him with Mason’s contract and some 2nd rounders, I could see us making a move on a more notable big or a stretchier one.
Biggest jump, I am hoping it’s Brandon. Biggest impact, if Josh meets the criteria for young guys, I’d say his return and what it does for us defensively.
Predicting 35-47 (though my heart so wants a 40-42 season out of these kids and a real shot at playoff basketball)
I’m going to go with 35 wins and compete for play-in spot. Realitivly healthy. LaMelo gets an all-star spot. Miller with a good year. Kon finds his 3pt stroke.
Hearing rumors that Giannis gets moved at the trade deadline. Probably to New York. Let’s get in on that and pick up some more assets.
The best four to five teams in the east will be (in no order): Knicks, Cavs, Magic, Pistons, and Hawks. The Magic and/or Hawks will hang around and push for a top 3 seed in the eastern conference.
If Melo and Miller stay healthy, Hornets will win 40-42 games. Will push for the playoffs. One of the Magic or Hawks will make the eastern conference finals.
Edit: Bane will prove to be a monster addition for the Magic as the season goes on, just like Siakam was for the Pacers. It’s really the same set up. A trade that people are too sure about and the immediate reaction is that the smaller team overpaid for the player in the trade. Dyson Daniels and now healthy Jalen Johnson are going to make big steps forward for the Hawks and turn them into a defensively fiesty team to play against.
I hate even saying it out loud because we’re all anxious about it, but it Melo and Brandon miller stay (mostly) healthy I’m relatively optimistic on the outcome. If both stay mostly healthy, in a weaker eastern conference, I think 36+ wins is reasonable. Given that we have PG depth with Tre Mann and Sexton. And we’ll get Josh green and Grant Williams back who are plus defenders and crucial depth pieces.
40-42 wins is my bold claim of Melo and Brandon stay healthy. If kon clicks, Kalk looks like brook Lopez jr, and the green/grant duo come back healthy, I could see that win total go up a bit.
Also bold prediction: east won’t be as bad as people are claiming. Atlanta and Orlando will be quite good
