The Charlotte Hornets are sitting at a dismal 3-6 through their first nine games, and after a fresh loss to the Nets, one NBA expert is sounding a serious alarm, saying it’s “panic time” for the squad. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor just said it’s officially “panic time” for a team that many thought would simply take a step back after a major trade. Turns out, it’s far worse than anyone anticipated.
Worst Offensive Rating In The NBA By Far
O’Connor didn’t mince words after Tuesday’s loss. He’s seeing a team that’s completely lost its way, especially on offense. According to him, they’ve got the “worst offensive rating in the NBA by far.” Think about that. The worst. It’s not just a little bad, it’s historically bad already, just nine games in. They’re chucking “over half their shots from 3 even though they’re shooting below 30%.” Seriously? That’s a recipe for disaster, and it’s playing out nightly.
He called out Sion James directly, saying the guy “cannot hit the side of the backboard, yet Charles Lee keeps empowering him to launch bricks.” That’s a brutal assessment, but if the numbers back it up, what are you even doing? Beyond the terrible shooting, O’Connor pointed to Brandon Miller “not looking worth the money” after his contract extension, and Kon Knueppel is already “hurt again.” Add in “bad body language across the roster” and “all the joy is gone,” and you’ve got a seriously demoralized group. Trading LaMelo Ball was always going to mean a step back, but O’Connor says this “is way worse than anticipated for the Hornets.” He summed it up bluntly: “This team looks broken.”
Under 100 Points A Night? Yikes.
The stats don’t lie. This isn’t just an eye test thing. The Hornets are the only squad in the entire NBA averaging less than 105 points per game, clocking in at a distant 98.1. That’s almost seven points below the next worst team. They also boast the lowest field goal percentage in the league. So, they can’t shoot threes efficiently, and they can’t hit shots inside either. It’s a double whammy of offensive ineptitude.
It gets even wilder when you consider they rank third in the NBA in 3-point attempts, yet they’re just 28th in efficiency. They’re taking all these deep shots, but none of them are falling. It’s truly a baffling strategy if the talent isn’t there to back it up. O’Connor isn’t wrong: this team looks completely lost, with no clear path to turning things around if they can’t hit a shot.
Can they even begin to turn this mess around? The Hornets are heading out on a west coast road trip, kicking things off with matchups against the 1-5 Suns and the 1-7 Clippers. If there’s ever a time to find a rhythm, it’s against other struggling teams. This trip could either spark some much needed life or solidify O’Connor’s damning assessment that this team is, in fact, “broken.”
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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