Monday was NBA media day, which is a fun sort of pseudo-kickoff to the NBA’s new season. Charlotte Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson, head coach Charles Lee, and all of the key players say down at a nice table to answer questions from the media. We’ll have another post with all of the players’ highlights. This one will focus on what Peterson and Lee had to say.

Jeff Peterson

Peterson had a pretty long list of prepared remarks that he ran through. In short, he said he was proud of what the group accomplished last season, but the loss to the Magic was a stark reminder of how difficult it is to win postseason basketball games in the NBA. He acknowledged that the team made significant roster changes and that everyone on the roster knows nothing is given, everything is earned. He thanked the fans and acknowledged that the organization has to earn their trust, and he knows their thirsting for playoff basketball, as is he.

Now for the answers to the questions:

• Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams are both progressing well after both sustaining hamstring injuries doing on court work
• People love to ask for injury updates but Peterson has proven he will never put timelines on injury recoveries
• He spoke highly of Grayson Allen’s competitiveness and thinks he can do more with the ball than he’s given credit for. He compared Royce O’Neale to Naz Reid in that he’s climbed the ranks as an undrafted free agent and solidified his role in the NBA. Dennis Schroder always competes, defends, and gets the ball in the paint to make plays for others.
• He’s extremely confident in the returns he got for the players that were traded away. He’s confident in the cohesiveness of the group he’s put together for this season and noted the team has all sorts of assets to use to continue to get better.
• When asked about LaMelo, he referred to what he talked about back when the trade was made back in July and said he preferred to focus the conversation on the players that are here now.
• All of the 3-point shooting wasn’t necessarily the priority when bringing in new players, but it’s certainly a selling point since shooting is so important. “You can never have enough shooting.”
• He was asked about Rob Dillingham and what the plans were for him but he essentially just said “we wish nothing but the best for him.” Dillingham was waived later in the day.
• Whenever the team makes any transaction, part of the consideration is the players that are here and he’s fully confident in the guys that are on the roster right now.
• He emphasized the importance of all the playoff experience the newly acquired players all bring to the table.
• Brandon Miller is good to go for training camp.
• The returning players from last year have shown a lot of commitment to one another and improved games and bodies.
• Tidjane Salaun has been putting in work and continues to get better and he knows that it’s a big season for him coming up.
• The play-in was an extremely important experience for the young players that hadn’t dealt with playoff pressure before.
• In another example of “the media doesn’t know Peterson,” he was asked for expectations for the season. As is customary, Peterson would not set any sort of expectation on the team other than he expects them to compete every night.

Charles Lee

Charles Lee’s pre-question comments were basically just him talking about how excited he is to coach this group and how proud he is of the work they’ve been putting in over the offseason.

• First order of business, how to get the returning players to improve. He said the team’s defensive turnover rate stood out and they’ve been looking at ways to generate more turnovers on defense. On offense, he wants fewer turnovers and more free throws. He thinks the veterans bring exactly what the team needs.
• He thinks there’s a confidence level across all facets of the organization because they all collaborate on the big decisions and they are all in lockstep.
• He spoke highly of Naz Reid’s versatility and he’s excited about all the things he can do with his size and skill set. And he plans on pushing him to be more aggressive on the offensive glass.
• He though the Hornets shared the ball better than any other team in the league last year and expects more of the same this year. The offense will be run by committee and that’ll be possible with all the offensive talent the team has.
• When asked who the team will turn to when they need a bucket late, he answered “we will learn.” Different guys are going to get opportunities and he looks forward to seeing who steps up.
• First thing he’s noticed about Tidjane Salaun is that he doesn’t wear a shirt very often around the building because he’s put so much work into his body. He’s moving smoother and looking more confident by the day.
• He called Grayson Allen a “phenomenal basketball player” because he simply knows how to play the game. He’s improved with his defense and physicality and has shown a lot more with the ball than people give him credit for. He wants Coby White to be Coby.
• Last season showed Lee how badly he wants to help build a winner for Charlotte. He also feels the team has developed an identity and that they need to stay committed to that with the new players coming in.

I always love listening to Lee and Peterson talk. I know the team made some moves that fans might be a little uneasy about, but the two are very confident in what they’re doing, and when you hear how they approach things, it’s hard not to trust what they’re doing.