Hornets 2016-17 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
The Charlotte Hornets found themselves in an interesting position in the 2016 offseason. On one hand, the team was coming off a fantastic 48-34 campaign that saw it reach the postseason, though it lost in the first round to the Miami Heat.
For the team's full schedule, be sure to check out NBA.com.
On the other hand, the Hornets didn't seem anywhere close to winning an NBA title and appeared unlikely to attract any major superstars. For Charlotte, there seemed to be three options this offseason:
- Blow up the roster and build a championship contender from scratch.
- Swing a few trades to change the roster balance without moving on from the team centerpieces.
- Maintain the status quo.
Unsurprisingly, the team chose the third option.
The Hornets re-signed both Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams—key moves for the team's future. Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee and Jeremy Lin all departed in free agency, but the team replaced them with Marco Belinelli, Roy Hibbert and Ramon Sessions.
The starting five will likely be Kemba Walker, Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Williams and Cody Zeller. That's a strong unit. While the departures of Jefferson, Lee and Lin certainly hurt the team's depth—and Belinelli, Hibbert and Sessions aren't upgrades—the Hornets didn't dramatically alter their roster composition, and Steve Clifford won't have to dramatically alter his philosophy to fit the new pieces.
But the Hornets will also have a slightly weaker bench, and several teams in the Eastern Conference look improved. Making the postseason is no guarantee.
2015-16 Details
Season Opener: Oct. 26 at Milwaukee Bucks
Championship Odds: 200-1 (via Odds Shark on July 14)
Full Schedule: NBA.com
Top Matchups
First Home Matchup: Dec. 31
All roads in the Eastern Conference run through Cleveland. And as long as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love remain with the Cavaliers, that will be the case.
So how do the Charlotte Hornets stack up against the defending NBA champions?
Well, not great.
A year after going 1-3 against the Cavs in the regular season, the team didn't really improve in the offseason. Yes, getting Kidd-Gilchrist back will help against James, and Williams can chip in against the King as well. But James averaged 25.3 points and 6.8 assists against Charlotte last year, and it's hard to see that changing much.
The Hornets don't really offer anything that Cleveland can't handle. The Cavaliers twice scored 112 or more points against the Hornets last year, so their defense won't slow them down. Charlotte isn't explosive on offense, either, so that won't concern the Cavs.
Still, these games will serve as a solid measuring stick as to where the team stands among the Eastern Conference's top teams. If they play the Cavaliers tough, it will certainly be an indication that the Hornets may be primed to make a run in the postseason.
The Southeast Division
First Home Matchup: Nov. 18 vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Southeast Division may be the most wide-open in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat lost Luol Deng and Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh's status for the 2016-17 season remains undetermined. The Atlanta Hawks moved on from Jeff Teague and Al Horford but added Dwight Howard. The Washington Wizards will be dangerous if they can keep Bradley Beal and John Wall healthy. The Orlando Magic are the division's great unknown, as it remains to be seen how new additions such as Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo will fit in with Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier and Mario Hezonja.
The Heat seem likely to be worse, especially if Bosh doesn't play. The Wizards will be improved if they stay healthy. The Hawks could be better if Howard plays like a superstar again. The Magic could either be the league's most improved team or its most tragically unbalanced roster.
The point is, the Hornets are capable of winning this division or finishing near its bottom. The games against the other teams in the Southeast will be crucial as they seek a playoff spot.
Record Prediction
The Hornets could be the victim of several teams in the Eastern Conference improving.
The New York Knicks added veterans Derek Rose and Joakim Noah. The Wizards will be a playoff team once again if they avoid injuries. The Milwaukee Bucks look poised to challenge for a playoff spot with one of the best collections of young talent in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls added Wade and Rajon Rondo and should linger around the postseason picture. The Magic remain a wild card.
Those are the teams that missed the postseason in 2015-16 who will push for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Cavs aren't going anywhere. The Boston Celtics added Al Horford and No. 3 overall pick Jaylen Brown and will be improved. The Toronto Raptors will again be formidable. The Indiana Pacers added Thaddeus Young, Jeff Teague, Jeremy Evans and Al Jefferson to a solid core led by Paul George. Howard and the Hawks won't be pushovers. The Heat will compete if Bosh plays. The Detroit Pistons had a very strong offseason.
The East is hard to project. So many teams could make the postseason. But the Hornets do have a strong starting five and solid depth, which makes them a prime contender to sneak back into the postseason as a lower seed.
Don't be surprised if they win fewer games than last year but still get into the postseason as the No. 7 or 8 seed in 2016-17. Enough teams have improved that a slight regression from the Hornets this season won't be a shock.
Prediction: 41-41
You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
