New York Knicks: Comparing the potential five worst teams for 2019-20

Charlotte Hornets

Matchups

• Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET (Home)
• Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET (Away)
• Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. ET (Away)
• Tuesday, Mar. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET (Home)

The Charlotte Hornets were a fringe playoff team for years. Led by Kemba Walker, they stayed competitive but a weak supporting cast created a ceiling on their ability to move up in the Eastern Conference.

Walker leaving for the Boston Celtics in free agency does not help that, cratering expectations for the Hornets in 2019-20.

Terry Rozier replaces the All-Star guard in the starting lineup, but his heyday came in a bright playoff run for Boston. Otherwise, his career numbers are 7.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 38 percent shooting. While only in 20 minutes, he does not have a strong regular-season profile and has much to prove.

Having this as a team’s lead player is questionable. It also indicates the talent level around him, featuring overpriced veterans who are better suited as role players, including Cody Zeller, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams. Miles Bridges and PJ Washington have some hope, but this team has also struggled to develop its draft picks into anymore more than reserves.

This roster will struggle to top 30 wins, joining the NBA’s bottom of the pack. They have a long way to go and a team like the New York Knicks may even sit ahead of them. Four matchups will prove this, starting in November, to see how close, or how far, these teams are from each other.