The Charlotte Hornets' offseason is officially underway, and the vibes are...complicated. In this episode of Locked On Hornets, we react to The Ringer’s latest Top 100 NBA players list, where LaMelo Ball drops to 49th—a steep fall from his midseason high of 25. We break down Danny Chau’s brutally honest write-up on LaMelo, which praises his talent but questions whether he can ever rise above the “good stats, bad team” label. Is the franchise doing enough to support him—or are the injuries just too much?

We also dive into our latest Locked On Network mock draft and reveal our pick for the Hornets at #4. What does the pick say about the team’s current trajectory, and why does the fanbase seem more cynical than ever? From draft strategy to past hits and misses, we reflect on years of Hornets scouting and how the front office’s hesitancy has paralyzed the franchise. We discuss a “Worst Franchise in America Sports” YouTube video making the rounds—and why the Hornets can’t even be recognized for being the worst.

Plus, Doug revisits his LaMelo Ball scouting victory lap, Walker confesses his Ziaire Williams miss, and we go deep into Charlotte’s identity crisis. You don’t want to miss this brutally honest yet hopeful look at where the Hornets stand going into a critical summer.

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Top 35 Hornets Nicknames of All-Time According to Doug Branson: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-nicknames-in-hornets-franchise

Top 35 Hornets of All-Time According to Walker Mehl: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-players-in-hornets-history

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