The final season of the Charlotte Bobcats was a tumultuous one. A top 5 seed in the East at the All-Star break, Charlotte looked like the up-and-coming team to watch in the NBA. Both Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson were selected as first-time All-Stars, and the team looked well on its way to making the playoffs, and possibly winning a round while they were there.
Things fell apart soon after. The injury bug bit hard, and the Bobcats struggled with a tough schedule to boot, winning just three of sixteen March games. Somehow the Bobcats went into April clinging onto a playoff seed. With just three games left in the regular season, the Bobcats held the 7th seed with five teams exactly two games behind them. Then the worst happened- a severe ankle injury knocked Kemba Walker out of the first games of his career, and the final three as the Charlotte Bobcats. Three of the five teams would leapfrog the Bobcats, who lost all three of the games Walker missed. The Bobcats missed the playoffs once again- this time in a much more heart-wrenching fashion.
But it was the end of an era in Charlotte. The Bobcats name, synonymous with futility, was tossed aside and the much-loved Hornets returned to the Queen City. For once, there was a buzz about the NBA franchise in Charlotte- an up-and-coming team with a revamped look, multiple draft picks, and cap space.
Ready to make waves around the league, the Charlotte Hornets actively looked to shake up the roster. Using their own 1st round pick, and a pick owed to them from the Blazers, the Bobcats moved up in the draft to select dynamic guard Dante Exum, while trading forward Cody Zeller in a three team deal for Bucks prospect Giannis Antetokounmpo and Pelicans sharpshooter and Charlotte native Anthony Morrow. The Hornets then made moves with their future picks, Jeff Taylor, and Brendan Haywood to receive two late first rounders to select forwards Doug McDermott and Noah Vonleh.
After a truly impressive and wildly successful draft day, the Hornets followed up by signing rising star Lance Stephenson to a four-year contract. The Hornets brought back role players Chris Douglas-Roberts and Anthony Tolliver, signed center Miroslav Radjulica and the revamped roster was set.
2014-15 OPENING NIGHT ROSTER
PG: | KEMBA WALKER (#15) | Dante Exum (#13) | Anthony Morrow (#22) |
SG: | LANCE STEPHENSON (#6) | Gerald Henderson (#9) | Doug McDermott (#16) |
SF: | MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST (#14) | Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) | Chris Douglas-Roberts (#55) |
PF: | JOSH MCROBERTS (#11) | Noah Vonleh (#10) | Anthony Tolliver (#43) |
C: | AL JEFFERSON (#25) | Bismack Biyombo (#0) | Miroslav Raduljica (#50) |