Tag: grant williams

Momentum is no longer on the Hornets’ side. What to make of Charlotte’s struggle

The Charlotte Hornets’ recent positive momentum is dissipating, some might say understandably so.

The Hornets are down two starters thanks to suspensions. One of their top backup big men sat out Friday night due to load management, causing some unorthodox lineups. And they came out of the All-Star break squaring off against two teams that sit among the top four seeds in their respective conferences.

But, in dropping a 118-113 decision to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Spectrum Center on Friday, the Hornets are headed in the wrong direction. They’ve lost three of their past four games and the firm grip they seemingly held in the play-in tournament picture has grown slightly tenuous.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. Matt Kelley For the Observer

Concerns don’t abound, though.

“Honestly, I feel like we’re playing pretty decently,” Kon Knueppel said. “(Thursday) I didn’t think we played our best game, just in regards to taking care of the ball and just offensively, “But in all honesty, I think the way we’re competing on the defensive end and on the glass is really keeping us in these games. So from a competitive standpoint, I think we’re really bringing it. It’s just two tough, close losses to two really good teams right out of the All-Star break.”

How can they get it going again until they’re fully whole again?

Brandon Miller has his theory.

“I think just (doing) what’s been working,” Miller said. “Playing to our strengths, the pace, I think that’s what’s gotten us the wins in the past. So, just as long as we pick up our pace and our physicality and just play smarter, I think we’ll be good.”

That rebound will have to come on the road.

Trips to Washington, Chicago and Indianapolis loom for the Hornets (26-31) before they return home next weekend. By then, there’s a good chance they could have the majority of their roster intact with the return of Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with the recently-acquired Coby White.

In the meantime, there’s not much worry emanating from Charles Lee.

“I would say we’re heading, we’re trending in the right direction,” Lee said. “I think that we are making a ton of great gains, and so I know the results weren’t there. But there’s some moments where I’m watching Tidjane (Salaun) come in the game and impact it in a lot of different ways.

“And I thought Brandon and Kon were better tonight than the game before. We’re never happy with the result, obviously, but I think there’s a ton of positives to take from this. We’ve got to keep moving forward to our road trip coming up.”

Here are some key takeaways from the Hornets’ second straight loss:

Managing Kon Knueppel

Kon Knueppel’s shooting numbers were taking a bit of a dip.

Although the rookie is still draining 48% of his overall shots and already broke the franchise record for most 3-pointers in a season, he’d only made better than 50% of his attempts in a game just twice in his previous seven outings leading into the Hornets’ date with Cleveland.

That changed against the Cavs.

Posting 33 points — 18 coming in the first half — and sinking 7 of 15 3-pointers, he passed Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell (187) for second on the all-time rookie 3-pointers list. Only Sacramento’s Keegan Murray (206) had more.

“It’s cool,” Knueppel said. “It’s really, really cool. Credit to my teammates. And the coaches give me a lot of good opportunities to get good shots. And then just sticking with it, sticking with my mechanics and my confidence in my shot. And it just seems like a lot of them are going in right now.”

Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. Matt Kelley For the Observer

Keeping Knueppel as fresh as possible will be key for the Hornets down the stretch. And just how will they go about doing that?

“It’s a holistic approach, really,” Lee said. “He does a great job just with his individual habits. I think our performance staff is really mindful of what they’re doing for him before practices, after practices, before games, after games, off days. And then I’m trying to be mindful of just minutes overall.

“He participated at the All-Star break where all other people were probably having a little bit less of a load. So, we try to be mindful of how we integrated him back for practices. He’s in a great place, though. I know that his habits are at an elite level. They continue to get better, but also he’s such a competitor. He wants to be out there, so I have to manage what I think is going to best help him and put him in the best position to be successful.”

Ryan Kalkbrenner’s development

With Moussa Diabate unavailable for four games due the NBA’s suspension for fighting, it’s providing more of an opportunity for Ryan Kalkbrenner.

Kalkbrenner ceded the starting center role to Diabate while recovering from an elbow injury spanning parts of December and January and that’s also when the Hornets’ game-opening unit began taking off and flourishing.

But minus Diabate, Kalkbrenner is gaining experience and has caught Lee’s eye. He registered eight points and eight rebounds in the first half versus Cleveland and wound up posting his third career double-double — and first since Nov. 4 — with 12 points and a career-best 13 rebounds.

“He’s been great,” Lee said. “Last game, his force, his physicality was felt for longer stretches than we had seen in a while. And when he plays like that, he makes us different, gives us great depth blocking shots at the rim, guarding different people.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) passes the ball around Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. Matt Kelley For the Observer

“We’ve talked about even trying to switch him at times, too. So, he’s embraced that defensive role and what the impact looks like. Offensively, we’re seeing him also just find more baskets around the hoop, getting us more possessions. And then to see him get on the floor three times for loose balls, the energy and competitiveness from him has been really good.”

Why Grant Williams sat

After starting at power forward in Thursday’s loss, Grant Williams was on the bench in street clothes and powerless to do anything to help stifle the Cavs’ size on the interior.

Williams knocked knees late in the fourth quarter against Houston and immediately grimaced, but didn’t show any effects after posting 20 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes. The scheduled absence was pre-planned via the Hornets’ performance staff.

“As he’s coming back from his ACL injury,” Lee said, “it was important for us to just be mindful of him on back-to-backs.”

Roderick Boone

The Charlotte Observer

Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly.
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February 20, 2026
Team effort propels Hornets over Hawks with Bridges, Diabate suspended for fight

With Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate missing the first game of their respective four-game suspensions, the Charlotte Hornets were counting on rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and veteran journeyman Grant Williams to step up in the final matchup before the NBA All-Star break. The results were mixed.

Kalkbrenner and Williams had 12 combined points, but the Hornets (26-29) were still able to defeat the Atlanta Hawks, 110-107, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday with the backing of a total team effort and a 31-point performance from shooting guard Brandon Miller.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, left, shoots past a block by Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com

Kalkbrenner started at center in place of Diabate against Atlanta (26-30), while Williams started at power forward for Bridges.

The NBA handed out four-game suspensions to Bridges and Williams just a few hours before the 7 p.m. tip-off. Williams and Bridges were punished for their involvement in Monday’s extended on-court skirmish with Detroit Pistons big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. Duren received a two-game suspension, while Stewart — who left the Detroit bench to get involved in the fight — received a seven-game ban. All four players were ejected during the third quarter of the Hornets’ 110-104 home loss to the Pistons.

Hornets coach Charles Lee, who was also ejected Monday following a later argument with an official, backed Williams and Kalkbrenner after the suspension notices of Bridges and Diabate. He also noted that he was relieved to know how long he’d be missing two of his five primary starters.

“Our group all year has done a great job (regardless) of whoever is available,” Lee said before the game. “Those guys are prepared, they’re competitive, they know our identity and how we need to play on both ends of the court. So, I feel good about the group that we have. We’ll miss those guys for the next four games, but there’s never a finite roster at any point because who knows what happens in the next couple of games.”

Williams, Kalkbrenner lifted by total team effort

Against the Hawks, Williams made his first start since Nov. 23, 2024. He was sidelined nearly 14 months with an ACL injury from that game until Jan. 10 of this year.

In the previous 13 games since returning from the knee injury, Williams averaged 6.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. On Wednesday, he went 1 of 9 from the field and finished with seven points and eight rebounds.

The Hornets entered the matchup with a 9-17 record with Kalkbrenner as the starting center. The squad was 12-4 in games when he came off the bench, largely due to the productivity of Diabate in recent weeks.

Kalkbrenner picked up two fouls less than four minutes into the game, and he was held scoreless until the third quarter. He did, though, have two blocked shots and six rebounds in roughly 24 minutes.

Williams and Kalkbrenner were lifted by the play of the rest of the starting lineup against Atlanta. Rookie small forward Kon Knueppel, point guard LaMelo Ball and Miller went a combined 16 of 39 from 3-point range.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball pleads with a referee against the Atlanta Hawks at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com

“Huge resolve on this team,” Lee said after the win. “I think it also just shows the commitment to togetherness, because I see, a lot of times, those guys who could be competing for minutes are talking to one another about how they can help not get in foul trouble or how they can be in a better position. … It’s a mindset that the group is developing, and they understand how much they need each other — how much we need them to come in and impact the game in a lot of different ways. So, I’m proud of them.”

Knueppel connected on 4 of 7 of his 3-point attempts, while shooting 5 of 12 from the floor. The impressive rookie finished the win with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.

“I think we come into every game as the hunters,” Knueppel said. “And I think that’s kind of flipped from the beginning of the season. We were building good habits, but now we come in expecting to win games. And I think that’s what you need to be successful in this league, ‘cause it’s really hard to win. And so the appreciation of how hard it is is something I think we have a good grasp on right now, and what it takes. So, we’ll just keep building on that — we still have a long way to go.”

Ball chipped in 24 points, four rebounds and six assists while shooting 8 of 23 against the Hawks. He hit 7 of 18 of his 3-point attempts

Miller added nine rebounds and two assists to his team-leading 31 points in 36 minutes of action. Big man P.J. Hall came off the bench for 11 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds with Kalkbrenner sidelined with fouls early on in the contest.

The Hawks were led by guard Dyson Daniels, who produced 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Forward Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 13 rebounds and nine assists, to go along with 19 points, in 34 minutes.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, left, reaches for the rebound past Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com

The Hornets have won 13 of their last 17 games. Charlotte has also won of the season series against Atlanta, 3-1, after winning three consecutive matchups against the Hawks this season.

“With 27 games to go, we’ve built this mindset, we’ve built some resolve, we’ve built an identity — I really, truly believe,” Lee said. “And so, as they get a day or two to let their bodies recover, think about what we want to accomplish when we come back here. And I think I know the answer, but it’s the perfect time to reflect on everything we’ve done, and then figure how we can stay hungry and take advantage of a couple of days to rest and recover.”

Mike Kaye

The Charlotte Observer

Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription

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February 11, 2026
Hornets relish rare time in national spotlight: ‘This will be the norm’

In case it wasn’t already obvious this wasn’t just another night, as evidenced by the extra table at midcourt with the logo of a well-known cable television entity, the sight of Kon Knueppel chatting with broadcast talent cemented it.

The Charlotte Hornets rookie sensation was surrounded by Tim Legler and Richard Jefferson less than an hour before the opening tip, discussing hoops while a pair of cameras recorded their every move. Those are the kinds of things that typically transpire when ESPN is in the house, something that hadn’t happened in uptown in nearly half a decade.

Charlotte Hornets forward/center Moussa Diabate, left, turns to confront Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen after Allen held onto Diabate’s arm on a shot in the lane during action at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. The Cavaliers defeated the Hornets 94-87. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

“Yeah, we’re really excited to be able to play the ESPN game,” coach Charles Lee said. “It’s one of those moments where a lot of people talk about our story, and I think now we get to actually show our own story and our performance can do the talking for us.

“… A phenomenal opportunity for our organization, our players. They earned it, they deserve it. This will be the norm because I know that we’re just going to get better and better, and people are going to want to see us on TV more.”

If so, the Hornets can’t come out with the kind of lethargic performance that was on display in the opening quarter of their 94-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Spectrum Center.

Porous defense, rough shooting and an overall inability to match the intensity of their opponent did the Hornets in before most of the 17,619 patrons in attendance had settled into their seats. Not exactly the best of images to portray in the Hornets’ first outing on ESPN since April 25 — and first home ESPN matchup with fans in the stands since the 2018-19 season finale against Orlando. They played on ESPN in 2021 during the pandemic before an empty arena.

“Yeah,” Knueppel said. “We’re bummed that we lost the game.”

With the way they were shredded by Cleveland, it looked like the Hornets’ body clocks were still on the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Only netting 32 points through the initial two quarters rendered the game essentially over prior to the halftime dance-off between some fraternities and sororities of historically black universities.

Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee, left, speaks with guard Sion James during action against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

Minus star guard LaMelo Ball in the opening lineup, the Hornets just didn’t have it from the get-go. Sion James started at point guard while Ball came off the bench, keeping in line with the team’s goal to maximize his availability as much as possible whenever the Hornets are in the midst of games on consecutive nights.

With the Hornets’ road date with the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, Ball’s availability was preserved after logging 22 minutes against the Cavaliers. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, misfiring on all but one of his 15 shots from the field and failing to connect on any of his 10 attempts beyond the 3-point arc.

Lee said, “I thought that regardless of the shooting numbers … he continued to try to like scrap and claw defensively. His engagement was there, was really good offensively taking some good shots, trying to find his rhythm, playing pick-and-roll. But then I thought he also tried to get on the offensive glass a couple times.

“I think for the most part he continued to try to play through it and not let his shot making or shot missing dictate the energy he was going to give to the game and tried to impact the game in other ways.”

It’s obvious that the Hornets miss Ball at the game’s outset, though. In assessing what went wrong in the early going against the Cavaliers, Knueppel admitted there’s a period of adaptation as they maneuver through the lineup change.

“It’s a little different with Melo coming off (the bench),” Knueppel said. “It’s a little bit of an adjustment. We’re trying to manage his minutes here in the back-to-backs, but I don’t know if that has anything to do with that.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, right, lowers his head as he penetrates into the lane against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson during action at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. The Cavaliers defeated the Hornets 94-87. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

“I think we just got to be sharper. Like I’ve said before, just a lot of controllable stuff on our end. We need to take care of both defensively and then just moving the ball and playing with pace offensively.”

Brandon Miller has his theory on how to make it all work a bit smoother.

“When he comes back in the game, just be more aggressive,” Miller said. “Kind of get him going, get everybody else going. That’s the head of the snake, so his word goes a long way in the locker room with us. So, just having that trust like that, putting our trust in Sion to come in and start games for us, is big as a team.”

Eventually, the plan for Ball will be altered. Just not right now.

“Yeah, I’ve been really happy with it so far,” Lee said. “I think our performance staff, (VP of medical and performance) Pat Chasse kind of leading that group, has done a really good job of getting all the data, tracking how he’s responding to workload. And I think that Melo has done a really good job of being open-minded and understanding how this is going to look different on a back-to-back from a regular night and where those minutes are.

“And I think our team has adjusted well, too, knowing that sometimes he’s not going to start, and sometimes he’s going to start. But I think that the overall goal, again, is always to just maximize him and his availability, and we’ve seen a great trend right now of how his body is responding. I think we’re seeing a great trend of his actual play and as time continues to go on, we will keep evaluating it.”

Which includes possibly increasing Ball’s on-court time.

“No, I don’t think that it’s going to be a hard (stop) at this number,” Lee said. “Right now it will continue to progress and where those numbers are will depend on Melo’s response to the workload, and then also I think some of the stuff that he just does with our performance staff.”

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams, left, pushes off Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter during action at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Williams was called for a foul on the play. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

Perhaps then the Hornets could be that much closer to boasting full strength, finally having the complete roster at their disposal. Then, maybe results like the performance they put in against the Cavaliers will decrease, providing them with more chances to have the uptown skyline lit up in teal for a national telecast.

“I think that when we’re playing these games, people always say it’s cool playing on TV and stuff like that,” said Grant Williams, who made his 2025-26 home debut. “But we have an opportunity every single night to compete at a high level, and that’s all we can focus on, ESPN game, non-ESPN game, and in these moments, this is something that we should hopefully get used to because this team’s developing, this team’s growing.

“And as the more games that we win, as the more competitive that we get, the more opportunities we’ll have like this.”

This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 10:03 PM.

Roderick Boone

The Charlotte Observer

Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly.
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January 21, 2026
Bad teammate? Jayson Tatum stands strong for Grant Williams: ‘He’s a brother for life’

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, left and Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams, right, hug one another following the team’s game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC on Monday, April 1, 2024. The Celtics defeated the Hornets 118-104.

JEFF SINER

jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

Grant Williams interrupted his typical pregame routine to make a beeline — straight for the Boston Celtics’ side of the court.

The Charlotte Hornets forward certainly had a few recognizable faces to catch up with, given this was his first outing against his old team since February’s NBA trade deadline deal brought Williams here from Dallas. Most of Williams’ time was reserved for one person in particular, though: Celtics star Jayson Tatum.

It was no different after the final buzzer sounded in the Hornets’ 118-104 loss to Boston at Spectrum Center on Monday night, when the two met near half-court, sharing a lengthy embrace following a long discussion.

Clearly, Williams couldn’t pass up the opportunity to chat it up with the Duke product, probably thanking him face-to-face for having his back and dispelling the notion he’s not a good teammate.

That chatter hit a crescendo last month following inflammatory comments by Celtics play-by-play commentator Mike Gorman, when he described Williams as a bad locker room guy with Boston and Dallas, sparking chatter about how he also caused issues with Mavericks star Luka Dončić. Tatum came to Williams’ defense then, and it’s obvious he has an affinity for the 25-year-old. The two still share a strong bond, making Monday’s outings just a tad different.

“It was good,” Tatum said. “He’s a brother for life, so it’s always good to see him, good to compete with him. Just having fun out there, competing against each other.”

Williams appreciates having someone with Tatum ‘s stature in his corner.

“Yeah, that’s always going to be my brother, man,” said Williams, who posted 23 points and seven rebounds. “He’s family. All the guys on that team. We had tremendous years together. Whether it’s Sam (Hauser) going to his wedding last summer, whether it’s Payton (Pritchard), who’s getting married here soon, J.T. J.B. (Jaylen Brown), Luke Kornet, actually one of the best guys in the league, one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. Al (Horford) being my vet.

“It’s definitely nostalgic seeing those guys and it’s also fun competing against them.”

Of course, Williams made sure to let Tatum know all about it during their individual battles. A little trash talk between the two was in the cards, when they guarded each other, injecting some spice into an otherwise mundane late-season matchup featuring a pair of teams going in the opposite direction.

“Grant always has got some – – – – to say,” Tatum said. “But as I was just saying, that’s my brother for life. It’s cool. I don’t talk trash at all, but if it’s somebody I’m close with, that I know, like today with Grant, I like to have fun out there. So, it’s always good to see him, competing against him. So, we just had some fun out there.”

Lots of it, apparently.

“Him and D-White (Derrick White) constantly called me a hack and I’m always like ya’ll are hacks and you just don’t get called for it because you are superstars,” Williams said. “ And I always tease them about that, because I think he was saying I was fouling K.P. (Kristaps Porzingis) or something like that. And I was just like, ‘Hey man, you fouled A.P. (Aleksej Pokuševski) and Brandon (Miller) on two possessions in a row, and they just didn’t call a foul on you because you are light-skinned and you think you are pretty.’ But that’s all it was.”

Getting moved to the Hornets, along with Seth Curry in exchange for PJ Washington and playing for the team he grew up rooting for has been a good thing for Williams. Entrenched in the Hornets’ reserve unit since his arrival, he’s come off the bench in all but five of the 24 games. But with Nick Richards sitting out due to right plantar fascia, adding another body to their injury-riddled roster, Williams got the starting nod at center, making the Hornets awfully small against Boston’s big front line led by Horford and Porzingis.

Versatility is just one of the things Williams has brought to the Hornets during his short tenure. He’s boosted them in other areas, too, and even his former coach picked up on it during film study preparing for Boston’s date with the Hornets.

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams, left and Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford, right, catch up with one another prior to the team’s game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC on Monday, April 1, 2024. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

“I’ve seen just his playmaking,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. ”He’s really good against the switch, creates some indecision for you on whether you should switch or not switch with his ability to go fake and his screen angles.

“And then they are running some off-ball stuff to where he facilitates at the elbow for (Miles) Bridges. And I think that’s one of the biggest keys versus him, is really have communication versus the coverage so he doesn’t take advantage of it.”

Praise for Williams comes from all directions, which doesn’t fall in line with the premise that he’s supposedly bad for team chemistry. His value behind the scenes hasn’t gone unnoticed, particularly from the man roaming the Hornets’ sidelines.

“He’s great,” coach Steve Clifford said. “He’s very verbal and very upbeat. He’s a terrific competitor, which to me is the No. 1 thing you look for. So, you never have to worry about his effort. He’s always on top of the game plan. He plays a very physical, intelligent game. With us, because it’s a different role than he’s had in Boston or in Dallas, you’re getting to see he has a playmaking aspect of his game that just, again, because of what we need him to do, he gets a chance to do well.”

And provide a boost in areas of need.

“So much of defense just starts with talking, and he’s good at it,” Clifford said. “I think the biggest thing he’s brought for us is the physicality part. He’s getting a chance here to play more as a playmaker, which he’s done a good job with. It’s a good fit and it’s a good opportunity for him, too.

“It’s a little different with our team. He’s not out there with Tatum and Brown or he’s not out there with Dončić and Kyrie (Irving). So, it’s different.”

And a role Williams is eager to run with. He has three years and $40.8 million remaining on the deal he inked last summer, likely tying him with the Hornets for the immediate future. Barring something unexpected, he should be a part of the Hornets moving forward, providing him with the chance to help turn the franchise around and finally send it in the right direction.

Incorporating lessons learned in Boston could eventually greatly benefit the Hornets.

“When you are on the team, you don’t realize how good they are,” Williams said. “But when you go against them, you realize what it was like to get to that level, to be winning at that rate every single night. Because we had a decent game. It’s not like we played terrible on the offensive end.

“But we’ve got to do a better job of honing in on the defensive side of the basketball, too, and it shows we have a ways to go. But I’m excited about this team, and when we get all our guys and a full deck to play against them next year.”

Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly.
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Roderick Boone

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April 1, 2024