Mar 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) drives on Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) in the course of the second quarter at Spectrum Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Scott Kinser-Imagn Pictures With offseason speaking factors within the background, the repairing of reputations for the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets lastly can start.
The groups will meet in a season opener Wednesday night time in Charlotte.
Neither workforce made the playoffs final season. Brooklyn gained 26 video games and Charlotte 19, and the Nets have not gained a playoff sport because the spring of 2021.
“Now we’re going into an actual sport,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez stated, dismissing any preseason shortcomings.
The season ought to be an opportunity for Nets guard Cam Thomas to refresh his status as he stays with Brooklyn on a one-year contract. Thomas averaged 24 factors and three.8 assists per sport final season.
“I do not assume we’ll have many issues,” Fernandez stated. “His shot (makes an attempt) goes to go up. We’d like him to attain and play-make and maintain getting higher defensively.”
Second-year Charlotte coach Charles Lee stated he likes the workforce’s course regardless of guiding a membership that should improve from being merely an afterthought within the NBA pecking order.
“We did a fantastic job final 12 months of fixing our habits and altering our methods,” Lee stated.
The Hornets have been one of many backside groups within the NBA in recent times. However they’ve one of many star gamers in level guard LaMelo Ball.
“He confirmed his willingness to need to get his teammates open,” Lee stated. “Typically he will get a nasty status for simply wanting to attain, however I really assume he is far more dynamic than that. He is far more well-rounded. … He will get excited to get one other teammate open to get a bucket or get a lob.”
Ball, 24, is coming into his sixth NBA season, although he has largely been hampered by accidents. He performed in 47 video games final 12 months, marking his most in a three-season stretch. He averaged 25.2 factors and seven.4 assists in these 47 video games.
Lee has endorsed Ball’s offseason efforts, which the coach hopes will translate into further management roles.
“Along with his continued work within the weight room, he additionally has added some lean muscle mass,” Lee stated. “Which then provides you the arrogance to proceed to need to be bodily, too, and settle for physicality as properly.”
In the meantime, Charlotte ahead Miles Bridges stated he is able to be extra constant after getting in higher form within the offseason.
“So I am feeling good,” stated Bridges, who averaged 20.3 factors and seven.5 rebounds a sport final season. “Our offense is predicated on us operating, so to ensure that me to be nice on this offense, and on this protection, to play either side of the ground, I received to be in nice form.”
Fernandez has given a thumbs-up to rookie Egor Demin, 19, one of many younger level guards on the Nets’ roster.
“They will get thrown into the hearth,” Fernandez stated. “We will belief them. I would like all of them to maintain being constructive.”
The Hornets have been stricken by shoddy protection, amongst different issues, in recent times. However Lee has accomplished his half in hyping up areas that he thinks are as much as commonplace, and that features 6-foot-10 ahead Moussa Diabate.
“He is probably the greatest on-ball defenders, in my view, within the league,” Lee stated.
Charlotte went 1-3 towards Brooklyn final season.
–Area Degree Media
