2017–18 Charlotte Hornets season explained

Team:	Charlotte Hornets
End Year:	2018
Wins:	36
Losses:	46
Division:	Southeast
Division Place:	3
Conf Place:	10
Coach:	Steve Clifford
Gm:	Rich Cho Buzz Peterson (interim) Mitch Kupchak
Owners:	Michael Jordan
Arena:	Spectrum Center
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	CHO
Television:	Fox Sports Carolinas, Fox Sports Southeast
Radio:	WFNZ

The 2017–18 Charlotte Hornets season was the 28th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the fifth season under head coach Steve Clifford. It was also the last season where Rich Cho was the general manager for the Hornets and the last where Clifford was the head coach (until his return in 2022), as well as Mitch Kupchak's first year with Charlotte.

On March 28, 2018 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kemba Walker surpassed Dell Curry to become the franchise's all-time leader in points. The Hornets equaled their record from last season and went on to miss playoff contention for the second straight season.

On April 8, 2018, Kupchak was hired as the president of basketball operations and general manager of the Charlotte Hornets.^[1]

On April 13, 2018, the Hornets' president of basketball operations and general manager Kupchak announced that the team had relieved Steve Clifford of his head coaching duties.^[2]

NBA draft

See main article: 2017 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/club team
1	11	Malik Monk	SG		Kentucky
2	40	Dwayne Bacon	SG		Florida State

Roster

Game log

Pre-season

^[3] |- style="background:#fcc"| 1| October 2| @ Boston| | Kemba Walker (12)| Dwight Howard (10)| Lamb, Walker (3)| TD Garden
18,624| 0–1|- style="background:#cfc"| 2| October 4| @ Detroit| | Malik Monk (19)| Dwight Howard (11)| Julyan Stone (7)| Little Caesars Arena
13,882| 1–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 3| October 9| @ Miami| | Malik Monk (19)| Cody Zeller (8)| Malik Monk (4)| American Airlines Arena
19,600| 1–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| October 11| Boston| | Malik Monk (21)| Cody Zeller (9)| Kemba Walker (6)| Spectrum Center
N/A| 1–3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 5| October 13| Dallas| | Kemba Walker (18)| Dwight Howard (12)| Bacon, Walker (4)| Spectrum Center
10,018| 2–3

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| October 18| @ Detroit| | Kemba Walker (24)| Dwight Howard (15)| Kemba Walker (4)| Little Caesars Arena
20,491| 0–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2| October 20| Atlanta| | Kemba Walker (26)| Dwight Howard (15)| Kemba Walker (9)| Spectrum Center
18,417| 1–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 3| October 23| @ Milwaukee| | Frank Kaminsky (18)| Dwight Howard (22)| Kemba Walker (6)| Bradley Center
12,887| 1–2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4| October 25| Denver| | Frank Kaminsky (20)| Dwight Howard (19)| Lamb, Walker (5)| Spectrum Center
14,253| 2–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| October 27| Houston| | Kemba Walker (26)| Dwight Howard (16)| Kemba Walker (5)| Spectrum Center
17,339| 2–3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 6| October 29| Orlando| | Kemba Walker (34)| Marvin Williams (11)| Kemba Walker (10)| Spectrum Center
15,531| 3–3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 7| October 30| @ Memphis| | Kemba Walker (27)| Lamb, Williams, Zeller (8)| Kemba Walker (6)| FedExForum
15,711| 4–3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 8| November 1| Milwaukee| | Kemba Walker (26)| Dwight Howard (11)| Treveon Graham (5)| Spectrum Center
15,655| 5–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9| November 3| @ San Antonio| | Dwight Howard (20)| Dwight Howard (13)| Jeremy Lamb (6)| AT&T Center
18,418| 5–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10| November 5| @ Minnesota| | Cody Zeller (16)| Howard, Zeller (9)| Kemba Walker (9)| Target Center
14,124| 5–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 11| November 7| @ New York| | Howard, Monk, Walker (21)| Dwight Howard (9)| Kemba Walker (7)| Madison Square Garden
18,704| 5–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 12| November 10| @ Boston| | Kemba Walker (20)| Dwight Howard (11)| Kemba Walker (11)| TD Garden
18,624| 5–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 13| November 15| Cleveland| | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (22)| Kidd-Gilchrist, Kaminsky (6)| Kemba Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
19,427| 5–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 14| November 17| @ Chicago| | Kemba Walker (47)| Dwight Howard (9)| Kemba Walker (5)| United Center
20,493| 5–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 15| November 18| L.A. Clippers| | Kemba Walker (26)| Dwight Howard (16)| Nicolas Batum (7)| Spectrum Center
17,640| 6–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 16| November 20| Minnesota| | Dwight Howard (25)| Dwight Howard (20)| Michael Carter-Williams (4)| Spectrum Center
15,978| 7–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 17| November 22| Washington| | Dwight Howard (26)| Dwight Howard (13)| Jeremy Lamb (5)| Spectrum Center
16,041| 8–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 18| November 24| @ Cleveland| | Dwight Howard (20)| Dwight Howard (13)| Kemba Walker (8)| Quicken Loans Arena
20,562| 8–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 19| November 25| San Antonio| | Kemba Walker (18)| Dwight Howard (11)| Kemba Walker (5)| Spectrum Center
18,597| 8–11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 20| November 29| @ Toronto| | Dwight Howard (22)| Dwight Howard (10)| Batum, Carter-Williams (5)| Air Canada Centre
19,800| 8–12|- style="background:#fcc;"| 21| December 1| @ Miami| | Marvin Williams (16)| Dwight Howard (9)| Michael Carter-Williams (6)| American Airlines Arena
19,600| 8–13|- style="background:#cfc;"| 22| December 4| Orlando| | Kemba Walker (29)| Nicolas Batum (11)| Nicolas Batum (7)| Spectrum Center
14,419| 9–13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 23| December 6| Golden State| | Kemba Walker (24)| Cody Zeller (8)| Kemba Walker (5)| Spectrum Center
19,334| 9–14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 24| December 8| Chicago| | Dwight Howard (25)| Dwight Howard (20)| Nicolas Batum (10)| Spectrum Center
14,077| 9–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| December 9| L.A. Lakers| | Kemba Walker (23)| Dwight Howard (12)| Kemba Walker (1)| Spectrum Center
19,320| 9–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 26| December 11| @ Oklahoma City| | Dwight Howard (23)| Dwight Howard (7)| Kemba Walker (9)| Chesapeake Energy Arena
18,203| 10–16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 27| December 13| @ Houston| | Dwight Howard (26)| Dwight Howard (18)| Batum, Walker, Carter-Williams (3)| Toyota Center
16,509| 10–17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 28| December 15| Miami| | Kemba Walker (25)| Dwight Howard (16)| Nicolas Batum (10)| Spectrum Center
15,565| 10–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 29| December 16| Portland| | Nicolas Batum (23)| Dwight Howard (15)| Kemba Walker (6)| Spectrum Center
16,687| 10–19|- style="background:#cfc;"| 30| December 18| New York| | Frank Kaminsky (24)| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (9)| Kemba Walker (6)| Spectrum Center
15,386| 11–19|- style="background:#fcc;"| 31| December 20| Toronto| | Jeremy Lamb (32)| Dwight Howard (9)| Nicolas Batum (5)| Spectrum Center
15,023| 11–20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32| December 22| @ Milwaukee| | Kemba Walker (32)| Marvin Williams (10)| Nicolas Batum (6)| Bradley Center
17,018| 11–21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 33| December 23| Milwaukee| | Dwight Howard (21)| Dwight Howard (16)| Kemba Walker (8)| Spectrum Center
18,363| 12–21|- style="background:#fcc;"| 34| December 27| Boston| | Kemba Walker (24)| Dwight Howard (17)| Kemba Walker (5)| Spectrum Center
19,611| 12–22|- style="background:#cfc;"| 35| December 29| @ Golden State| | Dwight Howard (29)| Dwight Howard (12)| Dwight Howard (7)| Oracle Arena
19,596| 13–22|- style="background:#fcc;"| 36| December 31| @ L.A. Clippers| | Kemba Walker (30)| Dwight Howard (10)| Nicolas Batum (6)| Staples Center
17,348| 13–23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 37| January 2| @ Sacramento| | Dwight Howard (20)| Dwight Howard (8)| Kemba Walker (10)| Golden 1 Center
17,583| 14–23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 38| January 5| @ L.A. Lakers| | Kemba Walker (19)| Dwight Howard (10)| Kemba Walker (7)| Staples Center
18,997| 15–23|- style="background:#fcc;"| 39| January 10| Dallas| | Kemba Walker (41)| Dwight Howard (12)| Kemba Walker (4)| Spectrum Center
14,462| 15–24|- style="background:#cfc;"| 40| January 12| Utah| | Kemba Walker (22)| Dwight Howard (13)| Kemba Walker (6)| Spectrum Center
14,848| 16–24|- style="background:#fcc;"| 41| January 13| Oklahoma City| | Kemba Walker (19)| Dwight Howard (17)| Marvin Williams (4)| Spectrum Center
19,624| 16–25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 42| January 15| @ Detroit| | Dwight Howard (21)| Dwight Howard (17)| Kemba Walker (9)| Little Caesars Arena
17,200| 17–25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 43| January 17| Washington| | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (21)| Dwight Howard (15)| Kemba Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
11,528| 18–25|- style="background:#fcc;"| 44| January 20| Miami| | Nicolas Batum (26)| Dwight Howard (15)| Kemba Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
18,687| 18–26|- style="background:#cfc;"| 45| January 22| Sacramento| | Kemba Walker (26)| Dwight Howard (16)| Kemba Walker (9)| Spectrum Center
11,806| 19–26|- style="background:#fcc;"| 46| January 24| New Orleans| | Dwight Howard (22)| Dwight Howard (16)| Kemba Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
14,588| 19–27|- style="background:#cfc;"| 47| January 26| Atlanta| | Kemba Walker (29)| Dwight Howard (15)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Spectrum Center
15,479| 20–27|- style="background:#fcc;"| 48| January 27| @ Miami| | Kemba Walker (30)| Dwight Howard (16)| Kemba Walker (5)| American Airlines Arena
19,600| 20–28|- style="background:#fcc;"| 49| January 29| @ Indiana| | Kemba Walker (23)| Dwight Howard (11)| Kemba Walker (4)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
14,225| 20–29|- style="background:#cfc;"| 50| January 31| @ Atlanta| | Kemba Walker (30)| Dwight Howard (16)| Nicolas Batum (10)| Philips Arena
13,103| 21–29|- style="background:#cfc;"| 51| February 2| Indiana| | Kemba Walker (41)| Dwight Howard (11)| Kemba Walker (9)| Spectrum Center
17,135| 22–29|- style="background:#cfc;"| 52| February 4| @ Phoenix| | Nicolas Batum (22)| Dwight Howard (14)| Batum, Walker (5)| Talking Stick Resort Arena
14,487| 23–29|- style="background:#fcc;"| 53| February 5| @ Denver| | Kemba Walker (20)| Cody Zeller (10)| Nicolas Batum (5)| Pepsi Center
14,410| 23–30|- style="background:#fcc;"| 54| February 8| @ Portland| | Kemba Walker (40)| Dwight Howard (15)| Nicolas Batum (5)| Moda Center
19,178| 23–31|- style="background:#fcc;"| 55| February 9| @ Utah| | Kemba Walker (19)| Dwight Howard (9)| Kemba Walker (5)| Vivint Smart Home Arena
18,306| 23–32|- style="background:#fcc;"| 56| February 11| Toronto| | Kemba Walker (23)| Dwight Howard (13)| Kemba Walker (9)| Spectrum Center
18,320| 23–33|- style="background:#cfc;"| 57| February 14| @ Orlando| | Dwight Howard (22)| Dwight Howard (13)| Nicolas Batum (7)| Amway Center
18,428| 24–33|- style="background:#cfc;"| 58| February 22| Brooklyn| | Kemba Walker (31)| Dwight Howard (24)| Batum, Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
14,112| 25–33|- style="background:#cfc;"| 59| February 23| @ Washington| | Frank Kaminsky (25)| Kemba Walker (7)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Capital One Arena
17,824| 26–33|- style="background:#cfc;"| 60| February 25| Detroit| | Howard, Walker (17)| Dwight Howard (12)| Nicolas Batum (9)| Spectrum Center
17,894| 27–33|- style="background:#cfc;"| 61| February 27| Chicago| | Kemba Walker (31)| Nicolas Batum (7)| Nicolas Batum (12)| Spectrum Center
14,521| 28–33|- style="background:#fcc;"| 62| February 28| @ Boston| | Kemba Walker (23)| Marvin Williams (9)| Nicolas Batum (10)| TD Garden
18,624| 28–34|- style="background:#fcc;"| 63| March 2| @ Philadelphia| | Kemba Walker (31)| Nicolas Batum (13)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Wells Fargo Center
20,487| 28–35|- style="background:#fcc;"| 64| March 4| @ Toronto| | Kemba Walker (27)| Dwight Howard (10)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Air Canada Centre
19,800| 28–36|- style="background:#fcc;"| 65| March 6| Philadelphia| | Dwight Howard (30)| Dwight Howard (6)| Nicolas Batum (10)| Spectrum Center
15,600| 28–37|- style="background:#fcc;"| 66| March 8| Brooklyn| | Kemba Walker (21)| Dwight Howard (7)| Kemba Walker (6)| Spectrum Center
14,173| 28–38|- style="background:#cfc;"| 67| March 10| Phoenix| | Dwight Howard (30)| Batum, Howard (12)| Batum, Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
19,336| 29–38|- style="background:#fcc;"| 68| March 13| @ New Orleans| | Howard, Walker (22)| Dwight Howard (11)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Smoothie King Center
15,507| 29–39|- style="background:#cfc;"| 69| March 15| @ Atlanta| | Dwight Howard (33)| Dwight Howard (12)| Nicolas Batum (16)| Philips Arena
14,486| 30–39|- style="background:#fcc;"| 70| March 17| @ New York| | Dwayne Bacon (15)| Dwight Howard (13)| Dwayne Bacon (3)| Madison Square Garden
17,760| 30–40|- style="background:#fcc;"| 71| March 19| @ Philadelphia| | Kemba Walker (24)| Batum, Walker (8)| Kemba Walker (6)| Wells Fargo Center
20,530| 30–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 72| March 21| @ Brooklyn| | Dwight Howard (32)| Dwight Howard (30)| Kemba Walker (6)| Barclays Center
10,231| 31–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 73| March 22| Memphis| | Kemba Walker (46)| Willy Hernangómez (12)| Jeremy Lamb (6)| Spectrum Center
15,033| 32–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 74| March 24| @ Dallas| | Kemba Walker (24)| Dwight Howard (22)| Frank Kaminsky (6)| American Airlines Center
20,085| 33–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 75| March 26| New York| | Kemba Walker (31)| Dwight Howard (13)| Kemba Walker (7)| Spectrum Center
14,487| 34–41|- style="background:#fcc;"| 76| March 28| Cleveland| | Kemba Walker (21)| Dwight Howard (10)| Nicolas Batum (5)| Spectrum Center
19,474| 34–42|- style="background:#fcc;"| 77| March 31| @ Washington| | Dwight Howard (22)| Dwight Howard (13)| Nicolas Batum (7)| Capital One Arena
19,071| 34–43|- style="background:#fcc;"| 78| April 1| Philadelphia| | Kidd-Gilchrist, Monk (16)| Willy Hernangomez (11)| Kemba Walker (4)| Spectrum Center
17,005| 34–44|- style="background:#fcc;"| 79| April 3| @ Chicago| | Dwight Howard (23)| Dwight Howard (17)| Nicolas Batum (5)| United Center
20,139| 34–45|- style="background:#cfc;"| 80| April 6| @ Orlando| | Malik Monk (26)| Dwight Howard (17)| Malik Monk (8)| Amway Center
17,018| 35–45|- style="background:#fcc;"| 81| April 8| Indiana| | Malik Monk (22)| Dwight Howard (12)| Frank Kaminsky (6)| Spectrum Center
16,629| 35–46|- style="background:#cfc;"| 82| April 10| @ Indiana| | Frank Kaminsky (24)| Dwight Howard (17)| Batum, Stone (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
17,331| 36–46

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	C	81	81	2,463	1,012	105	48	131	1,347	30.4	12.5	1.3	.6	1.6	16.6
	PG	80	80	2,736	248	444	91	24	1,770	34.2	3.1	5.6	1.1	.3	22.1
	SG	80	18	1,967	324	186	61	32	1,033	24.6	4.1	2.3	.8	.4	12.9
	PF	79	4	1,835	288	129	36	19	873	23.2	3.6	1.6	.5	.2	11.1
	PF	78	78	2,006	370	96	56	38	744	25.7	4.7	1.2	.7	.5	9.5
	SF	74	74	1,850	302	71	51	32	681	25.0	4.1	1.0	.7	.4	9.2
	SG	64	64	1,981	306	349	65	23	740	31.0	4.8	5.5	1.0	.4	11.6
	SG	63	2	1,050	121	59	33	2	273	16.7	1.9	.9	.5	.0	4.3
	SG	63	0	854	66	91	20	9	421	13.6	1.0	1.4	.3	.1	6.7
	SG	53	6	713	124	38	16	2	175	13.5	2.3	.7	.3	.0	3.3
	PG	52	2	835	138	116	44	23	239	16.1	2.7	2.2	.8	.4	4.6
	PF	36	0	379	93	14	9	6	171	10.5	2.6	.4	.3	.2	4.8
	C	33	0	627	177	31	14	21	233	19.0	5.4	.9	.4	.6	7.1
	SG	23	0	175	29	26	4	2	19	7.6	1.3	1.1	.2	.1	.8
^†	C	22	1	262	116	12	10	9	135	11.9	5.3	.5	.5	.4	6.1
	PG	5	0	28	4	3	0	0	12	5.6	.8	.6	.0	.0	2.4
	C	4	0	20	10	0	1	0	8	5.0	2.5	.0	.3	.0	2.0

Transactions

See main article: List of 2017–18 NBA season transactions.

Trades

June 20, 2017^[4]	To Charlotte Hornets Dwight Howard 31st pick in the 2017 NBA draft	To Atlanta Hawks Miles Plumlee Marco Belinelli 41st pick in the 2017 NBA draft
June 22, 2017^[5]	To Charlotte Hornets Draft rights to Dwayne Bacon (pick 40) Cash considerations	To New Orleans Pelicans Draft rights to Frank Jackson (pick 31)
February 7, 2018	To Charlotte Hornets Willy Hernangómez	To New York Knicks Johnny O'Bryant III 2020 second round pick 2021 second round pick

Free agents

Re-signed

Player	Signed

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Michael Carter-Williams^[6]	July 7, 2017	Chicago Bulls
Mangok Mathiang	August 2, 2017	Louisville Cardinals
Marcus Paige	August 2, 2017	Salt Lake City Stars
Julyan Stone^[7]	August 23, 2017	Umana Reyer Venezia

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	New team
Miles Plumlee	Traded	Atlanta Hawks
Marco Belinelli	Traded	Atlanta Hawks
Ramon Sessions	Unrestricted free agent	New York Knicks
Brian Roberts	Unrestricted free agent	Olympiacos Piraeus
Brianté Weber^[8]	Waived	Los Angeles Lakers
Christian Wood	Unrestricted free agent	Fujian SBS Sturgeons / Delaware 87ers

Notes and References

1. Web site: Charlotte Hornets Name Mitch Kupchak President of Basketball Operations & General Manager. NBA.com. April 9, 2018. en. April 8, 2018.
2. Web site: that the team has relieved Steve Clifford of his head coaching duties. NBA.com. April 13, 2018. en. April 13, 2018.
3. Web site: Charlotte Hornets Announce 2017-18 Preseason Schedule. hornets.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. August 10, 2016.
4. Web site: Hornets Acquire 8-Time NBA All-Star Howard from Hawks. NBA.com. June 20, 2017. June 29, 2017.
5. Web site: Pelicans Acquire Draft Rights to Frank Jackson. NBA.com. June 23, 2017. June 29, 2017.
6. Web site: Charlotte Hornets Sign Guard Michael Carter-Williams. NBA.com. July 7, 2017. July 7, 2017.
7. Web site: Charlotte Hornets Sign Guard Julyan Stone. NBA.com. August 23, 2017. August 23, 2017.
8. Web site: Hornets Waive Briante Weber. NBA.com. July 28, 2017. July 29, 2017.