Draft picks: 11-ish
Signed for next season ($119.5m): PF Nicholas Batum, C Dwight Howard, SF Marvin Williams, C Cody Zeller, SF Micheal Kidd-Gilchrist, PG Kemba Walker, SG Jeremy Lamb, PF Frank Kaminsky, SG Malik Monk, SG Julyan Stone, PF Willy Hernangomez, SG Dawyne Bacon
Paige and Manthiang are on 2-way contracts. I don't see why they'd bring back MCW or Graham, both rather nondescript players.
They hired all-world GM Mitch Kupchak to run the show. His first choice will be their new coach. I would think they'd like David Fizdale but I wouldn't be surprised to see them bring in David Blatt. The Hornets look to be mediocre again next year (and already look overpaid for 2019-2020), either Fizdale to motivate or Blatt to innovate is the best bet.
Where do they go in the draft? At #11 they could be in line for Kevin Knox (Kentucky) but do they want to add another Kentucky scorer? I think he's gonna be good but the Hornets have a way of making talent turn to mush. They could probably use a center but all the best C's look to be off the board by then. They could reach for Robert Williams (Texas A&M) or Mitchell Robinson (high schooler) but if they could swap it for a future pick, I wouldn't be surprised to see them give that a try.
How can a team so far over the salary cap have such a bare cupboard? 6 guys making double digit millions next year: Nicolas Batum, Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kemba Walker. When GM Kupchak calls you up, which one of those guys do you want? Walker is the most productive and least expensive, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him get moved by the deadline. Howard is expiring (but also wildly overpaid) so he might net a coupla 2nd round picks but I don't see a pile o' booty coming back for the rest of them. Unless they move salary, they can't really sign anyone this summer.
For now: They're in a tough spot: not bad enough to tank but not good enough to threaten anyone in the post-season. I wouldn't be surprised to see them sneak into the playoffs in the East (although only the Cavs look to be vastly worse next year) with what they've got now. But I don't see any great improvement coming with this crew either. The middle is the worst place to be in the NBA and they are firmly there.
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