# 2024–25 Charlotte Hornets season

The 2024–25 Charlotte Hornets season is the 35th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This also became the second season where Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall would take on majority ownership of the Hornets franchise after buying majority shares from Michael Jordan during the month of August 2023. On April 3, 2024, the Hornets announced that Steve Clifford would step down as head coach at the end of the 2023–24 season and move into a front-office advisory role. On May 9, 2024, the Hornets hired Charles Lee as their new head coach.

## Draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position(s) | Nationality | College / club |
| 1 | 6 | Tidjane Salaün | PF | France | Cholet Basket |
| 2 | 42 | KJ Simpson | PG | United States | Colorado |
The Hornets entered the draft (which was two days instead of one like it had been since the NBA draft was shortened down to two rounds back in 1989) with one first-round pick and one second-round pick. On the first night of the draft, the Hornets would select the French power forward Tidjane Salaün from the Cholet Basket in the recently rebranded LNB Élite as the 6th pick. Then, on the second day of the draft, the Hornets would select point guard KJ Simpson from the University of Colorado.

## Standings
### Division

| Southeast Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
| Atlanta Hawks | 33 | 36 | .478 | – | 17‍–‍17 | 16‍–‍19 | 9–4 | 69 |
| Orlando Magic | 32 | 37 | .464 | 1.0 | 18‍–‍16 | 14‍–‍21 | 8–3 | 69 |
| Miami Heat | 29 | 39 | .426 | 3.5 | 15‍–‍17 | 14‍–‍22 | 7–5 | 68 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 17 | 51 | .250 | 15.5 | 10‍–‍25 | 7‍–‍26 | 1–13 | 68 |
| Washington Wizards | 15 | 52 | .224 | 17.0 | 7‍–‍26 | 8‍–‍26 | 6–6 | 67 |

### Conference

Eastern Conference :
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | y – Cleveland Cavaliers * | 56 | 11 | .836 | – | 67 |
| 2 | x – Boston Celtics * | 50 | 19 | .725 | 7.0 | 69 |
| 3 | ps – New York Knicks | 43 | 24 | .642 | 13.0 | 67 |
| 4 | ps – Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 29 | .567 | 18.0 | 67 |
| 5 | ps – Indiana Pacers | 38 | 29 | .567 | 18.0 | 67 |
| 6 | ps – Detroit Pistons | 38 | 31 | .551 | 19.0 | 69 |
| 7 | Atlanta Hawks * | 33 | 36 | .478 | 24.0 | 69 |
| 8 | Orlando Magic | 32 | 37 | .464 | 25.0 | 69 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 29 | 39 | .426 | 27.5 | 68 |
| 10 | Miami Heat | 29 | 39 | .426 | 27.5 | 68 |
| 11 | Toronto Raptors | 24 | 45 | .348 | 33.0 | 69 |
| 12 | Brooklyn Nets | 23 | 46 | .333 | 34.0 | 69 |
| 13 | Philadelphia 76ers | 23 | 45 | .338 | 33.5 | 68 |
| 14 | Charlotte Hornets | 17 | 51 | .250 | 39.5 | 68 |
| 15 | Washington Wizards | 15 | 52 | .224 | 41.0 | 67 |

## Game log
### Preseason

During the preseason, the Hornets would play their final games under what was previously named Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast. Bally Sports would rebrand itself to the FanDuel Sports Network before the start of the regular season.
2024 preseason game log Total: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2) :
Preseason: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 6
New York
L 109–111
LaMelo Ball (18)
Nick Richards (9)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 10,486
0–1
2
October 8
Miami
W 111–108
LaMelo Ball (24)
Moussa Diabaté (10)
Ball, Mann (4)
Spectrum Center 10,093
1–1
3
October 10
@ Memphis
W 119–94
Brandon Miller (22)
Nick Richards (11)
Vasilije Micić (4)
FedExForum 13,411
2–1
4
October 15
@ New York
L 105–111
Brandon Miller (26)
Tidjane Salaün (8)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Madison Square Garden 19,355
2–2
5
October 17
@ Indiana
L 116–121 (OT)
Brandon Miller (20)
Tidjane Salaün (14)
KJ Simpson (5)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 11,835
2–3 :
2024–25 preseason schedule :

### Regular season

2024–25 game log Total: 17–51 (Home: 10–25; Road: 7–26) :
October: 2–2 (home: 1–1; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 23
@ Houston
W 110–105
LaMelo Ball (34)
Miles Bridges (9)
LaMelo Ball (11)
Toyota Center 18,055
1–0
2
October 25
@ Atlanta
L 120–125
LaMelo Ball (34)
Nick Richards (13)
Grant Williams (6)
State Farm Arena 14,433
1–1
3
October 26
Miami
L 106–114
LaMelo Ball (27)
Nick Richards (12)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 19,102
1–2
4
October 30
Toronto
W 138–133
Tre Mann (27)
Nick Richards (14)
LaMelo Ball (6)
Spectrum Center 13,113
2–2 :
November: 4–12 (home: 4–6; road: 0–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
5
November 1
Boston
L 109–124
LaMelo Ball (31)
Bridges, Diabaté, G. Williams (7)
Tre Mann (5)
Spectrum Center 18,557
2–3
6
November 2
Boston
L 103–113
LaMelo Ball (36)
Miles Bridges (8)
Ball, Miller (6)
Spectrum Center 19,253
2–4
7
November 4
@ Minnesota
L 93–114
LaMelo Ball (19)
Miles Bridges (6)
Tre Mann (6)
Target Center 18,978
2–5
8
November 6
Detroit
W 108–107
Miles Bridges (27)
Bridges, G. Williams (7)
LaMelo Ball (8)
Spectrum Center 13,247
3–5
9
November 8
Indiana
W 103–83
LaMelo Ball (31)
Moussa Diabaté (15)
Ball, Miller (6)
Spectrum Center 17,024
4–5
10
November 10
@ Philadelphia
L 105–107 (OT)
LaMelo Ball (38)
Moussa Diabaté (11)
LaMello Ball (8)
Wells Fargo Center 19,764
4–6
11
November 12
@ Orlando
L 89–114
LaMelo Ball (35)
Moussa Diabaté (15)
Ball, Miller (7)
Kia Center 17,541
4–7
12
November 16
Milwaukee
W 115–114
LaMelo Ball (26)
Moussa Diabaté (14)
LaMelo Ball (6)
Spectrum Center 19,145
5–7
13
November 17
@ Cleveland
L 114–128
LaMelo Ball (31)
Grant Williams (9)
LaMelo Ball (12)
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 19,432
5–8
14
November 19
@ Brooklyn
L 115–116
Brandon Miller (29)
Tidjane Salaün (8)
Tre Mann (6)
Barclays Center 18,117
5–9
15
November 21
Detroit
W 123–121
Brandon Miller (38)
Moussa Diabaté (16)
LaMelo Ball (9)
Spectrum Center 14,671
6–9
16
November 23
@ Milwaukee
L 119–125
LaMelo Ball (50)
Diabaté, Miller (11)
LaMelo Ball (10)
Fiserv Forum 17,341
6–10
17
November 25
Orlando
L 84–95
LaMelo Ball (44)
Brandon Miller (10)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 14,898
6–11
18
November 27
Miami
L 94–98
LaMelo Ball (32)
Moussa Diabaté (11)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 17,710
6–12
19
November 29
New York
L 98–99
Brandon Miller (20)
Moussa Diabaté (11)
Vasilije Micić (8)
Spectrum Center 19,313
6–13
20
November 30
Atlanta
L 104–107
Brandon Miller (32)
Diabaté, Micić, Miller (8)
Martin, Micić (5)
Spectrum Center 17,969
6–14 :
December: 1–11 (home: 0–6; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
21
December 3
Philadelphia
L 104–110
Brandon Miller (34)
Nick Richards (14)
KJ Simpson (9)
Spectrum Center 14,956
6–15
22
December 5
@ New York
L 101–125
Brandon Miller (26)
Nick Richards (8)
Vasilije Micić (12)
Madison Square Garden 19,812
6–16
23
December 7
Cleveland
L 102–116
Brandon Miller (25)
Cody Martin (9)
Vasilije Micić (7)
Spectrum Center 18,832
6–17
24
December 8
@ Indiana
W 113–109
Brandon Miller (26)
Nick Richards (14)
Vasilije Micić (9)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 17,274
7–17
25
December 13
@ Chicago
L 95–109
Brandon Miller (21)
Bridges, M. Williams (9)
Vasilije Micić (5)
United Center 19,543
7–18
26
December 16
Philadelphia
L 108–121
Miles Bridges (24)
Miles Bridges (6)
LaMelo Ball (11)
Spectrum Center 14,677
7–19
27
December 19
@ Washington
L 114–123
LaMelo Ball (34)
Bridges, M. Williams (8)
LaMelo Ball (13)
Capital One Arena 15,256
7–20
28
December 20
@ Philadelphia
L 98–108
Vasilije Micić (20)
Tidjane Salaün (8)
Tidjane Salaün (5)
Wells Fargo Center 20,291
7–21
29
December 23
Houston
L 101–114
Miles Bridges (24)
Mark Williams (9)
LaMelo Ball (8)
Spectrum Center 19,134
7–22
30
December 26
@ Washington
L 110–113
LaMelo Ball (31)
Miles Bridges (14)
Brandon Miller (9)
Capital One Arena 17,193
7–23
31
December 28
Oklahoma City
L 94–106
Miles Bridges (19)
Bridges, M. Williams (10)
Miles Bridges (6)
Spectrum Center 19,325
7–24
32
December 30
Chicago
L 108–115 (OT)
Miles Bridges (31)
Bridges, M. Williams (12)
Miles Bridges (8)
Spectrum Center 19,197
7–25 :
January: 5–8 (home: 3–4; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
33
January 3
@ Detroit
L 94–98
Miles Bridges (20)
Bridges, M. Williams (9)
Bridges, Micić, Richards (5)
Little Caesars Arena 18,866
7–26
34
January 5
@ Cleveland
L 105–115
Ball, Miller (24)
Salaün, M. Williams (9)
Cody Martin (5)
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 19,432
7–27
35
January 7
Phoenix
W 115–104
LaMelo Ball (32)
Nick Richards (12)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 16,647
8–27
January 9
@ L.A. Lakers
Postponed due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. Makeup date February 19.
January 11
@ L.A. Clippers
Postponed due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. Makeup date March 16.
36
January 12
@ Phoenix
L 113–120
LaMelo Ball (25)
Mark Williams (16)
LaMelo Ball (11)
Footprint Center 17,071
8–28
37
January 15
@ Utah
W 117–112
Mark Williams (31)
Mark Williams (13)
LaMelo Ball (9)
Delta Center 18,175
9–28
38
January 17
@ Chicago
W 125–123
LaMelo Ball (26)
Mark Williams (19)
LaMelo Ball (9)
United Center 20,598
10–28
39
January 20
Dallas
W 110–105
Ball, Bridges (23)
Mark Williams (13)
LaMelo Ball (9)
Spectrum Center 19,314
11–28
40
January 22
@ Memphis
L 120–132
Mark Williams (38)
Mark Williams (9)
Ball, Bridges (6)
FedExForum 15,971
11–29
41
January 24
Portland
L 97–102
Nick Smith Jr. (17)
Josh Okogie (10)
Nick Smith Jr. (5)
Spectrum Center 16,228
11–30
42
January 25
New Orleans
W 123–92
LaMelo Ball (25)
Moussa Diabaté (13)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 18,461
12–30
43
January 27
L.A. Lakers
L 107–112
Miles Bridges (26)
Bridges, M. Williams (8)
Nick Smith Jr. (6)
Spectrum Center 19,483
12–31
44
January 29
Brooklyn
L 83–104
Miles Bridges (23)
Miles Bridges (13)
Vasilije Micić (6)
Spectrum Center 14,307
12–32
45
January 31
L.A. Clippers
L 104–112
Miles Bridges (27)
Moussa Diabaté (14)
Miles Bridges (6)
Spectrum Center 15,342
12–33 :
February: 2–11 (home: 1–3; road: 1–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
46
February 1
Denver
L 104–107
Miles Bridges (24)
Mark Williams (15)
KJ Simpson (8)
Spectrum Center 19,106
12–34
47
February 3
Washington
L 114–124
Bridges, Smith Jr. (24)
Mark Williams (14)
Miles Bridges (10)
Spectrum Center 14,129
12–35
48
February 5
Milwaukee
L 102–112
Nick Smith Jr. (23)
Moussa Diabaté (13)
Miles Bridges (6)
Spectrum Center 14,385
12–36
49
February 7
San Antonio
W 117–116
Miles Bridges (25)
Moussa Diabaté (15)
LaMelo Ball (10)
Spectrum Center 19,290
13–36
50
February 9
@ Detroit
L 102–112
Miles Bridges (30)
Miles Bridges (9)
KJ Simpson (6)
Little Caesars Arena 18,740
13–37
51
February 10
@ Brooklyn
L 89–97
Moussa Diabaté (21)
Moussa Diabaté (10)
Nick Smith Jr. (5)
Barclays Center 16,013
13–38
52
February 12
@ Orlando
L 86–102
Miles Bridges (19)
Taj Gibson (12)
Elfrid Payton (7)
Kia Center 18,947
13–39
All-Star Game
53
February 19
@ L.A. Lakers
W 100–97
Miles Bridges (29)
Mark Williams (9)
Jusuf Nurkić (7)
Crypto.com Arena 18,997
14–39
54
February 20
@ Denver
L 115–129
Miles Bridges (36)
Miles Bridges (13)
Bridges, Nurkić (7)
Ball Arena 19,870
14–40
55
February 22
@ Portland
L 88–141
Miles Bridges (17)
Jusuf Nurkić (8)
Jusuf Nurkić (5)
Moda Center 18,501
14–41
56
February 24
@ Sacramento
L 88–130
Miles Bridges (23)
Jusuf Nurkić (9)
LaMelo Ball (9)
Golden 1 Center 17,832
14–42
57
February 25
@ Golden State
L 92–128
KJ Simpson (16)
Mark Williams (12)
Damion Baugh (5)
Chase Center 18,064
14–43
58
February 27
@ Dallas
L 96–103
Mark Williams (26)
Mark Williams (16)
Nick Smith Jr. (7)
American Airlines Center 20,009
14–44 :
March: 3–7 (home: 1–5; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
59
March 1
Washington
L 100–113
Mark Williams (24)
Mark Williams (12)
Miles Bridges (7)
Spectrum Center 17,904
14–45
60
March 3
Golden State
L 101–119
Miles Bridges (35)
Mark Williams (13)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 19,223
14–46
61
March 5
Minnesota
L 110–125
LaMelo Ball (28)
LaMelo Ball (10)
LaMelo Ball (6)
Spectrum Center 17,578
14–47
62
March 7
Cleveland
L 117–118
Miles Bridges (46)
Jusuf Nurkić (15)
LaMelo Ball (7)
Spectrum Center 19,296
14–48
63
March 8
Brooklyn
W 105–102
Miles Bridges (26)
Moussa Diabaté (15)
Bridges, Green (5)
Spectrum Center 18,652
15–48
64
March 10
@ Miami
W 105–102
Miles Bridges (35)
Mark Williams (10)
LaMelo Ball (10)
Kaseya Center 19,600
16–48
65
March 12
@ Atlanta
L 110–123
Miles Bridges (31)
Mark Williams (14)
LaMelo Ball (9)
State Farm Arena 15,901
16–49
66
March 14
@ San Antonio
W 145–134
LaMelo Ball (27)
Mark Williams (10)
LaMelo Ball (15)
Frost Bank Center 18,510
17–49
67
March 16
@ L.A. Clippers
L 88–123
Mark Williams (18)
Mark Williams (15)
Mark Williams (7)
Intuit Dome 17,927
17–50
68
March 18
Atlanta
L 102–134
Curry, Jeffries (19)
Damion Baugh (9)
Baugh, Williams (5)
Spectrum Center 15,341
17–51
69
March 20
New York
Spectrum Center
70
March 21
@ Oklahoma City
Paycom Center
71
March 23
@ Miami
Kaseya Center
72
March 25
Orlando
Spectrum Center
73
March 28
@ Toronto
Scotiabank Arena
74
March 30
@ New Orleans
Spectrum Center
75
March 31
Utah
Spectrum Center :
April
: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
76
April 2
@ Indiana
Gainbridge Fieldhouse
77
April 4
Sacramento
Spectrum Center
78
April 6
Chicago
Spectrum Center
79
April 8
Memphis
Spectrum Center
80
April 9
@ Toronto
Scotiabank Arena
81
April 11
@ Boston
TD Garden
82
April 13
@ Boston
TD Garden :
2024–25 season schedule :

### NBA Cup

The groups were revealed during the tournament announcement on July 12, 2024.

#### East Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Qualification |
| 1 | New York Knicks | 4 | 4 | 0 | 455 | 425 | +30 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Orlando Magic | 4 | 3 | 1 | 441 | 396 | +45 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 408 | 411 | −3 | |
| 4 | Brooklyn Nets | 4 | 1 | 3 | 436 | 475 | −39 | |
| 5 | Charlotte Hornets | 4 | 0 | 4 | 406 | 439 | −33 | |

## Transactions
### Trades

| July 6, 2024 | To Charlotte HornetsDevonte' Graham 2025 NOP second-round pick | To San Antonio SpursCash considerations |
| July 6, 2024 | Six-team trade | Six-team trade |
| July 6, 2024 | To Charlotte HornetsJosh Green (from Dallas) Reggie Jackson (from Denver) 2029 DEN second-round pick (from Denver) 2030 DEN second-round pick (from Denver) | To Dallas MavericksKlay Thompson (from Golden State) 2025 GSW second-round pick (from Golden State) |
| July 6, 2024 | To Denver NuggetsCash considerations (from Charlotte) | To Golden State WarriorsKyle Anderson (from Minnesota) Buddy Hield (from Philadelphia) |
| July 6, 2024 | To Minnesota Timberwolves2025 DEN second-round pick (from Golden State via Charlotte) 2031 second-round pick swap (from Golden State) Cash considerations (from Golden State) | To Philadelphia 76ers2031 DAL second-round pick (from Golden State via Dallas) |
| October 2, 2024 | Three-team trade | Three-team trade |
| October 2, 2024 | To Charlotte HornetsCharlie Brown Jr. (from New York) DaQuan Jeffries (from New York) Duane Washington Jr. (from New York) 2025 MIN second-round pick (from Minnesota) 2026 GSW second-round pick (from New York) 2031 NYK second-round pick(from New York) Cash considerations (from New York) | To New York KnicksKarl-Anthony Towns (from Minnesota) Draft rights to James Nnaji (2023 No. 31) (from Charlotte) |
| To Minnesota TimberwolvesKeita Bates-Diop (from New York) Donte DiVincenzo (from New York) Julius Randle (from New York) 2025 DET first-round pick (from New York) ||

### Free agency
#### Re-signed

| Date | Player | Ref. |
| July 14 | Miles Bridges | |
| July 15 | Seth Curry | |

#### Additions

| Date | Player | Former team | Ref. |
| July 13 | Taj Gibson | Detroit Pistons | |

#### Subtractions

| Date | Player | Reason left | New team |
| July 3 | Marques Bolden | Waived | |
| July 6 | Dāvis Bertāns | Waived | BC Dubai |
| July 6 | Bryce McGowens | Waived | Portland Trail Blazers |
| July 6 | Aleksej Pokuševski | Waived | KK Partizan |
| July 6 | Devonte' Graham | Waived | Portland Trail Blazers |
| July 23 | Reggie Jackson | Waived | Philadelphia 76ers |