LaMelo Ball will be on a mission this season to get the Charlotte Hornets into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Year two for the reigning Rookie of the Year should be even more entertaining than the first. He will be a driving force for the Hornets moving forward throughout the 2021-22 season and will have some help with the blend of young talent and veterans around him. Sure, it will not be an easy task for a younger team to hold on to a six seed or higher in the east, but it is not impossible.

Here are three reasons why the Hornets and LaMelo will be able to sustain the rigors of an NBA season and find themselves in the postseason next year.

LaMelo's Growth

Ball is well on his way to being the best baller in his family. Between both of his older brothers, Lonzo and LiAngelo, LaMelo has the most potential to possibly rewrite some record books one day. After watching the dazzling performances he put on last season, we are set to see even more of the same moving forward. If not for the injury, LaMelo might have run away with the Rookie of the Year award. As a starter, before the injury, he was averaging just above 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists per game. We could see him maintain those averages over the course of the season and watch them translate into wins on a nightly basis. The rest of the league should be fearful of matching up with this potential All-Star.

Improved Supporting Cast

Losing Devonte' Graham and Cody Zeller does hurt Charlotte's rotation, but with the moves that the Hornets made in the offseason, they are better than last year's team. Adding Kelly Oubre and Ish Smith are huge for their guard and wing positions, but they also did well in the draft. James Bouknight and Kai Jones can be good rotational guys that can provide some instant energy for the team. Also, this team is set to run a lot in transition this upcoming season with all the new youth on the squad. Not to mention, guys like Miles Bridges and PJ Washington are set to take another leap in their development. And let us not forget that they have Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward who lead the team in scoring last season.

Chemistry 

As mentioned above, there are new pieces that will have to learn the system and see where they fit. However, it should not be too much of a culture shock for the main guys who will be playing key minutes for the Hornets down the stretch from last season. Bridges, Hayward, Washington, Rozier, and Ball will likely be the lineup that we see on the floor most. They already know how to read one another and are aware of the spots that each one of them can excel at. James Borrego's job will be fairly easy this season as long as he lets LaMelo dictate the pace of the game and get the right man the ball.

Many people do not realize that the Hornets were sitting at the four seed before they were attacked by a slew of injures in March. Ball, Graham, Rozier, and Hayward all missed a significant amount of time and they saw themselves fall all the way down to play-in tournament contention. The 2021-22 season should be different. Barring no major injuries, the Hornets are set to make some real noise this season.