Hornets 2024-25 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The Charlotte Hornets are entering a new era during the 2024-25 season under head coach Charles Lee.

Lee joins the team after winning a championship as an assistant with the Boston Celtics, and he'll hope to begin right the ship in Charlotte after an eighth consecutive season missing the playoffs.

The Hornets made very few notable offseason moves but did re-sign a handful of free agents like Miles Bridges and Seth Curry. They didn't add any needle-movers, but a healthy roster is certainly one that can at least make a playoff push.

Much of Charlotte's success will depend on the health of star point guard LaMelo Ball, who played just 22 games last season while dealing with ankle troubles. Over the past two seasons, the fourth-year player has been limited to just 58 games, though he has been extremely productive when he can play.

While a championship is still out of reach for the Hornets this year, they could at least snap their ugly playoff drought and start building for the future.

2024-25 Hornets Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +100000 (Bet $100 to win $100,000), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

Top Matchups

Atlanta Hawks

The Hornets' schedule doesn't offer too many exciting matchups considering they will likely be near the bottom of the conference, but a battle between two divisional rivals could be interesting.

Both the Hornets and the Hawks could very well be fighting for one of the final playoff spots, which could make the matchup more intriguing. Whoever wins the season series between the two could ultimately be the one who clinches the last play-in tournament spot.

Beyond the games potentially being high stakes, it will also be the first chance to see two promising young players face off. Charlotte's Tidjane Salaün and Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher, a pair of rookies hailing from France, will be looking to get an early win over the other.

Risacher, the No. 1 pick, and Salaün, the No. 6 pick, could end up being a fun matchup for years to come.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards make the list of key matchups for the same reasons as the Hawks.

Washington is another playoff hopeful that will be looking to pick up wins wherever it can. That being said, they will be bringing their A-game to a winable matchup against the Hornets. The Wizards are also a member of a relatively weak Southeast Division, so this game will serve as another fun divisional matchup.

It will also be another chance for Salaün to get an early win over another French rookie, Alex Sarr. As is the case for Risacher, Salaün will be looking to prove that he should've been selected earlier in the draft. Getting a win over Sarr could help him make his case.

Season Outlook

The 2024-25 season certainly isn't championship or bust for the Hornets. As long as they can make improvements and move towards being a playoff contender, the year should be considered a success.

The keys for this season will include keeping Ball healthy and continuing to develop second-year player Brandon Miller, Salaün and the rest of the young core.

The future seems bright in Charlotte. Lee has proven himself as an assistant and seems poised to have success as a head coach, but that success likely won't come immediately. The Hornets must continue to trust the process and build for the future, and if they do so it could mean success down the road.

Don't expect to see Charlotte at the top of the Eastern Conference, but some improvement from last year's 21-60 record should be in order.

Record Prediction: 30-52