A new era begins for the Charlotte Hornets

• "No one needs to fill Melo's shoes," Hornets head coach Charles Lee tells Axios, adding other players who are no longer with the team to that list, including Bridges and Josh Green.

State of play: The Hornets became the unlikely darling of the NBA last season but fell short during the Play-In Tournament. Now it's time to see if the moves they made during the offseason pay off.

• Lee is watching to see how quickly the current group comes together. While his expectation is for leadership to be by committee, guys like Coby White, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel have stepped up, Lee says.

What they're saying: "We have all the tools," Lee says, adding that they have "playoff-caliber talent on the roster."

What's next: The Hornets play the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30pm. Charlotte will host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night in their home opener at 7pm. Tickets start at $27.75.