Philadelphia 76ers star wing Paul George went in on the Charlotte Hornets’ viability as an NBA free agency destination. According to the nine-time All-Star, the lowly Eastern Conference franchise is running out of time to build a competitive roster around star point guard LaMelo Ball.
Coming off a 19-win campaign, Charlotte extended its league-worst playoff drought to nine years, with its last postseason berth coming in 2016, a stretch that includes five lottery appearances since drafting Ball at No. 3 in the 2020 NBA Draft.
While Ball has proven to be a standout lead playmaker, earning an All-Star nod in 2022, injuries have limited his effectiveness over the last three seasons. Meanwhile, concerns abound about the 23-year-old’s ability to spearhead the Hornets’ turnaround, prompting George to question the team’s future.
Paul George Says Hornets’ Losing Culture Hinders Their Free Agency Appeal
Speaking with ex-Hornets star Baron Davis on Monday’s episode of “Podcast P with Paul George,” George brought up Charlotte’s apparent lack of direction.
“They’ve been struggling for years now, they’ve obviously got a superstar in LaMelo, but they not going nowhere,” George began.
After hearing Davis’ take on the organization’s outlook, George broke down its limited allure from a free agency perspective. According to the 35-year-old, who has played for four different teams across 15 seasons, he wouldn’t even consider joining the Hornets due to their losing culture.
“Listen, if I’m in free agency, I’m not picking Charlotte just because there’s no winning culture there,” George said.
George then clarified that he has nothing against the city of Charlotte, reiterating its basketball team’s rocky track record.
“Regardless, Charlotte is an amazing city, would love to play for it because of the city, like, I could see myself living there, but in terms of a basketball standpoint, my career over with if I go there,” George explained.
The six-time All-NBA selectee later expressed uncertainty about whether Ball or the Hornets’ front office bears more responsibility for “make [Charlotte] a landing destination.” Regardless, George noted that the clock is ticking for the franchise to capitalize on its Ball era.
“They gon’ keep going down this route of getting early draft picks, getting younger, getting younger, getting younger, to the point where LaMelo’s gonna have to get shipped, they gonna have to try to start over, Brandon Miller might have to be the face now,” George said.
However, remaining healthy will likely be Ball’s top priority as he aims for his first playoff appearance after playing in fewer than 50 games in three straight seasons.
