The Detroit Pistons traded Mason Plumlee and a second-round draft pick to the Hornets in a move clearly designed to free up space for another move. It’s not often a team trades down for nothing, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. That’s the Detroit Pistons‘ mantra on Thursday night after
Charlotte Hornets
May 9, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Malik Monk (1) looks to pass against the New Orleans Pelicans in the second half at Spectrum Center. The New Orleans Pelicans won 112-110. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports How would Lonzo Ball fit with LaMelo Ball on the Charlotte Hornets? by Ian Levy
Welcome back to Basketball Insiders’ “What’s Next” series. We previously covered the teams that missed both the playoffs and the Play-In Tournament. Now, we’re focusing on teams that are either on the cusp of making the playoffs or are trying to build contenders. The Charlotte Hornets, despite the outcome, had quite a fantastic season. There’s
Charlotte Hornets. (Mandatory Credit: Sarah Stier/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports) The Charlotte Hornets can accomplish so much if they were to make the 2021 NBA Playoffs. With serious playoff aspirations, it all starts with a win on Tuesday night vs. the Indiana Pacers for the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte is finished the 2020-21 NBA regular season in 10th
The Indiana Pacers wiped the floor with the Charlotte Hornets in the first play-in game before the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Here are the three biggest takeaways. The 2021 NBA Playoffs are nearly here, but before they begin, the league is giving four teams in each conference their shot at filling the final two playoff-spots for
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 18: Edmond Sumner #5 of the Indiana Pacers makes a basket at the end of the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021 NBA Play-In Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on May 18, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. The NBA’s play-in tournament kicks off Tuesday and every team will need stars and role players to come up big. Here’s the secret weapon each team will count on.
At the conclusion of Sunday’s NBA games, the Eastern Conference play-in round is now officially set. The 2020-21 NBA season reached its conclusion on Sunday, with many keeping their eyes peeled on the new play-in round. While there were teams looking to avoid the mini-bracket altogether, there were others looking at it as their final
With the NBA season winding down, there is limited left time for rookies to make their cases for the Rookie of the Year award. In all, three rookies are leading the charge and will likely be named the top three rookies of the season. Without further ado, let’s take a look at how the race
Three teams in the Eastern Conference are expected to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals. The Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks are clearly head-and-shoulders above the next tier of teams in the East. Still, those organizations are not going to just lay down and concede defeat. Last year the Miami HEAT
It’s official: we’re entering the regular season’s endgame. Every game from here on out will have much bigger consequences, a statement even truer in 2021 than perhaps any other season thanks to the NBA’s new play-in tournament. If you’re not familiar, the play-in tournament will consist of two matchups within each conference. The seventh and
The Western Conference has been dominating the league once again, in terms of quality teams from top to bottom. The 13th worst team in the West would be a playoff team in the Eastern Conference. Though their depth is lacking, the East still has a few teams that are championship contenders this season. The Brooklyn
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Two paint-bound bigs dominating the MVP race? Tyrese Haliburton outscoring James Wiseman? Someone other than the Lakers settling into the position of championship favorite? We’ve seen norms busted and
LaMelo Ball has been the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year and even LeBron James was impressed after his first look at the up-and-coming star. LaMelo Ball played down the stakes of his first career matchup with the GOAT, LeBron James. Earlier this week he responded to a question about whether or not he
NBA Twitter was in disbelief as Malik Monk lit up the Miami Heat once again. The last time Malik Monk faced the Miami Heat, he dropped 36 points on 11-of-18 shooting in a 129-121 overtime win for the Charlotte Hornets. In their latest meeting Friday night, Monk continued his ascent up the list of notorious
LaMelo Ball was the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year. He still very well may win the award, but his rookie season is likely finished after just 41 games. Ball fractured his right wrist on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. While Ball hasn’t been officially ruled out for the year, he probably
The NBA trade deadline is one week away and several organizations are looking to make a splash before the regular season hits the home stretch. Some teams need to facilitate a deal more than others as they prepare for the postseason. Sellers will be just as active as they turn their attention to reshaping their
LaMelo Ball is already playing like a savvy veteran. Apparently, he’s approaching big games like on too. For NBA rookies, that first season is just a progression of firsts. Your first home game. Your first road trip. Your first time playing in the 29 other NBA arenas. Your first win, your first loss. Maybe your
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Not many lottery picks who struggle as much as Malik Monk has get to their fourth season with a chance to breakthrough. Monk, who was taken with the No.
LaMelo Ball has been the front-runner for Rookie of the Year almost since the season began, but somehow Draymond Green missed that. Luckily his mom filled him in. It’s hard to miss just how good LaMelo Ball has been this year. His shooting has been much, much better than advertised. He’s averaged 15.8 points, 6.3
The Brooklyn Nets acquisition of Blake Griffin is, for all intents and purposes, a declaration of war. Brooklyn is coming — and every other team with championship hopes this season had better pony up to add as much talent as is humanly possible. As we approach the March 25 trade deadline, demand for established talent
With the Orlando Magic floating near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, four playoff teams are eyeing star center Nikola Vucevic. The 2021 NBA All-Star Game is in the books, which means the trade deadline is on the horizon. March 25 is the date that team executives will keep an eye on, as playoff
The All-Star break is nearly upon the NBA, and the Rising Stars rosters were just announced with several rookies leading the charge. Two players have pulled away by a significant margin in recent weeks, with several first-year players making impacts on winning teams. Let’s take a look at how the rookie ladder has changed over
Feb 20, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, left, argues with referee Marc Davis (8) as Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington looks on during the second half at Spectrum Center. The Charlotte Hornets won 102-100. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports Latest update on J.J. Watt is bad news for
Julius Randle is everything for the New York Knicks – for now at least. Randle entered the NBA in the 2014 draft. Selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, the former Kentucky Wildcat was a bowling bowl on the offensive end, viewed as a seriously unique athlete. But there were question marks, too. Criticisms
It has been another rough season for the Detroit Pistons. Their 8-19 record has them just a half-game ahead of the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference basement. They recently traded away Derrick Rose, while their talented rookie point guard Killian Hayes remains out with an injury and Blake Griffin’s tenure in Detroit has seemingly
For this edition of ICYMI for Basketball Insiders, we’re looking at the Southeast Division. This breakdown follows the recent publications of ICYMI on the Atlantic, Pacific, Central and Northwest. Starting off, this division is the only one in the NBA that has a single franchise above .500, the Atlanta Hawks. This should come as a
This season, the All-Star game will not be played, though players will still be able to receive the honor and go down in the record books all the same. While players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and many more are surefire All-Stars, Basketball Insiders wants to give credit to some of the players that are
This season, the All-Star game will not be played, though players will still be able to receive the honor and go down in the record books all the same. While players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and many more are surefire All-Stars, Basketball Insiders wants to give credit to some of the players that are
There’s an old saying: “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” That saying would certainly apply to Reggie Jackson this season. Jackson, who joined the Los Angeles Clippers last season after he was bought out by the Detroit Pistons, re-upped with team on a one-year deal. A once-promising young guard that the
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