August 14, 2025 • 42 mins
Walker Mehl hosts a WFNZ special surrounding the Hornets 2025-2026 season with special appearances from Sam Farber and HC Charles Lee.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is wfnz's twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Schedule release specially. Now here's your hosts.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
A six six shooting guard from Charlotte Water maybe.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
A shooting guard.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Yeah, put the inad coach, Ah you schedule sick goes,
We love you. It's NBA schedule release Day, the NBA
revealing the slate of NBA games for the entire season.
Today at three o'clock is when they released them, and
we got some Hornets basketball to talk about, folks, Walker Mail, smoke,
drive of the ship for the next hour. We'll be
here from six to seven pm, broadcasting live from the
(00:34):
Chandler Volta Studio. CV Injury Law dot com, Cvinjurylaw dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
One call.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
That's all the Carolinas personal injury lawyers. I'm hoping we
don't need to call them this Hornet season and we
just have everybody healthy for once all year long. And
I'm happy to talk about that world. I want to
live in that perfect world scenario. And we'll get to
some of that with Charles Lee joining us in just
about ten minutes or so to talk about what a
(01:00):
healthy team will look like. All the guards that they
signed the center rotation. I kind of like the center rotation. Surprise.
I'm a little bit higher on Mussa diabate than a
lot of other people out there, so I'm not nearly
as worried about that.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We'll talk with Charles.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
We'll have Sam Farber Sunshine Sam, the voice of the Hornets.
He'll be hopping on at six point thirty. We have
all of that in store for you Hornets fans. Let's
get down to business and go through some of the highlights.
The Hornets open up the season October twenty second at
home against the Nets. That's your first one and smoke.
Maybe we can go back and forth here a little bit.
Because of the encyclopedia that you are, the Hornets actually
(01:36):
have really nice luck in season openers. Four straight home openers,
four straight season openers. I should say that they've won.
They've won five of their last six. They're looking to
make it five straight against Brooklyn.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Now.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
The problem is they've been losing the second game of
the season and then falling to an early losing record
right away. The last time they had a winning streak
to begin the year was twenty twenty one. Their last
playoff season or play in tournament season, I should say,
so let's make a streak this time around. You got Philly, Washington,
Miami all consecutively after that on the road, but still
(02:09):
a winnable stretch. So the Hornets open up the season
October twenty second at home against the Nets, and they
fared pretty well. I feel decent smoke about opening up
against the Nets and then having some teams that feel
like winnable games the rest of the way for that
first five games to open up the year. How do
you feel about the way that the Hornets open up
the season.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Well, definitely feel confident about starting the season against this
Nets team just because they're over.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
You know, they're really starting to rebuild now. Drafted seventeen
rookies and kept all of them. Yes, they didn't trade in.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Kept all of them.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
And of course they you know, made a big trade
for Michael Porter during the Saw season. Gave up Cam Johnson,
who was one of the belles of the ball when
it came to the trade deadline scene this year, so
you know, you lose a lot of continuity, and essentially
this year is just fully looking at the roster and
seeing what it is for him.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It's an evaluation year.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
And you know, I think I'm not saying that they're
gonna be easy, because none of these teams are completely easy,
especially at the start of the year. But it's one
of those that's like, all right, you're not jumping ten
toes deep or ten feet deep into.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
The water at the pool.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
You're walking into the kittie section. You know, we're you're
slowly getting the water underneath your feet.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
He toes a little bit.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, we're you know, kind of like Rick James
and a hot tub breed. You know, he's not getting
it in all the way jumping in. You know, you're
slowly getting in. And I think that's a good way
to start out the season. And what I also like too,
I know that the two games following that are back
to backs, but I do like the fact that they started.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
On a Wednesday.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
They didn't have two days off before they go into
their back to backs against Philadelphia, which will be a
tough game as long as they are healthy and Washington
and hopefully they'll learn.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I think they're gonna be.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Hungry, specifically for that Sunday game because they know Charles
Lee and that front office will probably let them know.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
You guys, got swept by that team last year.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I can't do it again. I can't lose to Washington again. Hornets, Please,
if you do nothing else in the first month of
the season, and really October is what I'm telling you,
Please just beat Washington because I can't lose to the
Wizards anymore. Plus Wizards, Yes, Plus we had beef with
them on social media.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
We had an the weirdest things I've ever seen on
social media ever.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Probably should be beefing with the Wizards back and forth.
Let's just say you win that battle. I'm not sure
that you're really gaining anything, but I do need them
to beat the actual Wizards out there on the court.
Let's go over some of the highlights, some of the
things you care about on NBA schedule release day, the
back to backs, the national games, all of it. Let's
break it all down. The Hornets are scheduled to have
(04:39):
sixteen back to backs. That is a five way tie
for the most in the NBA. But again, eight teams
have thirteen back to backs, so that's the least amount,
not a huge discrepancy. There are plenty of other things
to get mad about the NBA, how they treat the Hornets,
I don't think this is one of them. But the
Hornets do have sixteen back to backs. It is quite
a bit home and home back to backs, three home
(05:02):
to road, two road to home, five road to road,
five away games that will be back to back.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So that's what you have.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Longest home stretch of the season seven games from March
seventeenth to March twenty ninth. In of course, twenty twenty six,
I'll get back to that because I do think that's
a really important stretch and I think it's my favorite
one so far. Longest road stretch is going to be
the five game stretch they have from January tenth to
January eighteenth, and so five homer and that's not bad.
(05:32):
Remember last year it was the weirdest schedule I've ever seen.
Last year, when I think you had eight home games,
you had eight road games, and then it was almost
like you were on the road for a while if
you took a trip, and you were at home for
a long time if you stayed here. So weird schedule
last year, much more normal in twenty twenty five, twenty
twenty six, you have four excuse me.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Home stands are four more games.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You have four games from February ninth to February twentieth,
same stretch in March I just mentioned, and then the
road trips of four or more games, you have five
games and that January stretch I was talking about, and
then you have the four game West Coast roadie in
March March eighth to March fourteenth. But after they're done
with that, then you get to play a whole bunch
of home games, which I do like. Time to now
(06:16):
go to the nationally televised games here smoke, yeah, you're ready,
but air.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Quotes with these nationally televised I's gonna ask.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I was like, how confident are you that we're going
to see these nationally televised games actually take place?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Well, here's the thing.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I would get chastised when Kyle would say nationally televised
games with NBA TV. So I just decided to call
these games nationally televised. And I didn't hear them say
a peep about Peacock and Amazon. I'm like, oh, so
the time I actually embraced it being a national game,
you decide.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I don't know that yet.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, Amazon, Prime, Peacock, they're in the mix. Now you
do get one game on ESPN. So your first nationally
televised game takes place against the Cleveland Cavaliers. That's on
Peacock at seven o'clock. Astionally televised game against Cleveland again,
this time at January twenty first, ESPN seven o'clock, and
(07:06):
then you have won January thirty first against the Spurs.
That's on Amazon Prime. That's at three pm. By the way,
just going with the home roads late there. The first
game against Cleveland on Peacock, that's going to be on
the road against the Caves. The next one against the Caves,
that one's going to be at home, and then the
Spurs matchup January thirty first, that's going to be at
(07:26):
home as well. That's when Wimby comes to town. The
NBA Cup schedule, if you care about it, I know
I do. I like seeing the end season Cup happen.
It changes things just a little bit. November seventh, Miami Heat,
November fourteenth, Milwaukee Bucks. Both of those games tip off
that eight o'clock. Those are going to be both road
games within Hornet's NBA Cup play. Then they'll play a
(07:46):
couple of home games against the Knicks and the Bulls.
November twenty sixth November twenty eighth. If they get to
this spot where they're able to go to the quarterfinals,
semi finals and so on, they go to Vegas.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Smoke. Do they play well in Vegas? I'm trying to remember.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I think they are as LeVar Boss says.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Never lost, never lost. Look I get me to Vegas,
that's it. Hornets. Like I like the draw. I know
other teams look at the Hornets and they think that too,
But I like the draw that you have the Miami
Heat early, you have Milwaukee early before hopefully they figure
some chemistry out between Miles Turner and Yannis, Like, that's
just such a different Milwaukee Bucks team from years past.
(08:29):
So I like that. That's one of the better teams
that you have in this slate. New York That's gonna
be a tough one no matter how you slice it.
That is going to be at home though, so maybe
you can get some advantage there and then Chicago winnable
game November twenty eighth, no back to back there, So
I kind of like that grouping that they have here.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Smoke. What's say you about the Cup schedule?
Speaker 5 (08:48):
It's definitely I think a little bit more lenient for
the Hornets this year, but definitely still has its fair
share of challenges. You know, you're going against more of
the middle class of the East instead of the top
half at this time around. You know, I don't really
know what to expect from Milwaukee. Maybe I'm starting to
think that Milwaukee until Jannis leaves or retires, it's just
(09:09):
gonna be. They're kind of hanging on to top end
talent and that still gets them above going to mediocrity stage,
but it's not that far above mediocrity unless they make
a massive change. And Heat are kind of in the
same spot too, where it's like it kind of feels like,
what's the right way to put it. I kind of
feel like they're like the Montreal Expos with lad Vladimir Guerrero,
(09:31):
except Bam Outabayo is not as good as.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
You're saying, I got you, and.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
But BAM's the one thing keeping this team together and
they're kind of just trying to hold it out and
see how far they can go until Bam finally wants
out or they just trade Bam away. And I think
that's kind of how the next two to three years
of Miami Heat basketball is going to go because, let's
face it, pat Riley, I think is going to retire eventually.
Maybe Eric's bolster stays or maybe he goes somewhere else.
(09:58):
But I just I don't see this current iteration of
the Heat staying around, and I think they're going to
have to have some massive changes in a not too
distant future.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
I've said this a few times.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
It feels like the Heat have finally squeezed all of
the juice and the pulp from that fruit, from just
somehow parlaying what was a terrible situation into Jimmy Butler
and then going on a couple of finals runs. It
feels like I'll knock on wood for all of us
Heat haters looking straight at you, smoke. Feels like it's
all over with with Miami in terms of them really competing.
(10:27):
Let's talk more about NBA Cup play with Charles Lee
and the rest of the schedule takeaways. Charles Lee getting
to talk with him about NBA schedule Release Day. We're
breaking down the NBA's schedule on schedule release Day. Sports
Radio ninety two seven WFNZ, the West Coast Roadies, the
home stands, back to backs, National Games, all love it
(10:47):
and who better to talk about it more than the
head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Charles Lee. He now
joins us on the guest line, Coach, thank you so
much for the time, my man.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
How are you doing?
Speaker 6 (10:56):
I'm doing phenomenal Walker, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Amah, Absolutely, I do want to know this. So we
look at all that stuff, the back to backs and
all of it. What's the thing you're looking at first
and foremost as the head coach of an NBA basketball team,
what's the first thing you're looking at on schedule release day?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
So first thing I'm looking at, what do we play
the first game of the season? And like, who do
I already like, my mind starts swing towards how are
we going to guard them? How are we going to
do this? And so I think gets to back it
up a little bit and remember there's other stuffs before that.
But first game is the first thing I look at.
And the second thing is like, when are we going
to play at home? So it's good to know are
we on the road? How's all the logistics of Christmas
(11:33):
is going to go.
Speaker 6 (11:34):
With the fans?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
October twenty second is when you guys will be playing
that first home game and the first game of the season,
So you get to cross off a couple of things there.
But what are some things that we should be watching
for come preseason, coach, because we got that schedule just
a couple of days ago as well, what are some
things that you really want to iron out as you
approach the regular season. How much does the preseason matter
(11:55):
to you?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Preseason matters a time to us. I would say every
matters to us.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
We talk a ton about daily improvement and being obsessed
with what that process looks like and not skipping steps
and just being present in that current moment, and so anyway,
just competing at a really high level. How some we
all impact winning and the things that.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
We've talked about.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I think everyone has heard me talk a ton about defense,
but I would also like to see our OFFENSEI prove
this year too, So as we kind of go into
the preseason, will be important for us to start improving
in the offensive area too.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
All right, Well, let's just break down all the schedules, then,
shall we. The Cup schedule also released yesterday. We have
those games all taking place in November on a scale
from a normal regular season game to playoff game mode.
And you've had a lot of experience in the postseason.
How do you approach an NBA Cup game?
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah, Number one, the league has done a phenomenal job
I think implement these Cup games. I think the whole
process of it, I've really enjoyed it. It increases the
stakes of some of these regular season games and makes
them even higher level of competition. I will say my
staff and I we try to elevate even our level
of prep going into those games. And so I look
(13:08):
forward to getting to those Cup games and seeing how
it all plays out. And then obviously you had the
point differential and needed to know do you need to
win by a certain amount or you can't lose by
a certain amount as you kind of continue in the
pool play and stuff. So I think we got a
really good group that's going to challenge us in our pool,
and I look forward to really competing at a high
level there.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Well, I mean, you guys do pretty well in Vegas,
I guess. So we got to get to Vegas and
then we can start bringing in some more titles, just
like we won with the Summer League title around here.
And I told you last year, coach, they denied us
the California Classic title. I still say we won it.
We got the championship and they decided not to give
us one. So I'm glad that you guys just went
out there and took it this time, fair and square.
(13:50):
Of course, we love Chris gent around here. Now he's
going to be up in New York being the associate
head coach with Mike Brown working with him again. He
was the head coach for the Summer League squad. What
are you losing in Chris Jen's absence.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, well, first I just say I'm with you.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
We won every title we can possibly get, and so
the Summer League title was really exciting. I was really
just proud. I think of our whole group for having
the right mindset, the right approach going in the Summer League,
understanding the importance of trying to build those winning habits
from day one. And I think that our young guys,
I think the coaching staff the perform just yelling in
(14:26):
a quick period of time and.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Having to figure out afferent guys that.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Got banged up along the way and missed some games,
and the competition that you play and the atmosphere that
you're in is a little bit closer to an NBA setting,
So it was really good to see our guys perform well.
And the guy at the helm making sure it all
real ran really well and really smoothly was Christient. And
I think I'm number one. I'm really happy for him.
(14:55):
I think that he has a tremendous opportunity ahead of him.
I'm extremely grateful and thankful for everything he did for
our retization. He really helped us last year. I think
set a foundation for who we want to be and
what we want to be about. And he's just He's
been a great friend to me throughout my whole coaching career,
and so it'll be bittersweet to have him lead, but
(15:16):
I'm excited for.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
Him in his new journey.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Breaking down the NBA schedule on Hornet's Schedule, release Day,
head coach Charles Lee joining us now on the guest
line and coach. We got to get to some of
these offseason moves man, especially free agency. I think the
move that got Hornets fans the most excited they kicked
everything off it was the Colin Sexton trade. I host
the Lockdown Hornets podcast Wes and Walker here on WFNZ.
(15:39):
That got like a one hundred percent approval rating from
all the sickos whom I engage with every day. Was
Sexton a guy you and Jeff Peterson had talked about
before then targeted. Did you find out he was available
and then make an offer like this move caught people
by surprise? Did it do the same to you?
Speaker 6 (15:57):
You know?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I think Jeff and his group, uh, they are so
well prepared. I think that opportunities that that come about,
they have studied. They understand our ore are what we're
looking for in players, and like what those qualities look like.
They understand what we need to do from a roster
depth and balance standpoint too. And I think as they
(16:20):
were approached with a situation, they broke it down, they
prepared like they usually do. They chopped it up and
figured out what makes sense for our team going forward.
And I've been pleasant. I've been very excited about Colin
Sexton joining our group. I think that I've always witnessed
him uh competing at a.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
Really high level. He can score the ball.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I think that he's already since he's been in with
our group and around our group, he's elevated.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Uh the tensity all workouts and all the interactions. Definitely
a sociable, in.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Your face type guy. But I love it and I
think that he's going to add a lot to our group,
been to our culture.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
You have a lot of guards this year, not only
Colin Section, but you guys signed a lot in free agency.
You drafted a few guys out there on the perimeter.
Uh this past election process. How does your team change
with the roster makeup you have now compared to what
it was last year.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
Yeah, you know, I think that we had a pretty
good roster last year, but this year we're definitely a
little bit more versatile. I think, you know, we we
are big. We can play a lot of different ways
this year, having Plumbly, having cal s Brinner, having LUSA,
it allows you to be in center fields and times
be able to switch. And then, like you just said,
(17:37):
having so many guards and so many just competitors with
high basketball IQ, it's going to help us be able
to play a lot of different ways. I think if
we watched the league, everybody's playing a lot faster. It's
becoming a lot more positionless. And so I think that
you know, with this versatility that we have of our
of our roster and having a lot more guards, a
lot more ball handlers that can help us hopefully create
(17:59):
some more open shots. I'm really excited to see how
it all kind of comes together.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Yeah, a lot of people have questions about the center rotation,
just because there was such a focus on guards in
the off season. But you did pick up Ryan Kalkbrenner,
you sign Mason Plumbley. Of course you have Mussa Diabate.
We love letting the moose loose around here, baby, so
we love Musa Diabate. How to see that center rotation
play now?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, you know, I think that it's a good balance. Again,
you get a veteran in Plumbley. He's been around the
league a ton of experience. I think all that experience
has kind to help him understand what it takes to
really win. I think that he's been used as a starter,
he's been used as a role player coming off the bench,
and so he's going to be able to adapt to
whatever we need. I think that he's going to be
(18:42):
able to give a lot of corporate knowledge of the NBA.
He's a professional. He's in every day focused on his body.
He's focused on improving in the weight room and even
as however many years he's been in the league. Now
he understands and has a growth mindset, which is really
important I think for our and being open minded. And
then again, I think Mussa had a phenomenal opportunity this summer.
(19:06):
He's continued to grow. He's like one of our great
success stories from a player development standpoint, and his all
in and commitment to just trying to be better and
try to be the most versatile and energetic big he
could possibly be. And we saw what Ryan brings in summerly.
I think that he's going to be able to play
both sides of the court at a really high level.
(19:27):
I see a lot of Brook Lopez in him and
it's funny to worth number eleven. So he's going to
continue to grow and get a lot of under beat.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Well with the form of.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I like maybe Splash Mountain Junior being here in the
Hornets up would.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Love to see you. That would be exciting, And he
talked about it. We talked to him, I think not
too long ago.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
He said that you guys told him to let it
fly if he's open from three, and sure enough he
did that hit a couple out there in Vegas. Last
thing before we get you out of here coach, just
some injury house cleaning, Howard Grant Williams and Josh Green progressing.
Do you think they'll be ready by the regular season?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
You know, I think both guys have been attacking their
rehab plans really well. Again, I can't. I always have
to just give credit to our performance staff and to
our coaching staff. They work so well together and putting
together these roadmaps for our guys to be able to
return to play, and both guys are.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
National limiting progress.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I can't put a timetable on it as right now
when they will be back, but they are making positive
strides and I'm just really happy with how they show
up every day, how they're attacking their rehab. And you know,
you take a couple steps forward and then all of
a sudden you might have a stepward step back. But
I think that their mindset has just kind of been
not to let that slow them down, and they're really
(20:44):
focused on trying to be around the team and get
back to the team as soon as they can.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
Charles Lee joining us here to discuss the schedule on
NBA schedule release Day, the head coach of the Hornets,
certainly wishing him a lot of luck coach, Thank you
so much for the time.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
We appreciate it, and we'll talk you down the.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Road, no problem, Thank you, get excited.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Oh yeah, same here, coach. Thanks again.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
That's Charles Lee joining us here on Sports Rated ninety
two to seven WFNZ. Good stuff from the Hornets coach.
Awesome stuff from Charles Lee, who is ready to get
out to Vegas again, possibly win an NBA Cup and
hopefully we can get to some postseason basketball. More schedule
analysis on the horizon. Sam Farber, Hornets play by play announcer.
He'll be hopping on at six point thirty and then
(21:25):
again we'll tell you all about the roadies, the back
to backs, the nationally televised game, my favorite stretch. I
got something like that for you in store. Coming up
soon on the Hornet Schedule Release Day show Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Welcome back to the FNZ twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's Schedule.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Release special, Talking Hornet schedule on NBA Schedule Release Day.
It's Walker Mail at Smoke Ludwig. We're broadcasting live from
the Chandler Vault to Studio CV Injury Live dot Com.
CV injurya dot com one call. That's all Baby Carolina's
(22:02):
personal injury lawyers, big thanks to Charles Lee. That'll be
up on the website WFNZ dot com. Charlotte Hornet's head
coach talking about some of the things that he takes
note of first and foremost, and he told you one,
I'm looking when the season starts, spoken like a true coach.
That'll be October twenty second against the Nets. Already discussed
a little bit about how the season begins, and he
(22:24):
also said, I'm just looking for all the home games,
and so we have the longest home stretch in late March.
That'll be a seven game home stretch, so that's a
nice long stay at the Spectrum Center. And then you
have a couple of home stands of four games or more.
One in February that'll be a four game homestand and
then that one in March. Like we were talking about,
(22:45):
if you care a little bit about the preseason, I'll
let you know that schedule as well, that was released
just a couple of days ago. The Hornets will first
play a basketball game October fifth against the Thunder at
five o'clock, and then they'll play the Thunder again October ninth.
So October fifth, October ninth, back to back games against OKC,
and then they'll play Dallas Cooper Flag get to see
(23:06):
him in action, hopefully we get to see him in
action October eleventh, Memphis October fifteenth, and then the New
York Knicks October seventeenth. So that'll be the preseason. And
I'll say this, I actually take a decent amount of
way from the Hornets preseason games. I feel like we
get to find some stuff out. I remember PJ. Washington
when he was drafted. Of course, Walker Male loves himself
(23:27):
some PJ. So I'm going to bring him up. Save
the jokes, Save the jokes. But in all seriousness, it
was when we found out he was actually going to
be a huge part that season right away. When he
played all the minutes in preseason, played well, and then
played over thirty minutes a pop his rookie year, that
was something serious. Malik Monk, I remember when he was playing,
we kind of got to see, Okay, I don't know
(23:50):
how involved he's going to be, but like we thought
he was going to immediately contribute when he was drafted,
I think you find some stuff out in preseason as
to how it's going to play in the regular season.
So again early October when we'll figure that out, sorry,
more than we do in the NFL preseason. But you
still can't take the final scores because remember.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Yeah, I remember the radio losing her mind to text
line losing her mind when Horn's lost by fifty or
sixty points. And then they make the play in tournament
that year and have forty three wins, one of the
best years in the last decade for the Hornets, if
I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
I think that game was that game on ESPN it was.
I think that game is Ondio his Man.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
But it's preseason and they actually played well I think
in terms of like stylistically and rotation and what they
think about the players coming out of camp. I really
do think you can actually take a decent amount away
from NBA preseason. So don't just brush that off your shoulder.
October fifth and October ninth, those back to back games
to open up preseason against OKC, there's going to be
something to take note of there. And also you should
(24:51):
be listening to every single Hornets game right here on WFNZ.
When you do, you get to hear the man, Sam
Farber on the call, the voice of the all the
Hornets again, the voice you can hear right here on
ninety two to seven FM. Sam, It's almost that time, man,
I know you're excited.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Examely excited, extremely excited now that the schedule is out
and official, and wholeheartedly agree with you, guys. The best
preseason of all the major sports is by far NBA preseason.
Even if it ends with a sixty eight point loss
in one of the games, don't worry about it. It
might lead to a winning year.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
After all.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Did he get to sixty eight? Oh my god, I
did not realize that.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
But again, it means that we can actually get over
that once the regular season game comes. Again, totally agree
as we talk about that, you can take some stuff
away from the preseason. And there are lots of questions
to ask of this team, Sam, just because of the
roster makeup they went out, They got all the guards.
They brought in Colin Sexton, who is a true six
Man of the Year candidate, and they pair him with
(25:52):
last year's coming into the season six man of the
Year candidate in tray Man. I'm really excited about the
guard play. I think that brings up a lot of
intro in questions. What are some of the questions that
you have for this squad looking at this Hornet's team
for twenty twenty five twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Well, I think the big one the team obviously has
to answer here is about durability. It's about being able
to put the core of this team that's so talented
and has performed very well individually at times out there
on the floor consistently, and to have the guys do
it together for fifty sixty seventy plus games. That's going
(26:28):
to give us our answers as to just how good
in reality this team is when in theory there are
a lot of good pieces that are already assembled here
for Charlotte, and so I think getting off to a
good start is important. I think you know the play
of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, and you know there's
certainly different position groups where you've got younger players and
(26:48):
guys jumping into opportunities. But it really comes down to durability,
I think for this squad and their ability to prove
consistently what they're capable of.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
All Right, Sam, I know you've done some scribbling, the
same scribbles researching the schedule, giving us some main takeaways.
What you got for the people? What are some things
you're taking note of first and foremost.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Well, I think it's a really strong schedule for the
Hornets and for fans. You look at some of the
marquee opponents. I mean, really, we want fans to come
to all the games. You'd love for you to buy
season take it. If you want to guarantee yourself all
of the biggest games, call seven h four Hornets. Visit
Hornets dot com right now. You can skip the line
and get full season or half season memberships and guarantee
(27:27):
yourself to some of those highlighted games. But you know,
we've all got different things in our lives and different places,
and maybe that's not in the cards. So what really
stands out to me is the opportunities to see some
of the biggest names in the games at really advert
advantageous spots. For instance, Saturday November First Saturday games are
(27:48):
always going to be highlights on anyone's schedule. To have
Minnesota coming in with Anthony Edwards, that's huge. One of
Carolina's favorite sons, Steph Curry, and the Golden State Orias.
It's not on a weekend, but it might as well be.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
It's New Year.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
If you're working December thirty first and you're not a
member of the Hornets front office, I feel for you
a little bit there. But come on out join us
a one pm tip time on New Year's Eve to
see Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors Saturday, January
thirty first against the San Antonio Spurs. Another matinee three pm.
Victor Wembin Yama coming to town for that one. So
(28:20):
those are some of the games that really stand out
to me. They're opportunities to bring the family out, bring
the kids out, see some of the legends of the
game on nights that are not school nights, and take
in some great Hornets basketball. But even if you're not
looking for one of those games, one of the marquee
attractions in the NBA bar Nun is LaMelo Ball, and
there's going to be forty plus opportunities to see him
(28:43):
in the Hornets this season at Spectrum Center.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Gonna be good stuff here. As we go down the
schedule and talk about some of the more important stretches
and some of the dates for some of those more
interesting home games. I'll tell you this, Sam, I agree
with you. I do think the schedule lines up well
for the Hornets this year, and to be honest, if
you go back to last year, has to be an
all time weird schedule, right, like saying, when you were
(29:06):
on the road, you were on the road for two
three weeks. If you were at home, you were at
home for two to three weeks, and then we just
felt like kept playing that out all season long. This year,
I told Kyle, I'm a big fan of ending the
season on a strong note. And the fact that you
have all those home games in March against some teams
that I deem winnable games. That's what I'm looking at right.
(29:27):
I'm looking at that March schedule and I really like
what I'm seeing as you head into some possible postseason play.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Do you have a stretch that you like the best
on this schedule?
Speaker 1 (29:35):
March stands out favorably to me as well. The home
games are nice, but really it's the rest factor that
you have in there. You've got I think four different
sequences where you've got multiple days off that are not
an all starbrate, not anything you know that everyone's getting
these are things that are a natural advantage to the
Charlotte Hornets, where you've got multiple days off leading in
(29:57):
too in three of the cases a home So I
think March is a real advantageous part of the schedule.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
The most difficult one's got.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
To be January, and that's because there's a ton of
back to back and a lot of road games. But
after that, if the Hornets are where we hope they're
going to be, you've got a chance to really take
advantage of the schedule, take advantage of home games, take
advantage of rest, and for the fans, take advantage of
some really you know, premium matchups on the calendar, those
(30:27):
Friday Saturday games that everyone loves to be a part of.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
All right, Sam, as a play by play announcer, I
know that you have your favorite cities that you like
to travel to. We've talked about that a couple of times.
Is there any announcer favorable stretches that you see when
you look at the schedule or are you just so
company man team oriented that you're looking at how the
Hornets might be able to take advantage of the schedule
rather than you.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Well, it is company team oriented and also you know,
my personal team, Team Farber. I got young kids, So
the first thing I gravitate towards it. I'm home on Halloween,
I'm home on Thanksgiving, I'm home on Christmas. Those are
great things from a family perspective. And even though I'm
working on New Year's Eve, one PM tips on against
the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry can't beat that either.
(31:13):
So all the major holidays, dad is home. That is
a big win in the farmer household. But yeah, I mean, look,
the opportunity to go to New York and be there
for a few days, that's going to be a lot
of fun for us. In early December, a similar action
for the team in Los Angeles. It's nice to be
able to settle into a city for a couple of
days and enjoy it. From that regard, but it's not
(31:36):
so much being you know, the company man, it's being
a dad. I'm really looking forward to being home. Bookending
Thanksgiving in particular, that one could be really interesting. It's
the Emirate NBA Cup Group play on Wednesday, November twenty
sixth against the New York Knicks and then Black Friday
the twenty eighth against the Chicago Bulls. Those games are
(31:57):
going to be brought to you by Bank of America.
Those are both home games. So if the Hornets are
alive in Emirates NBA Cup group play going into the
week of Thanksgiving, it could be a Rockets atmosphere at
the newly reimagined Spectrum Center and two games with really
big opportunities for the Hornets to make some early noise
(32:17):
and make a statement to the entire NBA world that
Charlotte's you know, maybe coming around here, and if they
have something to play for that week, that could bode
well for the whole season.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Sam, Me and Smoke, we're talking about it. We like
the group play draw. It's about as good as you
could ask for. And the fact that you have a
couple of home games, the home game against the best
team in group play with the Knicks. I like the draw.
I'm with you. I think it lines up favorably. I'm excited.
Hopefully we can get off to a hot start and
then finish well at the end of the season. NBA
(32:48):
taking care of Sam as well, letting them be home
as a dad on some of those holidays. I love
to see it. Final things, Sam, what else do you
want to tell the people that we might have forgotten
to mention.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
I think the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Biggest thing for fans is when you go through the schedule,
whether you're circling day games, weekend games because you've got
a family, whether you're circling games based off you know,
your your personal favorite player or whomever it is that
you want to see. Just keep in mind that you're
not the only one doing it. That these are the
most popular games on the schedule for a reason. And
so if you're contemplating going to see the Hornets play
(33:20):
against the Golden State Warriors on New Year's Eve, or
you really want to see Lebron and Luca when the
Lakers come to Monday, November tenth and defending in Oklahoma
City here in Shay gild just Alexander Saturday November fifteenth,
you're not the only one thinking that. So single game
tickets go on sale this Saturday ten am, Hornets dot
Com and the Hornets App. I would not wait till
(33:42):
ten fifteen. I would be ready locked and loaded ten am.
Get whatever seat it is for that most important game.
If you're only going to one, and if you're in
the market and you have the opportunity and the ability.
Full season half season memberships are available right now called
seven h four Hornets or visit Hornets dot com and
then you don't have to sweat about is my favorite
seat available for my favorite games? You can just buy
(34:04):
them all. But we know that's not in the cards
for everyone. So if there's only one game or only
a couple of games that are really your favorites, make
sure you're ready ten am this Saturday, Hornets dot Com
and the Hornets.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
At your radio.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Voice of the Charlotte Hornets, Sam Farbert, joining us here
on sports Raded ninety two to seven WFNZ. Sam, look
forward to you being on the call, my man, looking
forward to talking a lot more Hornets basketball with you
down the road.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Have a good rest of your day and then we'll again.
We'll talk to you later.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Walker, you two. Thank you both for doing this. Thanks
to all the listeners out there. I think we're like
fifty days away right now for training camp, so countdown
is on. We'll see y'all for the start of the
news season and all the dates are locked and loaded.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
It happens quickly. Good stuff from Sam. We'll put that
interview on our website. As well WFNZ dot com anywhere
you get your pods will upload it so everybody can
listen to. Sam and Charles Lee both break down the
upcoming NBA schedule. Here it is NBA Schedule Release Day,
breaking down everything as it pertains to the Hornets. We
have one more segment to go, Well, we'll put a
(35:05):
bow on this, we'll wrap it up, and then we'll
discuss just a few more things that we forgot to
mention maybe in the first couple of segments. Right here
on Sports Radio ninety two seven FM.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Welcome back to the FNZ twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's
Schedule Release.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
Special Hornet Schedule Release Day. Baby, we're breaking it all down.
Smoke helping me out. Sam Farbar doing the same thing.
Charles Lee joined us at the beginning of the show,
bringing you all the takeaways from the back to backs
(35:46):
that they'll be playing sixteen to be exact, the nationally
televised games three.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
To be exact. I guess is what we're calling it
with the streaming options now?
Speaker 5 (35:55):
And do you want to point out two of those
games are against the calvs talk do you want to
point out guess who's now on the Calves. That's right,
Lonzo ball, that's right, of course, take a sip, take
a drink.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
No more Chicago Bulls every single year when we see
the nationally televised games, now it's the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Just basically right it up to whatever team Lonzo balls on,
and that's who is going to get your guaranteed national game,
no matter what.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
For the Hornets right.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Now, I actually really want to talk to you about
this because I was looking up a tweet of all
of the nationally televised games and there's this really interesting graphic.
I don't know how you pronounce this person who tweeted
it out. It's leave okubus on Twitter. I don't know,
but they tweet out all of the nationally televised games.
What's interesting is you see the top four teams. Okay,
the thunder the Knicks, the Lakers, the Warriors, they're all
(36:44):
going to be nationally televised thirty four separate times on one.
If we just take a moment to focus on that,
the jump the gap between thirty four and three is
absolutely nuts. But those teams are all really good, have
stars on those squads. Whatever, It's not crazy to think
that they would be nationally televised thirty four times. Next
on the list is Minnesota and Houston they have twenty eight.
(37:08):
Denver has twenty six nationally televised games. Boston is the
only team who's nationally televised schedule went down to twenty five.
So they decreased because a Jason Tatum, Because of Jason
Tatum and Calves make the big jump to twenty four.
But it's because of what they've accomplished. And then you
see the Hornets here at three. Here's my point, just
speaking generally about the NBA smoke, I think this is
(37:31):
a real issue. Like I look at this and I
see a real issue because I know the association is
so player driven, but they keep on hanging too these
players that are about to exit the league. Houston makes
the biggest jump of anybody because they have Kevin Durant.
Now you have Lebron who you're still holding on to.
You have steph who you're still holding on to. Right Like,
(37:53):
to me, it does make business sense. I'm not even
saying this from a Hornets fans standpoint. I am thinking
of this from a business standpoint. LaMelo Ball has all
of these followers LaMelo Ball is pinned against his brother
because you truly and apparently you find some real value.
So it's not even that I'm begging the Hornets to
be on ESPN constantly. It's just, don't we want to
(38:14):
uplift some of these younger fun stars that don't get
nearly as much recognition and then they can carry the torch.
You don't have to rely like they put all their
eggs in the SGA basket. They put all their eggs
in the Luka Doncic basket, which they're great players, Duh,
you want to televise them as much as possible. You're
just squeezing out some of these younger, more intriguing players
(38:37):
so much so to where nobody gets to watch them.
It's such a player driven league. I get it, but
that seems like a business flaw in my opinion.
Speaker 5 (38:44):
Putting too many eggs in a basket, I think is
definitely a very big risk, especially with the way that
the NBA players have been hurt in recent years. And
I think that's part of the problem that happened in
the NBA in the late nineties. They really didn't have
that good of a plan because it's like, oh, it's
MJMJMJMJ didn't really promote many teams outside of the or five,
and then once he got to that point in a
(39:05):
new era, it's like, oh crap. And it was not
to say that the league at that time was not
very deep, so that also didn't help. But it's one
of those things where it's like, okay, Lakers, I get it,
you say Lebron, but they also have Luke on the team,
Lucas entering his prime years. Yeah, that makes total sense.
And unfortunately we see a lot of these teams with
young superstars have to fight twice as hard just to
(39:26):
get more recognition if they're not in one of the
big three to four cities. SGA of course now getting
that recognition now with the Thunder, Anthony Edwards now getting
out with the Wolverines, but it takes a lot of effort,
you know. And it's kind of like in the NFL too.
Remember Carolina only got like two or three primetime games
after winning the division in twenty thirteen. It took them
(39:48):
making the Super Bowl to get five primetime games. Unfortunately,
it bit them in the butt because that was when
you know, they fell back down the earth six and
ten records. So it's definitely one of those things that's things,
and you would want them to maybe be a little
bit more liberal of how many games certain teams get,
but you know, they are also bottom line business. They
want the ratings and they want it now, and they're
(40:09):
not looking at the long term edification.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
It's it just doesn't make sense to me.
Speaker 4 (40:12):
It really doesn't like they've got to have smart people
up there at the front office. I know they do,
yet it's still it seems easy to say, Okay, well,
we can still give all those teams thirty contests, So
if we bring them down from thirty four to thirty
and then we give the rest of the sixteen games
to some of these other younger stars where we try
to build just a little bit of entry.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
To have them more on weak nights like Grizzlies.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
Yeah, and again you can even dabble into the social
media era, like it's LaMelo Ball. He's got as many
followers as almost as almost to anybody that's in the
NBA outside of the Monster Stars. But instead Houston has
this crazy jump from like three nationally televised games to
twenty eight because you're it just shows me that you're
(40:56):
still so dependent on these guys that Kevin Durant, who
was a monster draw the guy is must see television.
But my god, you are so dependent on KD and
Lebron and some of those older players, and it just
doesn't It feels shortsighted. Even back to the Hornets when
they were everybody's second favorite team with the starter Jackets
(41:16):
and LJ and Zoe, you're telling me you couldn't get
a Christmas Day game when you have so many more
eyes on television screens to give everybody the second favorite team,
which is what was all over the place. Anyways, that's
my NBA ran, that's my NBA ran.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Yeah, and hopefully that will change more soon, but I
think more in more of a streaming age, maybe you'll
see them distribute it out a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yeah, And it's gonna be interesting. That's gonna be the
main thing.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
For as excited as I am about this upcoming Hornet season,
I'm excited to see what the new networks, Amazon and
NBC look like. And I think it's going to be
very big, and I think it'll expose somebody current broadcast
network's weaknesses ESPN.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
And actually prop up some of the local broadcast crews
like Eric Collins and Dell Curry, who it's We love
it a little bittersweet, but we do love it, and
we do want to see Eric Collins and Dell Curry
have all of this success. They're going to Amazon Prime,
but still going to be broadcasting a lot of locally
(42:12):
televised games here as well. All Right, that'll do it
for the Hornet schedule release show. Big thanks to Smoke
for helping me out not only by running the ones
and twos, but with all of the analysis as well.
And thanks to you the listener for hopping in on
the fandual text line seven oh four five, seven oh
ninety six ten. We'll be back with you tomorrow all
day long with local coverage from six am to six pm.
(42:32):
MAC and Bone, Charlotte Sports Today, WESN. Walker, and The
Kyle Bailey Show. Have a great rest of your night.
This is wfnz's twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Schedule release specially. Now here's your hosts.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
A six six shooting guard from Charlotte Water maybe.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
A shooting guard.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Yeah, put the inad coach, Ah you schedule sick goes,
We love you. It's NBA schedule release Day, the NBA
revealing the slate of NBA games for the entire season.
Today at three o'clock is when they released them, and
we got some Hornets basketball to talk about, folks, Walker Mail, smoke,
drive of the ship for the next hour. We'll be
here from six to seven pm, broadcasting live from the
(00:34):
Chandler Volta Studio. CV Injury Law dot com, Cvinjurylaw dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
One call.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
That's all the Carolinas personal injury lawyers. I'm hoping we
don't need to call them this Hornet season and we
just have everybody healthy for once all year long. And
I'm happy to talk about that world. I want to
live in that perfect world scenario. And we'll get to
some of that with Charles Lee joining us in just
about ten minutes or so to talk about what a
(01:00):
healthy team will look like. All the guards that they
signed the center rotation. I kind of like the center rotation. Surprise.
I'm a little bit higher on Mussa diabate than a
lot of other people out there, so I'm not nearly
as worried about that.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We'll talk with Charles.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
We'll have Sam Farber Sunshine Sam, the voice of the Hornets.
He'll be hopping on at six point thirty. We have
all of that in store for you Hornets fans. Let's
get down to business and go through some of the highlights.
The Hornets open up the season October twenty second at
home against the Nets. That's your first one and smoke.
Maybe we can go back and forth here a little bit.
Because of the encyclopedia that you are, the Hornets actually
(01:36):
have really nice luck in season openers. Four straight home openers,
four straight season openers. I should say that they've won.
They've won five of their last six. They're looking to
make it five straight against Brooklyn.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Now.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
The problem is they've been losing the second game of
the season and then falling to an early losing record
right away. The last time they had a winning streak
to begin the year was twenty twenty one. Their last
playoff season or play in tournament season, I should say,
so let's make a streak this time around. You got Philly, Washington,
Miami all consecutively after that on the road, but still
(02:09):
a winnable stretch. So the Hornets open up the season
October twenty second at home against the Nets, and they
fared pretty well. I feel decent smoke about opening up
against the Nets and then having some teams that feel
like winnable games the rest of the way for that
first five games to open up the year. How do
you feel about the way that the Hornets open up
the season.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Well, definitely feel confident about starting the season against this
Nets team just because they're over.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
You know, they're really starting to rebuild now. Drafted seventeen
rookies and kept all of them. Yes, they didn't trade in.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Kept all of them.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
And of course they you know, made a big trade
for Michael Porter during the Saw season. Gave up Cam Johnson,
who was one of the belles of the ball when
it came to the trade deadline scene this year, so
you know, you lose a lot of continuity, and essentially
this year is just fully looking at the roster and
seeing what it is for him.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It's an evaluation year.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
And you know, I think I'm not saying that they're
gonna be easy, because none of these teams are completely easy,
especially at the start of the year. But it's one
of those that's like, all right, you're not jumping ten
toes deep or ten feet deep into.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
The water at the pool.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
You're walking into the kittie section. You know, we're you're
slowly getting the water underneath your feet.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
He toes a little bit.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, we're you know, kind of like Rick James
and a hot tub breed. You know, he's not getting
it in all the way jumping in. You know, you're
slowly getting in. And I think that's a good way
to start out the season. And what I also like too,
I know that the two games following that are back
to backs, but I do like the fact that they started.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
On a Wednesday.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
They didn't have two days off before they go into
their back to backs against Philadelphia, which will be a
tough game as long as they are healthy and Washington
and hopefully they'll learn.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I think they're gonna be.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Hungry, specifically for that Sunday game because they know Charles
Lee and that front office will probably let them know.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
You guys, got swept by that team last year.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I can't do it again. I can't lose to Washington again. Hornets, Please,
if you do nothing else in the first month of
the season, and really October is what I'm telling you,
Please just beat Washington because I can't lose to the
Wizards anymore. Plus Wizards, Yes, Plus we had beef with
them on social media.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
We had an the weirdest things I've ever seen on
social media ever.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Probably should be beefing with the Wizards back and forth.
Let's just say you win that battle. I'm not sure
that you're really gaining anything, but I do need them
to beat the actual Wizards out there on the court.
Let's go over some of the highlights, some of the
things you care about on NBA schedule release day, the
back to backs, the national games, all of it. Let's
break it all down. The Hornets are scheduled to have
(04:39):
sixteen back to backs. That is a five way tie
for the most in the NBA. But again, eight teams
have thirteen back to backs, so that's the least amount,
not a huge discrepancy. There are plenty of other things
to get mad about the NBA, how they treat the Hornets,
I don't think this is one of them. But the
Hornets do have sixteen back to backs. It is quite
a bit home and home back to backs, three home
(05:02):
to road, two road to home, five road to road,
five away games that will be back to back.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So that's what you have.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Longest home stretch of the season seven games from March
seventeenth to March twenty ninth. In of course, twenty twenty six,
I'll get back to that because I do think that's
a really important stretch and I think it's my favorite
one so far. Longest road stretch is going to be
the five game stretch they have from January tenth to
January eighteenth, and so five homer and that's not bad.
(05:32):
Remember last year it was the weirdest schedule I've ever seen.
Last year, when I think you had eight home games,
you had eight road games, and then it was almost
like you were on the road for a while if
you took a trip, and you were at home for
a long time if you stayed here. So weird schedule
last year, much more normal in twenty twenty five, twenty
twenty six, you have four excuse me.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Home stands are four more games.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You have four games from February ninth to February twentieth,
same stretch in March I just mentioned, and then the
road trips of four or more games, you have five
games and that January stretch I was talking about, and
then you have the four game West Coast roadie in
March March eighth to March fourteenth. But after they're done
with that, then you get to play a whole bunch
of home games, which I do like. Time to now
(06:16):
go to the nationally televised games here smoke, yeah, you're ready,
but air.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Quotes with these nationally televised I's gonna ask.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I was like, how confident are you that we're going
to see these nationally televised games actually take place?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Well, here's the thing.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I would get chastised when Kyle would say nationally televised
games with NBA TV. So I just decided to call
these games nationally televised. And I didn't hear them say
a peep about Peacock and Amazon. I'm like, oh, so
the time I actually embraced it being a national game,
you decide.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I don't know that yet.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, Amazon, Prime, Peacock, they're in the mix. Now you
do get one game on ESPN. So your first nationally
televised game takes place against the Cleveland Cavaliers. That's on
Peacock at seven o'clock. Astionally televised game against Cleveland again,
this time at January twenty first, ESPN seven o'clock, and
(07:06):
then you have won January thirty first against the Spurs.
That's on Amazon Prime. That's at three pm. By the way,
just going with the home roads late there. The first
game against Cleveland on Peacock, that's going to be on
the road against the Caves. The next one against the Caves,
that one's going to be at home, and then the
Spurs matchup January thirty first, that's going to be at
(07:26):
home as well. That's when Wimby comes to town. The
NBA Cup schedule, if you care about it, I know
I do. I like seeing the end season Cup happen.
It changes things just a little bit. November seventh, Miami Heat,
November fourteenth, Milwaukee Bucks. Both of those games tip off
that eight o'clock. Those are going to be both road
games within Hornet's NBA Cup play. Then they'll play a
(07:46):
couple of home games against the Knicks and the Bulls.
November twenty sixth November twenty eighth. If they get to
this spot where they're able to go to the quarterfinals,
semi finals and so on, they go to Vegas.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Smoke. Do they play well in Vegas? I'm trying to remember.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I think they are as LeVar Boss says.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Never lost, never lost. Look I get me to Vegas,
that's it. Hornets. Like I like the draw. I know
other teams look at the Hornets and they think that too,
But I like the draw that you have the Miami
Heat early, you have Milwaukee early before hopefully they figure
some chemistry out between Miles Turner and Yannis, Like, that's
just such a different Milwaukee Bucks team from years past.
(08:29):
So I like that. That's one of the better teams
that you have in this slate. New York That's gonna
be a tough one no matter how you slice it.
That is going to be at home though, so maybe
you can get some advantage there and then Chicago winnable
game November twenty eighth, no back to back there, So
I kind of like that grouping that they have here.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Smoke. What's say you about the Cup schedule?
Speaker 5 (08:48):
It's definitely I think a little bit more lenient for
the Hornets this year, but definitely still has its fair
share of challenges. You know, you're going against more of
the middle class of the East instead of the top
half at this time around. You know, I don't really
know what to expect from Milwaukee. Maybe I'm starting to
think that Milwaukee until Jannis leaves or retires, it's just
(09:09):
gonna be. They're kind of hanging on to top end
talent and that still gets them above going to mediocrity stage,
but it's not that far above mediocrity unless they make
a massive change. And Heat are kind of in the
same spot too, where it's like it kind of feels like,
what's the right way to put it. I kind of
feel like they're like the Montreal Expos with lad Vladimir Guerrero,
(09:31):
except Bam Outabayo is not as good as.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
You're saying, I got you, and.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
But BAM's the one thing keeping this team together and
they're kind of just trying to hold it out and
see how far they can go until Bam finally wants
out or they just trade Bam away. And I think
that's kind of how the next two to three years
of Miami Heat basketball is going to go because, let's
face it, pat Riley, I think is going to retire eventually.
Maybe Eric's bolster stays or maybe he goes somewhere else.
(09:58):
But I just I don't see this current iteration of
the Heat staying around, and I think they're going to
have to have some massive changes in a not too
distant future.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
I've said this a few times.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
It feels like the Heat have finally squeezed all of
the juice and the pulp from that fruit, from just
somehow parlaying what was a terrible situation into Jimmy Butler
and then going on a couple of finals runs. It
feels like I'll knock on wood for all of us
Heat haters looking straight at you, smoke. Feels like it's
all over with with Miami in terms of them really competing.
(10:27):
Let's talk more about NBA Cup play with Charles Lee
and the rest of the schedule takeaways. Charles Lee getting
to talk with him about NBA schedule Release Day. We're
breaking down the NBA's schedule on schedule release Day. Sports
Radio ninety two seven WFNZ, the West Coast Roadies, the
home stands, back to backs, National Games, all love it
(10:47):
and who better to talk about it more than the
head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Charles Lee. He now
joins us on the guest line, Coach, thank you so
much for the time, my man.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
How are you doing?
Speaker 6 (10:56):
I'm doing phenomenal Walker, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Amah, Absolutely, I do want to know this. So we
look at all that stuff, the back to backs and
all of it. What's the thing you're looking at first
and foremost as the head coach of an NBA basketball team,
what's the first thing you're looking at on schedule release day?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
So first thing I'm looking at, what do we play
the first game of the season? And like, who do
I already like, my mind starts swing towards how are
we going to guard them? How are we going to
do this? And so I think gets to back it
up a little bit and remember there's other stuffs before that.
But first game is the first thing I look at.
And the second thing is like, when are we going
to play at home? So it's good to know are
we on the road? How's all the logistics of Christmas
(11:33):
is going to go.
Speaker 6 (11:34):
With the fans?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
October twenty second is when you guys will be playing
that first home game and the first game of the season,
So you get to cross off a couple of things there.
But what are some things that we should be watching
for come preseason, coach, because we got that schedule just
a couple of days ago as well, what are some
things that you really want to iron out as you
approach the regular season. How much does the preseason matter
(11:55):
to you?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Preseason matters a time to us. I would say every
matters to us.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
We talk a ton about daily improvement and being obsessed
with what that process looks like and not skipping steps
and just being present in that current moment, and so anyway,
just competing at a really high level. How some we
all impact winning and the things that.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
We've talked about.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I think everyone has heard me talk a ton about defense,
but I would also like to see our OFFENSEI prove
this year too, So as we kind of go into
the preseason, will be important for us to start improving
in the offensive area too.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
All right, Well, let's just break down all the schedules, then,
shall we. The Cup schedule also released yesterday. We have
those games all taking place in November on a scale
from a normal regular season game to playoff game mode.
And you've had a lot of experience in the postseason.
How do you approach an NBA Cup game?
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah, Number one, the league has done a phenomenal job
I think implement these Cup games. I think the whole
process of it, I've really enjoyed it. It increases the
stakes of some of these regular season games and makes
them even higher level of competition. I will say my
staff and I we try to elevate even our level
of prep going into those games. And so I look
(13:08):
forward to getting to those Cup games and seeing how
it all plays out. And then obviously you had the
point differential and needed to know do you need to
win by a certain amount or you can't lose by
a certain amount as you kind of continue in the
pool play and stuff. So I think we got a
really good group that's going to challenge us in our pool,
and I look forward to really competing at a high
level there.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Well, I mean, you guys do pretty well in Vegas,
I guess. So we got to get to Vegas and
then we can start bringing in some more titles, just
like we won with the Summer League title around here.
And I told you last year, coach, they denied us
the California Classic title. I still say we won it.
We got the championship and they decided not to give
us one. So I'm glad that you guys just went
out there and took it this time, fair and square.
(13:50):
Of course, we love Chris gent around here. Now he's
going to be up in New York being the associate
head coach with Mike Brown working with him again. He
was the head coach for the Summer League squad. What
are you losing in Chris Jen's absence.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, well, first I just say I'm with you.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
We won every title we can possibly get, and so
the Summer League title was really exciting. I was really
just proud. I think of our whole group for having
the right mindset, the right approach going in the Summer League,
understanding the importance of trying to build those winning habits
from day one. And I think that our young guys,
I think the coaching staff the perform just yelling in
(14:26):
a quick period of time and.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Having to figure out afferent guys that.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Got banged up along the way and missed some games,
and the competition that you play and the atmosphere that
you're in is a little bit closer to an NBA setting,
So it was really good to see our guys perform well.
And the guy at the helm making sure it all
real ran really well and really smoothly was Christient. And
I think I'm number one. I'm really happy for him.
(14:55):
I think that he has a tremendous opportunity ahead of him.
I'm extremely grateful and thankful for everything he did for
our retization. He really helped us last year. I think
set a foundation for who we want to be and
what we want to be about. And he's just He's
been a great friend to me throughout my whole coaching career,
and so it'll be bittersweet to have him lead, but
(15:16):
I'm excited for.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
Him in his new journey.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Breaking down the NBA schedule on Hornet's Schedule, release Day,
head coach Charles Lee joining us now on the guest
line and coach. We got to get to some of
these offseason moves man, especially free agency. I think the
move that got Hornets fans the most excited they kicked
everything off it was the Colin Sexton trade. I host
the Lockdown Hornets podcast Wes and Walker here on WFNZ.
(15:39):
That got like a one hundred percent approval rating from
all the sickos whom I engage with every day. Was
Sexton a guy you and Jeff Peterson had talked about
before then targeted. Did you find out he was available
and then make an offer like this move caught people
by surprise? Did it do the same to you?
Speaker 6 (15:57):
You know?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I think Jeff and his group, uh, they are so
well prepared. I think that opportunities that that come about,
they have studied. They understand our ore are what we're
looking for in players, and like what those qualities look like.
They understand what we need to do from a roster
depth and balance standpoint too. And I think as they
(16:20):
were approached with a situation, they broke it down, they
prepared like they usually do. They chopped it up and
figured out what makes sense for our team going forward.
And I've been pleasant. I've been very excited about Colin
Sexton joining our group. I think that I've always witnessed
him uh competing at a.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
Really high level. He can score the ball.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I think that he's already since he's been in with
our group and around our group, he's elevated.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Uh the tensity all workouts and all the interactions. Definitely
a sociable, in.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Your face type guy. But I love it and I
think that he's going to add a lot to our group,
been to our culture.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
You have a lot of guards this year, not only
Colin Section, but you guys signed a lot in free agency.
You drafted a few guys out there on the perimeter.
Uh this past election process. How does your team change
with the roster makeup you have now compared to what
it was last year.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
Yeah, you know, I think that we had a pretty
good roster last year, but this year we're definitely a
little bit more versatile. I think, you know, we we
are big. We can play a lot of different ways
this year, having Plumbly, having cal s Brinner, having LUSA,
it allows you to be in center fields and times
be able to switch. And then, like you just said,
(17:37):
having so many guards and so many just competitors with
high basketball IQ, it's going to help us be able
to play a lot of different ways. I think if
we watched the league, everybody's playing a lot faster. It's
becoming a lot more positionless. And so I think that
you know, with this versatility that we have of our
of our roster and having a lot more guards, a
lot more ball handlers that can help us hopefully create
(17:59):
some more open shots. I'm really excited to see how
it all kind of comes together.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Yeah, a lot of people have questions about the center rotation,
just because there was such a focus on guards in
the off season. But you did pick up Ryan Kalkbrenner,
you sign Mason Plumbley. Of course you have Mussa Diabate.
We love letting the moose loose around here, baby, so
we love Musa Diabate. How to see that center rotation
play now?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, you know, I think that it's a good balance. Again,
you get a veteran in Plumbley. He's been around the
league a ton of experience. I think all that experience
has kind to help him understand what it takes to
really win. I think that he's been used as a starter,
he's been used as a role player coming off the bench,
and so he's going to be able to adapt to
whatever we need. I think that he's going to be
(18:42):
able to give a lot of corporate knowledge of the NBA.
He's a professional. He's in every day focused on his body.
He's focused on improving in the weight room and even
as however many years he's been in the league. Now
he understands and has a growth mindset, which is really
important I think for our and being open minded. And
then again, I think Mussa had a phenomenal opportunity this summer.
(19:06):
He's continued to grow. He's like one of our great
success stories from a player development standpoint, and his all
in and commitment to just trying to be better and
try to be the most versatile and energetic big he
could possibly be. And we saw what Ryan brings in summerly.
I think that he's going to be able to play
both sides of the court at a really high level.
(19:27):
I see a lot of Brook Lopez in him and
it's funny to worth number eleven. So he's going to
continue to grow and get a lot of under beat.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Well with the form of.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I like maybe Splash Mountain Junior being here in the
Hornets up would.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Love to see you. That would be exciting, And he
talked about it. We talked to him, I think not
too long ago.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
He said that you guys told him to let it
fly if he's open from three, and sure enough he
did that hit a couple out there in Vegas. Last
thing before we get you out of here coach, just
some injury house cleaning, Howard Grant Williams and Josh Green progressing.
Do you think they'll be ready by the regular season?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
You know, I think both guys have been attacking their
rehab plans really well. Again, I can't. I always have
to just give credit to our performance staff and to
our coaching staff. They work so well together and putting
together these roadmaps for our guys to be able to
return to play, and both guys are.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
National limiting progress.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I can't put a timetable on it as right now
when they will be back, but they are making positive
strides and I'm just really happy with how they show
up every day, how they're attacking their rehab. And you know,
you take a couple steps forward and then all of
a sudden you might have a stepward step back. But
I think that their mindset has just kind of been
not to let that slow them down, and they're really
(20:44):
focused on trying to be around the team and get
back to the team as soon as they can.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
Charles Lee joining us here to discuss the schedule on
NBA schedule release Day, the head coach of the Hornets,
certainly wishing him a lot of luck coach, Thank you
so much for the time.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
We appreciate it, and we'll talk you down the.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Road, no problem, Thank you, get excited.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Oh yeah, same here, coach. Thanks again.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
That's Charles Lee joining us here on Sports Rated ninety
two to seven WFNZ. Good stuff from the Hornets coach.
Awesome stuff from Charles Lee, who is ready to get
out to Vegas again, possibly win an NBA Cup and
hopefully we can get to some postseason basketball. More schedule
analysis on the horizon. Sam Farber, Hornets play by play announcer.
He'll be hopping on at six point thirty and then
(21:25):
again we'll tell you all about the roadies, the back
to backs, the nationally televised game, my favorite stretch. I
got something like that for you in store. Coming up
soon on the Hornet Schedule Release Day show Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Welcome back to the FNZ twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's Schedule.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Release special, Talking Hornet schedule on NBA Schedule Release Day.
It's Walker Mail at Smoke Ludwig. We're broadcasting live from
the Chandler Vault to Studio CV Injury Live dot Com.
CV injurya dot com one call. That's all Baby Carolina's
(22:02):
personal injury lawyers, big thanks to Charles Lee. That'll be
up on the website WFNZ dot com. Charlotte Hornet's head
coach talking about some of the things that he takes
note of first and foremost, and he told you one,
I'm looking when the season starts, spoken like a true coach.
That'll be October twenty second against the Nets. Already discussed
a little bit about how the season begins, and he
(22:24):
also said, I'm just looking for all the home games,
and so we have the longest home stretch in late March.
That'll be a seven game home stretch, so that's a
nice long stay at the Spectrum Center. And then you
have a couple of home stands of four games or more.
One in February that'll be a four game homestand and
then that one in March. Like we were talking about,
(22:45):
if you care a little bit about the preseason, I'll
let you know that schedule as well, that was released
just a couple of days ago. The Hornets will first
play a basketball game October fifth against the Thunder at
five o'clock, and then they'll play the Thunder again October ninth.
So October fifth, October ninth, back to back games against OKC,
and then they'll play Dallas Cooper Flag get to see
(23:06):
him in action, hopefully we get to see him in
action October eleventh, Memphis October fifteenth, and then the New
York Knicks October seventeenth. So that'll be the preseason. And
I'll say this, I actually take a decent amount of
way from the Hornets preseason games. I feel like we
get to find some stuff out. I remember PJ. Washington
when he was drafted. Of course, Walker Male loves himself
(23:27):
some PJ. So I'm going to bring him up. Save
the jokes, Save the jokes. But in all seriousness, it
was when we found out he was actually going to
be a huge part that season right away. When he
played all the minutes in preseason, played well, and then
played over thirty minutes a pop his rookie year, that
was something serious. Malik Monk, I remember when he was playing,
we kind of got to see, Okay, I don't know
(23:50):
how involved he's going to be, but like we thought
he was going to immediately contribute when he was drafted,
I think you find some stuff out in preseason as
to how it's going to play in the regular season.
So again early October when we'll figure that out, sorry,
more than we do in the NFL preseason. But you
still can't take the final scores because remember.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Yeah, I remember the radio losing her mind to text
line losing her mind when Horn's lost by fifty or
sixty points. And then they make the play in tournament
that year and have forty three wins, one of the
best years in the last decade for the Hornets, if
I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
I think that game was that game on ESPN it was.
I think that game is Ondio his Man.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
But it's preseason and they actually played well I think
in terms of like stylistically and rotation and what they
think about the players coming out of camp. I really
do think you can actually take a decent amount away
from NBA preseason. So don't just brush that off your shoulder.
October fifth and October ninth, those back to back games
to open up preseason against OKC, there's going to be
something to take note of there. And also you should
(24:51):
be listening to every single Hornets game right here on WFNZ.
When you do, you get to hear the man, Sam
Farber on the call, the voice of the all the
Hornets again, the voice you can hear right here on
ninety two to seven FM. Sam, It's almost that time, man,
I know you're excited.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Examely excited, extremely excited now that the schedule is out
and official, and wholeheartedly agree with you, guys. The best
preseason of all the major sports is by far NBA preseason.
Even if it ends with a sixty eight point loss
in one of the games, don't worry about it. It
might lead to a winning year.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
After all.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Did he get to sixty eight? Oh my god, I
did not realize that.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
But again, it means that we can actually get over
that once the regular season game comes. Again, totally agree
as we talk about that, you can take some stuff
away from the preseason. And there are lots of questions
to ask of this team, Sam, just because of the
roster makeup they went out, They got all the guards.
They brought in Colin Sexton, who is a true six
Man of the Year candidate, and they pair him with
(25:52):
last year's coming into the season six man of the
Year candidate in tray Man. I'm really excited about the
guard play. I think that brings up a lot of
intro in questions. What are some of the questions that
you have for this squad looking at this Hornet's team
for twenty twenty five twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Well, I think the big one the team obviously has
to answer here is about durability. It's about being able
to put the core of this team that's so talented
and has performed very well individually at times out there
on the floor consistently, and to have the guys do
it together for fifty sixty seventy plus games. That's going
(26:28):
to give us our answers as to just how good
in reality this team is when in theory there are
a lot of good pieces that are already assembled here
for Charlotte, and so I think getting off to a
good start is important. I think you know the play
of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, and you know there's
certainly different position groups where you've got younger players and
(26:48):
guys jumping into opportunities. But it really comes down to durability,
I think for this squad and their ability to prove
consistently what they're capable of.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
All Right, Sam, I know you've done some scribbling, the
same scribbles researching the schedule, giving us some main takeaways.
What you got for the people? What are some things
you're taking note of first and foremost.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Well, I think it's a really strong schedule for the
Hornets and for fans. You look at some of the
marquee opponents. I mean, really, we want fans to come
to all the games. You'd love for you to buy
season take it. If you want to guarantee yourself all
of the biggest games, call seven h four Hornets. Visit
Hornets dot com right now. You can skip the line
and get full season or half season memberships and guarantee
(27:27):
yourself to some of those highlighted games. But you know,
we've all got different things in our lives and different places,
and maybe that's not in the cards. So what really
stands out to me is the opportunities to see some
of the biggest names in the games at really advert
advantageous spots. For instance, Saturday November First Saturday games are
(27:48):
always going to be highlights on anyone's schedule. To have
Minnesota coming in with Anthony Edwards, that's huge. One of
Carolina's favorite sons, Steph Curry, and the Golden State Orias.
It's not on a weekend, but it might as well be.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
It's New Year.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
If you're working December thirty first and you're not a
member of the Hornets front office, I feel for you
a little bit there. But come on out join us
a one pm tip time on New Year's Eve to
see Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors Saturday, January
thirty first against the San Antonio Spurs. Another matinee three pm.
Victor Wembin Yama coming to town for that one. So
(28:20):
those are some of the games that really stand out
to me. They're opportunities to bring the family out, bring
the kids out, see some of the legends of the
game on nights that are not school nights, and take
in some great Hornets basketball. But even if you're not
looking for one of those games, one of the marquee
attractions in the NBA bar Nun is LaMelo Ball, and
there's going to be forty plus opportunities to see him
(28:43):
in the Hornets this season at Spectrum Center.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Gonna be good stuff here. As we go down the
schedule and talk about some of the more important stretches
and some of the dates for some of those more
interesting home games. I'll tell you this, Sam, I agree
with you. I do think the schedule lines up well
for the Hornets this year, and to be honest, if
you go back to last year, has to be an
all time weird schedule, right, like saying, when you were
(29:06):
on the road, you were on the road for two
three weeks. If you were at home, you were at
home for two to three weeks, and then we just
felt like kept playing that out all season long. This year,
I told Kyle, I'm a big fan of ending the
season on a strong note. And the fact that you
have all those home games in March against some teams
that I deem winnable games. That's what I'm looking at right.
(29:27):
I'm looking at that March schedule and I really like
what I'm seeing as you head into some possible postseason play.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Do you have a stretch that you like the best
on this schedule?
Speaker 1 (29:35):
March stands out favorably to me as well. The home
games are nice, but really it's the rest factor that
you have in there. You've got I think four different
sequences where you've got multiple days off that are not
an all starbrate, not anything you know that everyone's getting
these are things that are a natural advantage to the
Charlotte Hornets, where you've got multiple days off leading in
(29:57):
too in three of the cases a home So I
think March is a real advantageous part of the schedule.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
The most difficult one's got.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
To be January, and that's because there's a ton of
back to back and a lot of road games. But
after that, if the Hornets are where we hope they're
going to be, you've got a chance to really take
advantage of the schedule, take advantage of home games, take
advantage of rest, and for the fans, take advantage of
some really you know, premium matchups on the calendar, those
(30:27):
Friday Saturday games that everyone loves to be a part of.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
All right, Sam, as a play by play announcer, I
know that you have your favorite cities that you like
to travel to. We've talked about that a couple of times.
Is there any announcer favorable stretches that you see when
you look at the schedule or are you just so
company man team oriented that you're looking at how the
Hornets might be able to take advantage of the schedule
rather than you.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Well, it is company team oriented and also you know,
my personal team, Team Farber. I got young kids, So
the first thing I gravitate towards it. I'm home on Halloween,
I'm home on Thanksgiving, I'm home on Christmas. Those are
great things from a family perspective. And even though I'm
working on New Year's Eve, one PM tips on against
the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry can't beat that either.
(31:13):
So all the major holidays, dad is home. That is
a big win in the farmer household. But yeah, I mean, look,
the opportunity to go to New York and be there
for a few days, that's going to be a lot
of fun for us. In early December, a similar action
for the team in Los Angeles. It's nice to be
able to settle into a city for a couple of
days and enjoy it. From that regard, but it's not
(31:36):
so much being you know, the company man, it's being
a dad. I'm really looking forward to being home. Bookending
Thanksgiving in particular, that one could be really interesting. It's
the Emirate NBA Cup Group play on Wednesday, November twenty
sixth against the New York Knicks and then Black Friday
the twenty eighth against the Chicago Bulls. Those games are
(31:57):
going to be brought to you by Bank of America.
Those are both home games. So if the Hornets are
alive in Emirates NBA Cup group play going into the
week of Thanksgiving, it could be a Rockets atmosphere at
the newly reimagined Spectrum Center and two games with really
big opportunities for the Hornets to make some early noise
(32:17):
and make a statement to the entire NBA world that
Charlotte's you know, maybe coming around here, and if they
have something to play for that week, that could bode
well for the whole season.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Sam, Me and Smoke, we're talking about it. We like
the group play draw. It's about as good as you
could ask for. And the fact that you have a
couple of home games, the home game against the best
team in group play with the Knicks. I like the draw.
I'm with you. I think it lines up favorably. I'm excited.
Hopefully we can get off to a hot start and
then finish well at the end of the season. NBA
(32:48):
taking care of Sam as well, letting them be home
as a dad on some of those holidays. I love
to see it. Final things, Sam, what else do you
want to tell the people that we might have forgotten
to mention.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
I think the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Biggest thing for fans is when you go through the schedule,
whether you're circling day games, weekend games because you've got
a family, whether you're circling games based off you know,
your your personal favorite player or whomever it is that
you want to see. Just keep in mind that you're
not the only one doing it. That these are the
most popular games on the schedule for a reason. And
so if you're contemplating going to see the Hornets play
(33:20):
against the Golden State Warriors on New Year's Eve, or
you really want to see Lebron and Luca when the
Lakers come to Monday, November tenth and defending in Oklahoma
City here in Shay gild just Alexander Saturday November fifteenth,
you're not the only one thinking that. So single game
tickets go on sale this Saturday ten am, Hornets dot
Com and the Hornets App. I would not wait till
(33:42):
ten fifteen. I would be ready locked and loaded ten am.
Get whatever seat it is for that most important game.
If you're only going to one, and if you're in
the market and you have the opportunity and the ability.
Full season half season memberships are available right now called
seven h four Hornets or visit Hornets dot com and
then you don't have to sweat about is my favorite
seat available for my favorite games? You can just buy
(34:04):
them all. But we know that's not in the cards
for everyone. So if there's only one game or only
a couple of games that are really your favorites, make
sure you're ready ten am this Saturday, Hornets dot Com
and the Hornets.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
At your radio.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Voice of the Charlotte Hornets, Sam Farbert, joining us here
on sports Raded ninety two to seven WFNZ. Sam, look
forward to you being on the call, my man, looking
forward to talking a lot more Hornets basketball with you
down the road.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Have a good rest of your day and then we'll again.
We'll talk to you later.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Walker, you two. Thank you both for doing this. Thanks
to all the listeners out there. I think we're like
fifty days away right now for training camp, so countdown
is on. We'll see y'all for the start of the
news season and all the dates are locked and loaded.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
It happens quickly. Good stuff from Sam. We'll put that
interview on our website. As well WFNZ dot com anywhere
you get your pods will upload it so everybody can
listen to. Sam and Charles Lee both break down the
upcoming NBA schedule. Here it is NBA Schedule Release Day,
breaking down everything as it pertains to the Hornets. We
have one more segment to go, Well, we'll put a
(35:05):
bow on this, we'll wrap it up, and then we'll
discuss just a few more things that we forgot to
mention maybe in the first couple of segments. Right here
on Sports Radio ninety two seven FM.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Welcome back to the FNZ twenty twenty five Charlotte Hornet's
Schedule Release.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
Special Hornet Schedule Release Day. Baby, we're breaking it all down.
Smoke helping me out. Sam Farbar doing the same thing.
Charles Lee joined us at the beginning of the show,
bringing you all the takeaways from the back to backs
(35:46):
that they'll be playing sixteen to be exact, the nationally
televised games three.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
To be exact. I guess is what we're calling it
with the streaming options now?
Speaker 5 (35:55):
And do you want to point out two of those
games are against the calvs talk do you want to
point out guess who's now on the Calves. That's right,
Lonzo ball, that's right, of course, take a sip, take
a drink.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
No more Chicago Bulls every single year when we see
the nationally televised games, now it's the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Just basically right it up to whatever team Lonzo balls on,
and that's who is going to get your guaranteed national game,
no matter what.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
For the Hornets right.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Now, I actually really want to talk to you about
this because I was looking up a tweet of all
of the nationally televised games and there's this really interesting graphic.
I don't know how you pronounce this person who tweeted
it out. It's leave okubus on Twitter. I don't know,
but they tweet out all of the nationally televised games.
What's interesting is you see the top four teams. Okay,
the thunder the Knicks, the Lakers, the Warriors, they're all
(36:44):
going to be nationally televised thirty four separate times on one.
If we just take a moment to focus on that,
the jump the gap between thirty four and three is
absolutely nuts. But those teams are all really good, have
stars on those squads. Whatever, It's not crazy to think
that they would be nationally televised thirty four times. Next
on the list is Minnesota and Houston they have twenty eight.
(37:08):
Denver has twenty six nationally televised games. Boston is the
only team who's nationally televised schedule went down to twenty five.
So they decreased because a Jason Tatum, Because of Jason
Tatum and Calves make the big jump to twenty four.
But it's because of what they've accomplished. And then you
see the Hornets here at three. Here's my point, just
speaking generally about the NBA smoke, I think this is
(37:31):
a real issue. Like I look at this and I
see a real issue because I know the association is
so player driven, but they keep on hanging too these
players that are about to exit the league. Houston makes
the biggest jump of anybody because they have Kevin Durant.
Now you have Lebron who you're still holding on to.
You have steph who you're still holding on to. Right Like,
(37:53):
to me, it does make business sense. I'm not even
saying this from a Hornets fans standpoint. I am thinking
of this from a business standpoint. LaMelo Ball has all
of these followers LaMelo Ball is pinned against his brother
because you truly and apparently you find some real value.
So it's not even that I'm begging the Hornets to
be on ESPN constantly. It's just, don't we want to
(38:14):
uplift some of these younger fun stars that don't get
nearly as much recognition and then they can carry the torch.
You don't have to rely like they put all their
eggs in the SGA basket. They put all their eggs
in the Luka Doncic basket, which they're great players, Duh,
you want to televise them as much as possible. You're
just squeezing out some of these younger, more intriguing players
(38:37):
so much so to where nobody gets to watch them.
It's such a player driven league. I get it, but
that seems like a business flaw in my opinion.
Speaker 5 (38:44):
Putting too many eggs in a basket, I think is
definitely a very big risk, especially with the way that
the NBA players have been hurt in recent years. And
I think that's part of the problem that happened in
the NBA in the late nineties. They really didn't have
that good of a plan because it's like, oh, it's
MJMJMJMJ didn't really promote many teams outside of the or five,
and then once he got to that point in a
(39:05):
new era, it's like, oh crap. And it was not
to say that the league at that time was not
very deep, so that also didn't help. But it's one
of those things where it's like, okay, Lakers, I get it,
you say Lebron, but they also have Luke on the team,
Lucas entering his prime years. Yeah, that makes total sense.
And unfortunately we see a lot of these teams with
young superstars have to fight twice as hard just to
(39:26):
get more recognition if they're not in one of the
big three to four cities. SGA of course now getting
that recognition now with the Thunder, Anthony Edwards now getting
out with the Wolverines, but it takes a lot of effort,
you know. And it's kind of like in the NFL too.
Remember Carolina only got like two or three primetime games
after winning the division in twenty thirteen. It took them
(39:48):
making the Super Bowl to get five primetime games. Unfortunately,
it bit them in the butt because that was when
you know, they fell back down the earth six and
ten records. So it's definitely one of those things that's things,
and you would want them to maybe be a little
bit more liberal of how many games certain teams get,
but you know, they are also bottom line business. They
want the ratings and they want it now, and they're
(40:09):
not looking at the long term edification.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
It's it just doesn't make sense to me.
Speaker 4 (40:12):
It really doesn't like they've got to have smart people
up there at the front office. I know they do,
yet it's still it seems easy to say, Okay, well,
we can still give all those teams thirty contests, So
if we bring them down from thirty four to thirty
and then we give the rest of the sixteen games
to some of these other younger stars where we try
to build just a little bit of entry.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
To have them more on weak nights like Grizzlies.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
Yeah, and again you can even dabble into the social
media era, like it's LaMelo Ball. He's got as many
followers as almost as almost to anybody that's in the
NBA outside of the Monster Stars. But instead Houston has
this crazy jump from like three nationally televised games to
twenty eight because you're it just shows me that you're
(40:56):
still so dependent on these guys that Kevin Durant, who
was a monster draw the guy is must see television.
But my god, you are so dependent on KD and
Lebron and some of those older players, and it just
doesn't It feels shortsighted. Even back to the Hornets when
they were everybody's second favorite team with the starter Jackets
(41:16):
and LJ and Zoe, you're telling me you couldn't get
a Christmas Day game when you have so many more
eyes on television screens to give everybody the second favorite team,
which is what was all over the place. Anyways, that's
my NBA ran, that's my NBA ran.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Yeah, and hopefully that will change more soon, but I
think more in more of a streaming age, maybe you'll
see them distribute it out a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yeah, And it's gonna be interesting. That's gonna be the
main thing.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
For as excited as I am about this upcoming Hornet season,
I'm excited to see what the new networks, Amazon and
NBC look like. And I think it's going to be
very big, and I think it'll expose somebody current broadcast
network's weaknesses ESPN.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
And actually prop up some of the local broadcast crews
like Eric Collins and Dell Curry, who it's We love
it a little bittersweet, but we do love it, and
we do want to see Eric Collins and Dell Curry
have all of this success. They're going to Amazon Prime,
but still going to be broadcasting a lot of locally
(42:12):
televised games here as well. All Right, that'll do it
for the Hornet schedule release show. Big thanks to Smoke
for helping me out not only by running the ones
and twos, but with all of the analysis as well.
And thanks to you the listener for hopping in on
the fandual text line seven oh four five, seven oh
ninety six ten. We'll be back with you tomorrow all
day long with local coverage from six am to six pm.
(42:32):
MAC and Bone, Charlotte Sports Today, WESN. Walker, and The
Kyle Bailey Show. Have a great rest of your night.
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