Heading into this season, the Charlotte Hornets were hoping to be contending for a playoff spot. At the very least, the play-in seemed to be within reach for the first time in half a decade.
Instead, this season has already gone off the rails. Charlotte sits 12th in the Eastern Conference standings. It’s not going to be easy to turn things around.
However, the Hornets are about to get Josh Green back into the rotation. Adding a guard who can help with the perimeter defense and make 3’s is going to make them better. So who loses minutes when he returns?
Figuring out who loses minutes when Josh Green returns to the Hornets
Sion James will likely get some of his minutes cut, simply because he won’t be in the starting lineup. On days when LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller don’t play, which seems to be most of them, Green can slide into the starting lineup.
Liam McNeeley could see his spot in the rotation get taken away, as well. His offensive performances have been rough, but the rookie is starting to show some real growth. Green would be an instant upgrade from him.
Right now, the Hornets have the seventh-worst defense in the NBA. Green should help with that once he gets back into the lineup, something that McNeeley can’t do at the same level.
Those are the two main players who are in danger of losing some minutes once Green does return. Still, the Hornets could change that around once the All-Star break hits.
The Hornets could start the tanking process soon
If things don’t turn around in a hurry, there’s a good chance that the Hornets will decide to start the tanking process. Charlotte could start facilitating that process at a higher rate around the All-Star break.
Trade rumors have been swirling around LaMelo Ball over the last couple of weeks. If Ball ends up getting moved, tanking will swiftly follow, and maybe not even on purpose.
Adding Green back into the rotation alone won’t turn the team around. Quite frankly, they need Miller to get back into the lineup healthy and have their best guys play like their best guys.