Mark Williams lower back injury lingers. Are the Hornets soft? Can they find magic again vs. Kings?

Mark Williams lower back injury lingers. Are the Hornets soft? Can they find magic again vs. Kings?

The Charlotte Hornets give us all a little bit more clarity around Mark Williams injury miles Bridges is defending the team from accusations of being soft and I dip my hand deep into the sicko Satchel once again that’s all today on the lock on Hornets podcast you are locked on Hornets your daily

Charlotte Hornets podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day in the minute CU we live this is lockon Hornets we are part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day this episode is brought to you by FanDuel sports book the official

Sports books of locked on make every moment more right now new customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets guaranteed visit fanduel.com lockon to get started thanks so much for making lockd on Hornets your first listen every day we are free and daily wherever you get podcasts that includes

Your favorite podcast app and YouTube where you can see my bright shining face this morning no Walker mail alongside me you can catch him on WFNZ 12 to3 each weekday Maybe not today he’s still feeling a little bit under the weather we’ll see if he’s just playing hookie

From lock on Hornets or if he feels good enough to get on the radio you’ll have to you’ll have to check him out on the text line and give him some grief about that but he should be back tomorrow so that’s the good news the bad news is

You’ve got me for today uh but I’ve got some thoughts and uh I get the microphone all to myself and so I’m going to dive into those thoughts on Mark Williams on accusations that this team is soft and much much more from the sick o Satchel you can get all of my

Hornets thoughts on my substack every Hornets boxcore at every Hornets boox score.com or on our new sicko Brigade our subtext join sub tex.com locked on Hornets so the Hornets did give us a Mark Williams injury update and that is this on Twitter they say hornets Center Mark Williams will

Continue to rehab his low back injury as he works towards his return to play Williams will be listed as out for one additional week and updates on his status will be provided as appropriate so just to kind of go back to the history of all of this he uh injures his

Back uh almost a month ago more than a month ago in a game against Brooklyn plays one more game plays a and then is out for a what they call lower back contusion low back bruise then tries to come back plays about 19 minutes exits the game early and has been out ever

Since so it was called a lower back contusion I don’t know if it’s going to continue to be called the lower back contusion but that uh tweet there was low back injury so is it a contusion is it something more uh they’re going to continue to evaluate it he’s going to

Continue to rehab it I’ve said many times on the show already that when it comes to big men in the league you cannot mess around with lower back injuries especially when these guys are young it could limit what they are able to do for the rest of their career it

Could be potentially career ending so I understand why they are being careful um but it is frustrating not seeing him out on the floor and it’s less not seeing him out on the floor and and what that and more what that means for the Charlotte Hornets right because they did

Not come into the season with a legitimate third string Center they signed Nick Richards to the the three-year deal to be the backup center to Mark Williams but they never really figured out because Richards was that third big behind Williams and plumbley but they never really figured out that

Situation coming into this season they have Nathan menah who to his credit has played hard but is inexperienced is undersized for that position like it’s it’s not a surprised that the Hornets still struggle to rebound when he’s on the floor they still struggle to defend

The rim when he’s on the floor and so that’s why it’s frustrating it’s also frustrating because Mark Williams was having a good second year heading into this there were obviously things he needed to improve on and so that frustrates you too because these are opportunities these are games that he’s

Missing early in his career that would help catapult him through his you know next couple of Seasons which are the really important season because that’s for the for the player and the team for the player it’s the leap for the team it’s to make the decision okay are we

Going to move forward with this player on the first opportunity that we have to resign them or are we going to move on and so you lose all of that opportunity uh you know to to make some of those evaluations as long as he’s sitting out

So that but that’s a little bit of a weird update that we’ve gone from a lot of doubtful to finally being out to now this situation where we’re going to evaluate him essentially week to week and I I don’t you know I don’t have any indication as to whether that’s that

Means he’s any closer to getting back I I think it’s probably like a lot of these injuries that the Hornets have had lately is more of a feeling thing like we’re going to go out there and see you know how is it is it super tight when he

Warms up you know is there any kind of pain and if there is then they’re going to back off and try to get him to a place where he’s 100% uh but it’s just one of many injuries The Hornet are dealing with right now the latest injury report includes Mark Williams being out

Lamelo ball with the right ankle injury continues to be out Gordon Hayward left calf Frank Neil Aina still recovering from the tibia injury that um he sustained in the preseason of this year two upgrades PJ Washington and Cody Martin were both out for the game against Chicago PJ Washington has been

Upgraded to doubtful with the right foot sprain get the doubtful Cannon back it’s back we’ve gone from out now we’re back to doubtful for PJ Washington and Cody Martin with that strain gr groin going to questionable at this point so hopefully with the Cody Martin situation it was something where there was a

Little bit of a strain a little bit of a tweak and you know you rested for a couple of days now because they had two days off going into that Chicago game now you get another day off going into this Sacramento game so hopefully uh he’ll be available to play because the

Hornets are uh short staffed right now and it is affecting their ability to close out these games as we saw against Chicago so I’ll have a preview of the Sacramento game coming up but I just wanted to kind of stick around on these injuries a little bit because miles

Bridges brought something up after the game against Chicago here’s the quote from Miles Bridges asked about all of these injuries that the Hornets are dealing with right now he said quote it’s tough to see Mark not playing Melo not playing all the guys that’s out I feel like people outside they get the

Wrong impression like we are just soft we are not playing but no those guys are doing a great job of rehabbing and they want to play so I don’t know It’s just tough for us and there is that impression uh that this well I think there are two

Impressions from from the outside from from fans from people who comment on Twitter and you know when when miles posts something you know I’m sure people are in his comments and and I’ve seen two things in particular one that like what’s taking so long which I think

Behind that is what’s taking that player so long to get back there is this element of like are they are they sort of slow playing this um you know afraid of getting hurt again so they don’t want to play through anything are they soft and then this other element of like

What’s the deal with the training staff like how how how are all of these injuries happening what’s uh what’s the training staff doing and we’ve talked about the training staff issue before but those are the two things that that I’ve seen on on them being soft I don’t

Think any of these players are are soft necessarily for trying to rehab through these injuries and I’m and and I’ll take I’ll take miles at his word that he’s seeing these guys in the training room trying to get back as quickly as possible but there is some Nuance here

There it doesn’t have to be well they’re soft or they immediately come back as soon as possible even if they’re a little bit even if they’re a little bit hurt you know one wonders with some of these injuries if these players were playing on the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics

And they were playing for rotation spots they were a little bit deeper in the rotation in danger of being out of the rotation or if they were playing on one of those teams and they had something to play for that there was a legitimate playoff run to be had if these players

Would accelerate the timeline or do they look at this and go look the team is even if everybody magically even if you snapped your fingers right now and brought everyone back off the injury list even if that magic were to happen would this team be ready to compete in

The Eastern Conference and the answer is no no because look Vegas didn’t have this team winning 40 games going into the season Vegas had this team as one of the bottom three or four teams in the Eastern Conference and the Hornets came into the season fully healthy so there

Was stuff that this team was going to have to figure out in order to beat those Vegas expectations if all of those guys were to come back immediately they would still have to figure all of that stuff out Steve Clifford has alluded to to that that

Look you got to get these guys back so then you can figure out a way to play then you can figure out rotations which guys need to play with which guys what their strengths are what their weaknesses are try to attenuate for some of those weaknesses and and really

Accentuate the strengths they’ve had no opportunity to do that so you know how many games would that take would that take 10 15 you lose more than half of those and then all of a sudden it is a situation where you’re like well now the math doesn’t work anymore now it doesn’t

Work anymore now now they’re completely out of it and now the trade deadline is breathing down your neck and now you’re a new ownership group that is needing to evaluate the roster the front office the coaching staff and you have your first opportunity the trade deadline will be the first opportunity that this

Ownership group will be presented with options for change there will be teams that call about certain players now will those teams offer something that is particularly enticing to the ownership group and to the front office that that Still Remains to be seen but they will get calls because Terry Rosier has been

Playing enough to generate interest around the league and and Gordon hayward’s contract even though you know I think the injury we’ said this for three or four years now the injury right around this time will suppress the market for his services but the the contract is still enticing so there will

Be offers it will be their first opportunity for change so you know if if you’re if if that’s the situation if that’s the situation that the team is in if you are one of these players and you’re young and you’ve got your whole career ahead of you and that career may

Or may not include being on the Charlotte Hornets do you risk coming back immediately and possibly risk reinjury in order to save a season that I think is it’s pretty clear um that that is almost lost now it’s it’s almost lost in terms of the result

In terms of being able to get to the playoffs still plenty to play for and that would be my argument to these young players hey you you you’ve got a lot to play for if you can’t if at all possible to get back get back as soon as possible

Because each game presents you an opportunity especially if you’re one of the leaders on this team that is going to be here for the long term you’ve got relationships to establish on the floor you’ve got you’ve got goals that you can meet this season that don’t revolve

Around playoffs so are they soft no I don’t think so I don’t think anyone I don’t I don’t think any of these players is legitimately saying I’m just going to hang back there’s too much pressure to play that you would have to fight through to not play um I just think that

The situation with every with all of the injuries if if it were just one guy and everybody else was playing and there was a glimmer of hope of playoffs and that player was slow footing it then I would say all right there might be an issue

But I think you have to take all of this in uh context and I think Bridges is right he’s seeing these guys rehab they’re trying to get back and uh we’ll see if they get back and and we’ll report on it as soon as we can here on

The lock on Hornets podcast but coming up I want to go back to the sicko Satchel because we still have some great questions in there so that’s coming up don’t go to sleep on the Hornets just yet one from a longtime listener ke 802 uh and this is a great question about a

Little bit bouncing off of what I was just talking about what’s left to play for with the way this season is going uh is it worth it to wait and see what the full rotation looks like before making any kind of move at the trade deadline

So we’ll get to that in just a Moment this episode has brought to you by FanDuel the NFL regular season is wrapping up but there’s still time to get in on the action with FanDuel America’s number one sports book right now new customers can get $150 in free bets um if you go to fanduel.com lockon and those bonus bets are

Guaranteed when you place a $5 bet that’s 150 bucks in bonus bets win or lose the app is so easy to use and there are many different ways to bet including live same game parlays you can find bets in the new explore tab make a parlay in the parlay Hub which is the

Best way to find find popular parlays if you’re like me and you’re you know you got a little bit of decision paralysis when you’re scrolling through Netflix you end up producer Katie says my favorite show to watch is just scroll through Netflix that’s my favorite show um so if you have decision paraly

Paralysis check out the parlay Hub there’s much much more you can get your bets in on tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings the kings are favored by eight the Hornets are eighto dogs now look the Hornets just beat the Kings 8 point dogs I don’t know you know that

May that may be an opportunity there uh counting the Hornets out I think the Hornets you know they they they match up okay with the Kings they have at least over over the course of the past couple of years um that that’s a pretty big

Line for that game so I don’t know check it out visit fanduel.com lockon and make your first bet a layup FanDuel official part partner of the NFL and one of our favorite sponsors check them out back here on the lockon horns podcast thanks so much for making us

Your first listen every day lockon has launched the first ever National Sports 24/7 streaming Channel on YouTube locked on sports today is here for you 24/7 covering the top sports stories of the day with the local Experts of locked on plus the national shows like locked on

NBA covering every single league so go to locked on sports today on YouTube subscribe to the first ever National Sports 247 streaming channel so back into the sicko Satchel with a question from F2 with the way the season is going this probably ain’t happening but would

It be worth it to wait and see what the full rotation looks like before making a move so very interesting question and I’m going to take making a move to be making a move at the trade deadline because that’s that’s going to be the first opportunity that’s where the

Pressure ramps up on playoff teams where they’re looking at situations around the league like the Hornets where they’re they’re would be an opportunity to sell and they’re going to look to to make a deal and I would say yes it could be worth waiting for two reasons one it

Just gives you another opportunity if you’re the ownership group to figure out who’s worth investing in in the long term and and who needs to move on and and really I think this revolves around Terry Rosier and PJ Washington I think the team I’m pretty confident the team

Is ready to move on from Gordon Hayward it’ll just be a question of whether you let that contract wash away or whether you wait or whether you find an opportunity to move him for some kind of asset so for Terry Rosier Terry Rosier is the heart and soul of this team he is

The one that is carrying this team right now he got them that win against Sac against Sacramento in Sacramento he almost was able to will them to an overtime Victory against the Chicago Bull Bulls the Hornets would be in pretty desperate territory without Terry Rosier and it is I would say a player

That has improved every single season that he’s been a member of the Charlotte Hornets and so you know it would be a decent bet that he would continue to improve as he gets closer to what will be most likely one of his final major signings um for his next team whether

That be the Charlotte Hornets or someone else and so I think you’re going to get as good or an even better version of Terry Rosier next season more improved because he’s gotten even more experience he he’s already told you that the experience that he gained last season as primary ball

Handler and fighting through double teams and blitzes the teams were throwing at him because they knew that Terry Rosier was the primary scorer and the primary passer without lamelo ball so he took all of that experience improved his game he’s able to fight through those blitzes he’s able to make

Better reads he’s able to get more assists he’s able to balance getting his own shot versus getting other people into a rhythm earlier in a game and getting his shot late he’s able to figure that thing out um and so what is the so then the question becomes what is

This experience teaching him what will it cause him to become next season but the more difficult question to answer is would he be willing to take those lessons to the bench right because Brandon Miller has also played well this season and Brandon Miller is

The future at the 23 and so you want to get him even more minutes not just next season certainly next season but even more minutes this season moving Terry Rosier would provide you that opportunity but do you want to see what this full rotation could do here’s the

Other reason and I think this is the more compelling reason to wait until draft because at the trade deadline there will be some playoff teams that get a little bit desperate but they’re not going to be as desperate as they are in the off season

Or they’re not going to be as silly as they are in the off season when we get around draft time when you’re talking about Assets in the draft that are unproven that are you know more valuable to you on the lot than they are off a lot that’s when things start to get

Crazy and that’s when franchises they start to really dream big and they want to make big moves that are going to really get the season off to a great start around the trade deadline I feel like more playoff there they are going to be teams that say look regardless of

Whether we make a deal for Terry Rosier we’re going to the playoffs okay so we’re picking around the edges and Terry Rosier will represent one Edge that they can pick there will will be other edges there will be other opportunities there will be waiver wire opportunities right

It’s not just about making a trade there will be waivers and so that presents other opportun and it’s I think because of the new collective bargaining agreement that’s less of a tool for some of these major teams but it still I think will be a

Factor and so if you wait I think you’re going to get you’re going to generate even more value for Terry Rosier now there is risk involved than that that the Hornets are very familiar with and that risk is injury that risk is Terry rosier um has a history of

Ankle injuries himself has a history of groin strain injuries that have kept him out uh for multiple weeks and so if he were to sustain one of those you know and and you’re risking too that you’re not going to get enough wins to really uh for it to make sense

For Terry Rosier to play a lot of minutes to end the season and so so then you’re going to have one of those situations where you know he’s not going to get to close out the year very strong uh because you’re going to be sitting veterans in favor of playing some of

These younger guys so there is risk involved but I think the reward is that if you wait you are going to be better able to evaluate which players represent long-term opportunities for you and which players don’t and you haven’t had enough opportunity with lamelo ball healthy and playing to make those kinds

Of decisions I honestly think a decision that they need to start to make it doesn’t have to be made but something that they should continue to evaluate is is Mark Williams going to be a starting center for them in the future will he improve his game such both his

Shooting and his physicality is that going to improve such that he is a lock to be the starting center of the future I’m not sure that he’s a lock yet um I I think he represents the best opportunity that the Hornets have had in a very long

Time but I don’t think that he’s a lock yet and that’s why again going back to that first segment I think that’s the most disappointing part about him not being available for these games and this lower back injury really um hampering uh just like the thumb injury did at the

End of last season this is really hampering the team’s ability to evaluate a a piece that could represent a core piece of your team so we’ll be very interesting to watch great question by Keith there I’ve got one more sios Satchel question coming up it’s more of

A funny one I also want to preview tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings that’s coming up on the lockon Hornets podcast don’t go to sleep on the Hornets just yet that question involves uh what justifies a parade in Charlotte for the Hornets I will I will reveal uh

What this uh listener has given me in terms of options for what justifies a parade this is truly the sickest of the sick questions uh that we’ve gotten and and I’ve saved the best for last year uh because it it it represents the kind of dark hope that

The Hornets fans have right now amidst all of these injuries so can’t wait to answer that plus a preview of tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings this episode of the locked on Hornets podcast is sponsored by better help around New Year’s around the beginning of the year we get obsessed

With how to change ourselves New Year resolutions that kind of thing instead of just expanding on what we’re already doing right and maybe look here’s some examples for you maybe you finally organized one part of your space okay you got that done resolution check but maybe you want to get to another or

Maybe you’re taking those supplements every morning check and now you want to actually eat breakfast too well therapy helps you find your strengths so that you can you can ditch all of those EXT streem resolutions that you make around the new year and make changes that stick throughout the entire year if you’re

Thinking of starting therapy give better help a try it’s entirely online it’s designed to be convenient flexible and suited to your schedule just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapist anytime for no additional charge celebrate the progress that you’ve already made visit betterhelp.com

Loock on NBA that’s betterhelp.com lockon NBA today to get 10% off your first month that’s betterhelp hp.com slocked on NBA final segment here on the locked on Hornets podcast the Hornets played tonight against Sacramento part of a 4 game like mirror Series where they played it’s a a paland dromic it is SAC

At Sacramento at Chicago then they come back home for a two- game home stand against Chicago and against Sacramento and then they go back out on the road for three games that’s right they weren’t done on the road you thought they were done on the road for a while

They are not three games if you look at the upcoming schedule though there are some opportunities to get wins including two games against the San Antonio Spurs uh one of those was supposed to be on national television and that got uh ripped away from the Hornet but I think

Understandably um that I mean you know Brandon Miller is not even even a to play at this point if he’s not if he’s not recovered fully from the sickness and so you know Victor wanyama versus Brandon Miller that will be interesting to watch um but it certainly um is is

Not going to be the draw necessary as both of those teams are uh heading towards possible number one pick status again next season so the Hornets will play the Sacramento Kings tonight they got an emotional win and a lot of that thanks to Terry Rosier who in that last

Game helped the Hornets break an 11 game losing Streak by scoring 34 points on 54% shooting including 14 points in the decisive fourth quarter and he added six assists three rebounds two blocks and a steal an incredible game for Terry Rosier and he’s had a number of those

But I want to zoom in on the fourth quarter scoring because the Hornets have been one of the better fourth quarter scoring teams both in terms of efficiency and overall output this season it’s that darn third quarter it’s coming out of that second half that is absolutely killed them and so the fourth

Quarter uh hasn’t mattered as much because they’ve either had to dig themselves out of a major hole or they’ve been so far out of it that both teams go to the White Flag lineups and the the stats are a little bit skewed but of the games where they have been

Successful in the fourth quarter Terry Rosier has typically been a big part of that in fact he’s really fully replaced what they lost when lamelo ball was sideline because lamelo ball was taking almost six shots a game in the fourth quarter in those 14 games that we saw

From him early in the season and you remember if you remember early in the season lamelo was a little rusty uh coming off of uh the the ankle fracture that he suffered the previous season that really kept him from ramping up all summer and so he spent the first five or

Six games kind of getting back into a Groove but he would go like first three quarters you know shooting two for eight two for 10 and then he would go into a phone booth and come out and be Superman in the fourth quarter and help get them

Back into some of those games so that was lamelo ball lamelo ball leaves the lineup again for another ankle injury and it’s up to Terry Rosier to replace that and he has done that he is taking so lamelo was taking 5.8 shots per game Terry now in the fourth quarter 5.7 and

He’s doing it at a 50% clip where lamelo was doing it at a 53% clip and then in terms of three-points shooting lamelo was 51% from three in the fourth quarter Terry uh worse 43 but not by much uh the only better three-point shooter in the

Uh fourth quarter there are uh a couple well Brandon Miller at 45.9% Nick Smith Jr at 53. set 53.3% and Gordon Hayward at 60 but none of those guys are taking 2.5 attempts it’s all you know one one and a half and so he’s doing a lot of the shooting he’s doing

It efficiently and the Hornets are scoring in the fourth quarter and so if if a game gets close you can depend on Terry Rosier and this game might get close if they’re able to keep uh sabonis off the boards where um he did crush them uh and the entire team did in that

Last game 15 offensive rebounds the Hornets only had four offensive rebounds against Sacramento so I think that’s going to be a key in this game can they clean up some of the turnovers that game was sloppy that both teams were giving each other the opportunity to get back

Into it right the Hornets had 15 turnovers Sacramento committed 20 and so in this game you got to think Sacramento remembers that game and they they you know will clean some things up as well so can the Hornets respond can they clean some things up can they get a

Little bit more physical on the boards and the Hornets they cost themselves that game against Chicago because of late miscues because of turnovers um and because of just not paying attention on defense Terry Rosier gets back up by Caruso and then miles Bridges throws an ill-advised

Pass into the teeth of a Chicago defense that was good at deflecting so is Sacramento they love to turn teams over they’ve got dearon Fox who loves to get out on the break and score easily and get fouled and so you know the Hornets

Uh this is not going to be an easy one they they are not they’re not favored in this game they’re an eight-point dog for a reason uh but certainly they’ve matched up well with them in the past and we will see how it goes and we’ll be back here tomorrow hopefully with Walker

To give you a full recap of this game final question from the sicko Satchel comes to us courtesy of casual Hindu another longtime listener who asked what justifies a parade in Charlotte for the Hornets at this point is it an inseason tournament Championship would that get a

Parade would it be making it to the Eastern Conference Finals would it be not having a major injury for an entire season a ding ding ding I think it’s the one look if you get through next season and you do not have uh I won’t even say

A major injury if you can get through next season without having a slate of injuries such that I have to ask the question on this show are you taking team Street close or are you taking team available that was a legitimate question I asked in the last episode because if

You look at it the Hornets are missing a team that I think could go up and get a win On Any Given night against any NBA team they’re not going to win a lot of games but I’ll take that starting lineup any given night and so that’s what I

Think would justify a parade if they can get through an entire season without looking at the lineup looking at the injury list and going that is an NBA starting five um that would be pretty incredible but in if I if I want to answer this question

Seriously I think that you only do a parade for an NBA championship you have to have standards as I discussed about the miracle after midnight situation and that that it was an emotional win it was a highly unlikely win against Sacramento a few nights ago but it was not a

Miracle after midnight we have to hold things stand to standards we have to hold the flu game up we have to put it on a pedestal and say that was an incredible thing and that’s why we call it the flu game and so if another player

Happens to have the sniffles and has a great game we don’t call that the flu game the flu game was the flu game because it had it had meaning it had value and and the player that did it had already done some pretty incredible things and so just like the Hornets have

Been very reticent to retire a jersey the only Jersey that the Hornets have retired is Bobby Phils because uh Bobby Phils uh tragically died while he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets uh and and that is um a very good reason to retire someone’s Jersey and and

Something that teams have done in the past for players that have died while a member of the team a way to honor their memory teams don’t retire jerseys just because they haven’t retired a jersey for a player that has played really well for them and you know I I think it has

To be both you’ve done incredible things for the franchise and you’ve done incredible things in the context of the NBA Hall of Fame careers it’s why why I think they’ve gone to this sort of cell thing where cell meaning like the he shape of a hive they they’ve honored

Players through cells throughout the arena that is not a jersey retirement it’s just a way to say hey you did great things for this franchise when Kima officially retires from the I don’t think he’s officially retired from the NBA he’s playing over in Europe right now that’s going to be a tough one

That’s going to be a tough one I’ve got to do a little bit more thinking about that uh because he is unquestionably when you look at the record books the best player in franch history in terms of what he accomplished while he was a member of the Charlotte

Hornets but I don’t think he’s a Hall of Fame player and so you know is that Jersey retirement worthy I think that’s still something that needs a little bit more thought and a little bit more debate but certainly parades for the NBA Championship now if they get to the

Eastern Conference Finals there will be parties there will be Gatherings around the arena that’s that’s the cool thing that’s the exciting thing there will be watch parties for playoff games you will have an AR you will have an area outside of the Arena that could get a nickname

Of some kind just like we saw in Milwaukee and Toronto and those other teams you you will have I do believe that there is a a silent majority if you will of of fans that are waiting for this team to perform well again that will not claim ownership over their

Fandom right now but if the team were to justify them getting EXC excited again they will get excited again and you will see the hive come alive once again and if they sustain it if they sustain playoff success over the course of two three four seasons then I think you

Could even get something close to what Charlotte it won’t be exactly what Charlotte had when they opened the Coliseum because there was context around that there was a city that was dying to be considered a big city and they got a franchise a professional sports franchise it was a novel thing

You’re never going to quite reclaim that but if you do sneak into the Eastern Conference Finals if you do become a perennial Contender then I think you will get something approximate to that once again maybe not parade but you’ll get something pretty exciting and that’s that’s why we’re sickos because we want

That because we desperately want that because we see Giannis hugging Mike buen holer after winning a championship and we get the goosies we get the Willies we get the tear coming down from one eye because we want that so desperately for the team that we followed for so long

And we’ll continue to follow it here and we’ll follow this season because there is stuff to play for there is thing there are things that they could accomplish this season that you could it’s the the meme where you hit the tiny d uh Domino and it least to the big

Domino there are things that they could do small things that they could accomplish this season that could lead to that big domino falling which what not even a championship just a just a threat to win a playoff series something they haven’t done in 22 years that would

Be the big Domino at this point um so uh stick around uh we will continue to cover it here on lockon Hornets every day thanks so much for listening until next time go Hornets go America let’s swarm Charlotte oh

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOHornets?sid=YouTube

Become an official member of the Locked On Hornets Sicko Brigade and get Hornets news, rumors and pictures of Byron Mullens sent directly to your phone via Subtext (14 Day Free Trial): https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonhornets

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Get Doug’s gamenotes, special articles and a podcast on Hornets history at the Every Hornets Boxscore substack: everyhornetsboxscore.com

Get more Walker on Wes and Walker 12-3pm on WFNZ 92.7 FM

📲 Follow Locked On Hornets on Twitter
Locked On Hornets https://twitter.com/LockedOnHornets
Walker Mehl https://twitter.com/WalkerMehl
Doug Branson https://twitter.com/DougBransonLOH

📺 Follow Locked On NBA: https://linktr.ee/lockedonnba

📢 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Ibotta
Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code locked when you register. Just go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app and use code LOCKED.

Birddogs
Go to birddogs.com/LOCKEDONNBA or enter promo code LOCKEDONNBA for a free white tech hat with any purchase. You won’t want to take your birddogs off we promise you.

FanDuel
Make Every Moment More. Right now, when you bet on a Super Bowl Winner, you can GET BONUS BETS EVERY TIME THEY WIN IN THE REGULAR SEASON! FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#Hornets #LaMelo #LaMeloBall