With the return of Miles Bridges, re-signing PJ Washington, and drafting Brandon Miller, the Charlotte Hornets get deeper at the wing spots. Depth is one luxury that most NBA teams would love to have if they can afford to and the Hornets pretty much have it all positions. A nice, young talented core supported by a couple of veteran pieces to make the engine of the team go. Barring no major injuries to the key players, the Hornets should have a better record than what they had in the 2022-23 season. Which was 27-55. With the current talent on the roster, this is how their rotation should be.

The backcourt

The starting backcourt should be the same as it has been in the past few years. LaMelo Ball running the one with Terry Rozier playing that undersized off-guard position. Both of their games complement each other well and they are interchangeable. Ball has more of a knack for playmaking while Rozier is more of a natural scorer, but there have been several instances when their roles have been swapped depending on who is hot. Those two should get off to hot starts in 2023-24. Especially Ball, since he just signed a max extension after only partaking in 36 games last season. He feels like this team can make it to the postseason if healthy and always has his goals set high for his squad.

In addition to those two holding down the fort as starters, Cody Martin will be able to come in and back up both guard spots. Martin only appeared in seven games in 2022-23 after dealing with lingering knee issues. When available, he plays the role of a utility guy. He can defend, be a playmaker, hit open shots, and win those 50-50 balls. He can also soak up some time at the small forward spot because of his 6'5 frame.

The Forwards

Despite the extended offseason for Miles Bridges, he should join PJ Washington at the three & four spots. Gordon Hayward has been a mainstay in the starting lineup since he joined the Hornets, but a sixth-man role may suit him better at this point in his career. Hayward hasn't been able to stay on the court in his tenure with the Hornets. In his three years with the team, he has only played 50 or more games once, which happened to be in the 2022-23 season. Maybe logging fewer minutes and letting the younger players run with the starters is what the Hornets need. Letting Hayward spearhead the second unit with the potential to finish games if he's playing well throughout it.

Both Bridges & Washington have shown that they are two-way players with room to grow on both sides of the ball. Most importantly, they fit that run and gun play style and high pace that LaMelo Ball likes to run. As for Brandon Miller, running the second unit with Hayward could be the perfect way to start his career. Bring him along slowly rather than tossing him into the starting lineup.

Center

Mark Williams will undoubtedly get the starting nod here. After filling in for Mason Plumlee when he was traded, Williams showed he can anchor a defense. He helped the Hornets' defensive rating in 2022-23 jump into the top 10 when he was inserted into the lineup. Playing with a healthy LaMelo Ball should help his offensive game out as well. Catching easy lob passes and dump-offs from the dunkers' spot should help him gain confidence on that end. Adding strength to his frame was hopefully the main emphasis for him over the offseason. To help him battle in the post and on boxouts against the premier bigs at the position.

A starting lineup of Ball, Rozier, Bridges, Washington, and Williams could be good enough to contend for a playoff spot. Getting one of the lower seeds out east is doable. Once they're in the playoffs, we'll see what happens. Either way, it should be a better, fun year for the Hornets.