2024-25 Charlotte Hornets Predictions and Odds to Win NBA Finals

by Spencer Toth - 9/25/2024

Charlotte Hornets predictions LaMelo Ball

The Charlotte Hornets will be optimistic LaMelo Ball can lead the next generation of future Charlotte NBA stars. Several key injuries to starting players, including Ball, limited the Hornets to just 21 wins last season. A healthy lineup looks poised to challenge for a play-in tournament position. However, is it too soon to expect Charlotte to pull out of their rebuild?

Doc’s Sports offers NBA picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

Charlotte Hornets Offseason Recap

The Hornets had a very productive offseason by resigning their key players and making some sneaky good moves for a team of their stature. They were able to re-sign Seth Curry and Miles Bridges, locking up Bridges for the next 3 seasons. Charlotte will never be able to draw the big free agent names into town, so they are forced to focus on developing young talents and trade assets to slowly build up their roster.

Charlotte’s biggest offseason move was bringing in Josh Green from the Dallas Mavericks in a historic six-team trade. Charlotte didn’t have to give up much to acquire Green, as they lost cash and a 2025 second round pick, while collecting Green, Reggie Jackson (who they then waived), and the Nuggets 2029 and 2030 second round picks. While the $13 million dollar AAV on Green’s contract is certainly less than ideal, the Hornets have plenty of cap space to work with and got a starter virtually for free. Green’s role in Dallas has been steadily growing throughout his four-year NBA career. However, he never really developed into the two-way player the Mavericks expected. He lacks the size to defend on the wing and has posted a negative Box +/- in his career. The Mavericks didn’t have time to wait around and hope Green improves, dumping his contract onto the Hornets. On the other hand, Charlotte has all the time in the world to develop Green, so this could turn into a good move down the road.

While the Hornets weren’t very active over the offseason, they did exactly what a team in their situation needed to do. They re-signed the players who are a part of their long-term plans, trimmed the bottom half of their squad effectively, and drafted Tidjane Salaun with the 6th overall pick in the draft. Salaun has a high ceiling and a low floor heading into this season. His sloppy footwork can make him a liability in isolation, but his 6-foot-10 frame and strong work ethic could see him turn into a consistent NBA player.

Charlotte Hornets Season Expectations

There is a tiny bit of optimism surrounding the Hornets solely for the reason that Ball is healthy again. He played only 22 games for the Hornets last year while leading the team with 23.9 PPG and 8 Assists. He was the key offensive contributor for the Hornets last season and will be the focal point of their offense this year. Defensively, Mark Williams and Bridges do an effective job at shutting teams down inside. But without the offensive spark going the other way, the Hornets quickly lost hope in games and the season as a whole. The Hornets have a win total of 30.5 wins, significantly higher than their two previous season totals (21 in 2023-24 and 27 in 2022-23). A healthy Hornets squad is certainly capable of avoiding the basement, but a playoff appearance looks to be a little bit out of reach for Charlotte.

Charlotte Hornets Schedule Breakdown

The Hornets open up the season with two road games against the Rockets and Hawks, before returning home for 6 of their next 7 games. The most notable portion of the Hornets schedule starts in late January. Charlotte has 9 straight home games beginning on January 24th before they go on a grueling 8-game road trip over a three-week period to close out February.

Charlotte Hornets Odds

The Charlotte Hornets are expected to be a fringe playoff team, falling just short of a postseason qualification. Their win total is sitting at 30.5 wins, which would be an improvement over each of the last two seasons. For the Hornets playoff futures, the odds are long, but not insurmountable. Charlotte is +500 to reach the playoffs and +180 to participate in the play-in tournament. A top 10 finish in the Eastern Conference and the play-in tournament place that goes will be the primary goal for this young franchise.

In the NBA Cup, the Hornets are facing a challenging task in Group A. They share the group with the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, and the Brooklyn Nets. The 76ers, Knicks, and Magic all have legitimate title aspirations, and it would be quite the uphill battle for the Hornets to advance.

2024-25 Charlotte Hornets Season Predictions and Best Bets

The Hornets are expected to take the next step in their marathon rebuilding process. At first glance, a 30.5 win total appears to represent a small step up from the progress made last season. However, expecting the current Hornets roster to put up 10 or more wins from last season is too much to ask. Even with a healthy LaMelo Ball, the Hornets still lack the defense to compete against the middle portion of the league. Ball is an offensive superstar, but he is also a defensive liability at the other end. There is no guarantee that he is able to stay healthy this year, and their current draft class isn’t expected to make an instant impact in Charlotte. The +180 play-in tournament appearance line will entice the diehard Hornets fans. However, you might as well just set your money on fire. The Hornets will see a slight upgrade from their 21-win season last year thanks to the return of Ball, but they will finish 25-57 at best.

Top Pick: Charlotte Hornets Under 30.5 Wins -110

Get NBA picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Start:	November 23, 2024 @ 2:30 PM
Expert:	Tony George
Free $60 Account Sign Up

2024-25 Charlotte Hornets Predictions and Odds to Win NBA Finals

Most Recent NBA Handicapping