3 big decisions the Hornets need to make in the offseason

Charlotte Hornets fans shouldn't be disappointed that their team didn't make the playoffs. After all, in the 2020-21 season, their key players such as Lamelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges and Derwent Graham were plagued by injuries. Still, head coach James Borrego and his teammates managed to finish tenth in the East with a 33-39 record.

In the offseason, the front desk should keep these things in mind. The Hornets did a relatively good job, and there was clearly no reason to make a big lineup change. Instead, their offseason should revolve around re-signing their players while strengthening their frontcourt strength, a concern that has been on them all season.

Offered Terry Rozier a contract extension

The 2021-22 season will be the last year of Rozier's three-year, $56.7 million contract signed in 2019. It was one of the most surprising contracts of the time. This has undoubtedly raised some questions, as before the offer, Rozier was just a backup guard for the Boston Celtics.

But now that we're evaluating the guard, it looks like the Hornets got every penny of the deal. This season, Rozier has set new career highs in offensive scoring, shooting percentage and scoring per game. In an era when analysts considered mid-range photography to be a long-lost art, Rozier's success was in shooting a staggering 57.4 percent of the way in the range of 10 to 14 feet.

The Hornets could offer the guard a $96.3 million contract for four seasons. For someone who doesn't make it to one of the league's best players, that seems like a lot of money. But Hornets fans can attest to what an important foundation Rozier has become since joining the Hornets in 2019.

Signed the starting center

The Hornets will have several big-name free agents in the offseason. These include Hassan Whiteside, Andre Drummond, Enes Kanter and Narens Noel. Given the issue of salary space and their poor record, it's hard for them to acquire any of these players. The players mentioned above are happy to play for a team that is already competitive, or just one step away from becoming a contender. Still, it's clear that the team needs to add some volume to the paint.

The Hornets' salary space is expected at $22 million. To create more space, they need to look at Cody Zeller ($23 million) and Malik Munch ($16 million). Munch will most likely wear the Hornets jersey, but the only question is how much he will wear and how long. However, if his injury remains a concern for the team, then they could get a player like big Man Holmes, who became a free agent this summer.

Zeller's future with the Hornets is uncertain, even though he is the hornets who have played the longest. His salary ranged from the lowest exception to as high as $8 million. Players like Ines Kante and Mason Plumlee fall into this range, both of whom have a greater weight and skill inside.

Make Graham more integrated into the team

Graham performed relatively well in the 2020-21 season, averaging 14.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The dilemma, however, is that he doesn't live well with Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier whenever Borrego's three-back line-up.

The data showed that the net score of the three people was lower than average, just +2.3. It may seem like a small thing, but if the Wasp really wants to be a strong contender, every little detail is crucial.

Graham will be a restricted free agent this summer, which makes sense if the Hornets look for other players in the market to take his place.