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1996–97 Charlotte Hornets season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

FieldValue
teamCharlotte Hornets
end_year1997
wins54
losses28
division_place4
divisionCentral
conf_place6
coachDave Cowens
gmBob Bass
ownerGeorge Shinn
arenaCharlotte Coliseum
playoffs[First round](1997-nba-playoffs-bracket)
(lost to [Knicks](1996-97-new-york-knicks-season) 0–3)
bbr_teamCHH
radioWBT

(lost to Knicks 0–3)

  • Fox Sports South
  • WJZY
  • WFVT

The 1996–97 Charlotte Hornets season was the ninth season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. For the first time since the 1990–91 season, Larry Johnson was not on the team's opening day roster. The Hornets received the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard, and high school basketball star Kobe Bryant, and also selected shooting guard Tony Delk from the University of Kentucky with the 16th overall pick; however, the team soon traded Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac, acquired Anthony Mason from the New York Knicks, and signed free agent Tony Smith during the off-season. The team also hired former Boston Celtics star Dave Cowens as their new head coach.

Under Cowens, and with the addition of Divac and Mason, the new-look Hornets played better than expected. After struggling with an 8–9 start to the regular season, the Hornets won 21 of their next 31 games, holding a 29–19 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team signed free agent and former All-Star forward Tom Chambers in January, then traded Scott Burrell to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Donald Royal, and dealt second-year guard Anthony Goldwire, and second-year center George Zidek to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Ricky Pierce in February. However, Chambers was released to free agency after 12 games. The Hornets posted a nine-game winning streak in April, and finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a franchise best 54–28 record, earning the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, and making it back to the NBA playoffs after a one-year absence.

Glen Rice had the best season of his career, finishing third in the league in scoring with a career-high of 26.8 points per game, while leading the Hornets with 207 three-point field goals, and shooting .470 in three-point field-goal percentage, as he was named to the All-NBA Second Team. In addition, Mason averaged 16.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while sixth man Dell Curry contributed 14.8 points per game and 126 three-point field goals off the bench, and Divac provided the team with 12.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Pierce contributed 12.0 points per game in 27 games after the trade, Matt Geiger averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, but only played just 49 games due to a back injury, Muggsy Bogues provided with 8.0 points, 7.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game, Delk contributed 5.4 points per game, and Smith averaged 5.0 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Rice was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; Rice scored 26 points, and made 4 out of 7 three-point field-goal attempts off the bench, and was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 132–120. In addition, Rice also participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the third consecutive year. Rice finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Mason finished tied in ninth place; Rice also finished tied in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Curry finished tied in fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and Cowens finished in second place in Coach of the Year voting, behind Pat Riley of the Miami Heat.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, the Hornets faced off against the 3rd–seeded New York Knicks, a team that featured All-Star center Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, and Sixth Man of the Year, John Starks. The Hornets lost the first two games on the road at Madison Square Garden, then lost Game 3 to the Knicks at home, 104–95 at the Charlotte Coliseum, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep.

The Hornets led the NBA in home-game attendance for the eighth, and final time during their history in Charlotte, with an attendance of 985,722 at the Charlotte Coliseum during the regular season; the team also finished with the best three-point percentage in NBA history, shooting .428 from beyond the arch. Following the season, Pierce re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks during the next season, and Smith and Royal were both released to free agency.

NBA draft

Main article: 1996 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalitySchool
113Kobe BryantSGLower Merion HS
116Tony DelkSG/PGKentucky
244Malik RosePFDrexel

The Hornets entered the draft with two first-round picks and one second-round pick. The 16th pick was acquired from the Miami Heat via trade in 1995.

In the 1996 NBA draft, the Hornets selected Kobe Bryant with the 13th overall pick. Before he was chosen by the Hornets, the 17-year-old Bryant had made a lasting impression on then-Lakers general manager Jerry West, who immediately foresaw potential in Bryant's basketball ability during pre-draft workouts. West even went on to state that Bryant's workouts were some of the bests he had seen. Immediately after the draft, Dave Cowens expressed that the Hornets had no use for him. Fifteen days later, West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac to the Hornets for the young Kobe Bryant. However, this backfired as Bryant went on to win 5 NBA championships with the Lakers, while the Hornets have yet to win one.

Roster

  • Dave Cowens
  • T. R. Dunn
  • Lee Rose

Roster notes

  • Power forward Tom Chambers was waived on April 8, 1997.

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

Regular season

|- | 1 | November 2, 1996 | Toronto | W 109–98 | | | | Charlotte Coliseum

1–0
2
November 3, 1996
@ New York
L 86–113

| | | | Madison Square Garden

1–1
3
November 6, 1996
L.A. Lakers
W 88–78

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

2–1
4
November 8, 1996
@ Washington
W 102–87

| | | | US Airways Arena

3–1
5
November 9, 1996
Milwaukee
L 98–100

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

3–2
6
November 12, 1996
@ Miami
L 72–93

| | | | Miami Arena

3–3
7
November 14, 1996
@ Orlando
L 89–96

| | | | Orlando Arena

3–4
8
November 15, 1996
Chicago
L 87–110

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

3–5
9
November 20, 1996
New York
W 93–86

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

4–5
10
November 21, 1996
@ Indiana
W 90–87

| | | | Market Square Arena

5–5
11
November 23, 1996
Detroit
W 93–85

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

6–5
12
November 26, 1996
Seattle
W 97–89

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

7–5
13
November 27, 1996
@ Toronto
L 88–92

| | | | SkyDome

7–6
14
November 30, 1996
@ Milwaukee
W 94–87

| | | | Bradley Center

8–6
15
December 2, 1996
@ Utah
L 97–107

| | | | Delta Center

8–7
16
December 3, 1996
@ L.A. Clippers
L 89–96

| | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

8–8
17
December 6, 1996
@ Portland
L 93–97

| | | | Rose Garden Arena

8–9
18
December 7, 1996
@ Seattle
W 94–92

| | | | KeyArena

9–9
19
December 9, 1996
@ Vancouver
W 107–91

| | | | General Motors Place

10–9
20
December 11, 1996
Denver
W 101–97

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

11–9
21
December 13, 1996
Philadelphia
W 84–75

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

12–9
22
December 14, 1996
@ Chicago
L 82–87

| | | | United Center

12–10
23
December 17, 1996
@ Philadelphia
W 93–84

| | | | CoreStates Center

13–10
24
December 19, 1996
Chicago
L 72–93

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

13–11
25
December 21, 1996
Atlanta
W 98–93

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

14–11
26
December 22, 1996
@ Boston
W 102–98

| | | | FleetCenter

15–11
27
December 27, 1996
Miami
L 86–101

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

15–12
28
December 28, 1996
@ Detroit
L 75–97

| | | | The Palace of Auburn Hills

15–13
29
December 30, 1996
@ Washington
W 101–92

| | | | US Airways Arena

16–13
30
January 2, 1997
Dallas
W 107–97

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

17–13
31
January 4, 1997
Washington
L 93–104

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

17–14
32
January 6, 1997
@ Golden State
W 109–101

| | | | San Jose Arena

18–14
33
January 8, 1997
@ L.A. Lakers
L 97–101

| | | | Great Western Forum

18–15
34
January 10, 1997
@ Phoenix
L 90–102

| | | | America West Arena

18–16
35
January 12, 1997
@ Sacramento
W 97–93

| | | | ARCO Arena

19–16
36
January 13, 1997
@ Denver
W 102–100 (OT)

| | | | McNichols Sports Arena

20–16
37
January 15, 1997
New Jersey
W 116–104

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

21–16
38
January 18, 1997
@ New Jersey
W 102–92

| | | | Continental Airlines Arena

22–16
39
January 20, 1997
@ Atlanta
L 97–106

| | | | The Omni

22–17
40
January 21, 1997
Houston
W 114–108

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

23–17
41
January 24, 1997
New York
W 113–104 (OT)

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

24–17
42
January 25, 1997
@ Cleveland
L 73–106

| | | | Gund Arena

24–18
43
January 28, 1997
@ Indiana
W 98–97

| | | | Market Square Arena

25–18
44
January 29, 1997
Indiana
L 95–106

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

25–19
45
January 31, 1997
Milwaukee
W 102–95

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

26–19
46
February 2, 1997
@ New York
W 99–93

| | | | Madison Square Garden

27–19
47
February 4, 1997
Minnesota
W 115–101

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

28–19
48
February 6, 1997
Sacramento
W 115–100

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 29–19 |- align="center" |- style="background:#cfc;"

- bgcolor="#bbffbb"
49
February 11, 1997
@ Chicago
L 100–103

| | | | United Center

29–20
50
February 12, 1997
New Jersey
W 113–100

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

30–20
51
February 14, 1997
Detroit
L 103–109

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

30–21
52
February 17, 1997
Orlando
W 124–110

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

31–21
53
February 19, 1997
Phoenix
W 123–115

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

32–21
54
February 21, 1997
L.A. Clippers
W 114–96

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

33–21
55
February 22, 1997
@ Atlanta
W 93–92

| | | | The Omni

34–21
56
February 24, 1997
@ San Antonio
W 96–84

| | | | Alamodome

35–21
57
February 25, 1997
@ Dallas
L 84–86

| | | | Reunion Arena

35–22
58
February 27, 1997
@ Houston
W 106–95

| | | | The Summit

36–22
59
March 2, 1997
@ Minnesota
W 108–96

| | | | Target Center

37–22
60
March 4, 1997
San Antonio
W 105–98

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

38–22
61
March 6, 1997
Boston
W 122–121 (OT)

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

39–22
62
March 9, 1997
Miami
W 82–76

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

40–22
63
March 11, 1997
Vancouver
W 98–92

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

41–22
64
March 14, 1997
@ Orlando
L 81–86

| | | | Orlando Arena

41–23
65
March 15, 1997
@ Philadelphia
W 107–99

| | | | CoreStates Center

42–23
66
March 17, 1997
Utah
L 93–114

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

42–24
67
March 19, 1997
Cleveland
W 90–72

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

43–24
68
March 21, 1997
@ Toronto
W 102–97

| | | | SkyDome

44–24
69
March 22, 1997
Golden State
W 100–93 (OT)

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

45–24
70
March 26, 1997
Portland
L 87–88

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

45–25
71
March 28, 1997
Indiana
L 115–116

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

45–26
72
April 2, 1997
Atlanta
W 95–84

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

46–26
73
April 3, 1997
@ New Jersey
W 93–87

| | | | Continental Airlines Arena

47–26
74
April 5, 1997
Philadelphia
W 115–113

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

48–26
75
April 7, 1997
@ Cleveland
W 110–105 (OT)

| | | | Gund Arena

49–26
76
April 9, 1997
Boston
W 136–111

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

50–26
77
April 11, 1997
@ Detroit
W 93–85

| | | | The Palace of Auburn Hills

51–26
78
April 12, 1997
Washington
W 99–97

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

52–26
79
April 14, 1997
Cleveland
W 94–82

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

53–26
80
April 16, 1997
@ Boston
W 108–102

| | | | FleetCenter

54–26
81
April 18, 1997
Toronto
L 100–108

| | | | Charlotte Coliseum

54–27
82
April 20, 1997
@ Milwaukee
L 100–120

| | | | Bradley Center | 54–28

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 24, 1997 | @ New York | L 99–109 | Vlade Divac (27) | Anthony Mason (13) | Anthony Mason (5) | Madison Square Garden 19,763 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 26, 1997 | @ New York | L 93–100 | Glen Rice (39) | Divac, Mason (12) | four players tied (2) | Madison Square Garden 19,763 | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 28, 1997 | New York | L 95–104 | Glen Rice (22) | Anthony Mason (11) | Glen Rice (9) | Charlotte Coliseum 24,042

0–3

Player statistics

Ragular season

PlayerPOSGPGSMPREBASTSTLBLKPTSMPGRPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
C**81****80**2,840725301**103****180**1,02435.19.03.7**1.3****2.2**12.6
SF7978**3,362**3181607226**2,115**42.64.02.0.9.3**26.8**
PF73733,143**829**41476331,186**43.1****11.4**5.71.0.516.2
PG69391,29194150481934618.71.42.2.7.35.0
SG68202,07821111860141,00830.63.11.7.9.214.8
PG65651,880141**469**82252228.92.2**7.2****1.3**.08.0
PG611867999936633214.21.61.6.6.15.4
PF5415251643228171609.73.0.6.5.33.0
C49131,04425838202743721.35.3.8.4.68.9
SF4133554534831288.71.1.8.2.13.1
†C36228863943918.01.8.3.1.12.5
†PG339576389419119017.51.22.8.6.05.8
†SF2824827939141115117.22.81.4.5.45.4
†SG2717650684914432424.12.51.8.5.112.0
†SF25232058101227012.82.3.4.5.12.8
PF1258314410196.91.2.3.1.01.6
†C3010300153.31.0.0.0.31.7
†C10111100011.01.01.0.0.0.0
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Hornets only.

Playoffs

PlayerPOSGPGSMPREBASTSTLBLKPTSMPGRPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
SF**3****3****137**11**11****4**1**83****45.7**3.7**3.7****1.3**.3**27.7**
PF**3****3**131**36**9113943.7**12.0**3.0.3.313.0
C**3****3**11626103**6**5438.78.73.31.0**2.0**18.0
SG**3**28784202329.02.71.3.7.07.7
PG**3**185106203128.33.32.0.7.010.3
SG**3**15015**4**01416.7.31.7**1.3**.04.7
C**3**0318221610.32.7.7.7.32.0
PG225835103229.01.52.5.5.016.0
PF2012510046.02.5.5.0.02.0
PG209121014.5.51.0.5.0.5
SF104200004.02.0.0.0.0.0

Awards and records

  • Glen Rice, NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award
  • Bob Bass, NBA Executive of the Year Award
  • Glen Rice, All-NBA Second Team
  • Anthony Mason, All-NBA Third Team
  • Anthony Mason, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Transactions

  • July 11, 1996

Released Michael Adams.

Traded Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

Released Robert Parish.

  • July 14, 1996

Traded Larry Johnson to the New York Knicks for Brad Lohaus and Anthony Mason.

  • October 3, 1996

Signed Bob McCann as a free agent.

October 19, 1996

Signed Tony Smith as a free agent.

  • October 31, 1996

Waived Brad Lohaus.

  • January 6, 1997

Signed Jamie Feick to the first of two 10-day contracts.

  • January 28, 1997

Signed Eric Leckner to a 10-day contract.

  • January 30, 1997

Signed Tom Chambers to a contract for the rest of the season.

  • February 20, 1997

Traded Scott Burrell to the Golden State Warriors for Donald Royal.

Traded Anthony Goldwire and George Zidek to the Denver Nuggets for Ricky Pierce.

  • April 8, 1997

Waived Tom Chambers.

Player Transactions Citation:

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHH/1997.html 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets]
  2. Brown, Clifton. (June 27, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Big Trade and Some Twists in N.B.A. Youth Parade". The New York Times.
  3. Heisler, Mark. (June 27, 1996). "The Surprises Are Few". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "1996 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
  5. (July 2, 1996). "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Divac Agrees to a Trade with Charlotte". The New York Times.
  6. Howard-Cooper, Scott. (July 12, 1996). "Divac-for-Bryant Deal Done, Freeing Money for O'Neal". Los Angeles Times.
  7. (July 12, 1996). "Lakers Trade Divac for Bryant". The Washington Post.
  8. Brown, Clifton. (July 12, 1996). "Pro Basketball; Knicks Chase Hornets' Johnson as N.B.A. Resumes Business". The New York Times.
  9. (July 13, 1996). "Around the NBA". The Washington Post.
  10. (July 15, 1996). "Payton Stays in Seattle, Knicks Get a Backcourt". Los Angeles Times.
  11. (October 21, 1996). "Ex-Laker Smith Joins Hornets". Los Angeles Times.
  12. (May 23, 1996). "Hornets Reportedly Set to Hire Cowens". United Press International.
  13. (May 29, 1996). "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Cowens Is Fired Up to Coach". The New York Times.
  14. (May 29, 1996). "Cowens to Coach Hornets". The Washington Post.
  15. "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference.
  16. (January 31, 1997). "Chambers in Comeback". The New York Times.
  17. (January 31, 1997). "Jordan Hints at Return Next Season". Los Angeles Times.
  18. Switzer, Dennis. (January 31, 1997). "Chambers' Life of Leisure on Hold After Charlotte Comes A-Calling". Deseret News.
  19. Brown, Clifton. (February 21, 1997). "Jackson Is Back with Pacers". The New York Times.
  20. (February 21, 1997). "Trading Deadline Becomes Much Ado About a Little". Los Angeles Times.
  21. (February 21, 1997). "Pacers Make Point in Reacquiring Jackson". The Washington Post.
  22. "1996–97 Charlotte Hornets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  23. (January 2, 1997). "Hornets' Geiger Placed on Injured List Again, Because of Back Spasms". Greensboro.
  24. (February 26, 1997). "Hornets Shuffle Roster with Geiger Back". Los Angeles Times.
  25. "1996–97 Charlotte Hornets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  26. Jorgensen, Loren. (February 8, 1997). "No Offense, But Malone Would Rather Be Home". Deseret News.
  27. Fry, Darrell. (February 8, 1997). "On to the Next Stage". Tampa Bay Times.
  28. Wise, Mike. (February 10, 1997). "Rice Stages His Own Shootout in East's Victory". The New York Times.
  29. (September 13, 2021). "1997 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
  30. "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference.
  31. "NBA & ABA All-Star Game Contest Winners". Basketball-Reference.
  32. Kawakami, Tim. (May 19, 1997). "MVP: Malone, the Standout Jazz Forward Known as Mailman, Edges Jordan in the Voting to Earn Stamp of Greatness". Los Angeles Times.
  33. "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  34. (April 24, 1997). "Knicks' Starks Turns Demotion Into Honor". The Spokesman-Review.
  35. (May 9, 1997). "Riley Coach of Year; Sloan 3rd". Deseret News.
  36. Macenka, Joe. (April 28, 1997). "Knicks 104, Hornets 95". The Washington Post.
  37. Wise, Mike. (April 29, 1997). "Knicks Sweep Away Hornets, and Season of Doubts". The New York Times.
  38. "1997 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Hornets vs. Knicks". Basketball-Reference.
  39. "1996–97 NBA Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  40. (December 5, 1997). "Transactions". The New York Times.
  41. (December 5, 1997). "Nelson Replaces Cleamons". Los Angeles Times.
  42. (December 5, 1997). "Mavs Respond to Change". The Spokesman-Review.
  43. Wertz Jr., Langston. (April 3, 2018). "Once Again, the Hornets Didn't Kick Kobe Bryant Out the Door in '96". The Charlotte Observer.
  44. "1996–97 Charlotte Hornets Transactions". Basketball-Reference.
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