The 1990âÂÂ91 Charlotte Hornets season was the third season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. The city of Charlotte, North Carolina hosted the NBA All-Star weekend at the Charlotte Coliseum this season, which also featured the 1991 NBA All-Star Game. After playing in the Midwest Division in the Western Conference the previous season, the Hornets returned to the Eastern Conference, and moved into the Central Division this season. The Hornets received the fifth overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Kendall Gill from the University of Illinois. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Johnny Newman, and later on traded Armen Gilliam to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Mike Gminski at mid-season.
With the addition of Newman and Gill, the Hornets started to show improvement playing around .500 in winning percentage, with an 8âÂÂ7 start to the regular season in November. However, the team continued to struggle as they posted an 11-game losing streak in December afterwards, and later on held a 14âÂÂ33 record at the All-Star break. The franchise improved seven games over the previous season, finishing in last place in the Central Division with a 26âÂÂ56 record; however, the team finished last place in their division for the third consecutive year.
Newman averaged 16.9 points and 1.2 steals per game, while Rex Chapman averaged 15.7 points and 3.6 assists per game, and Gminski provided the team with 11.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 50 games after the trade. In addition, second-year forward J.R. Reid provided with 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while Gill contributed 11.0 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and Muggsy Bogues provided with 7.0 points, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Off the bench, Dell Curry contributed 10.6 points per game, while Kenny Gattison averaged 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and Kelly Tripucka provided with 7.0 points per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, Chapman and Gill both participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest; it was the second consecutive appearance for Chapman in the Slam Dunk Contest. Chapman also finished tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting. The Hornets led the NBA in home-game attendance for the second time in three seasons, with an attendance of 978,141 at the Charlotte Coliseum during the regular season.
Following the season, Tripucka retired, and Gene Littles resigned as head coach.
Signed Johnny Newman as an unrestricted free agent.
Signed Jim Les as a free agent.
Waived Brian Rowsom.
Waived Jim Les.
Waived Andre Turner.
Waived Richard Anderson.
Waived Mike Holton.
Traded Armen Gilliam and Dave Hoppen to the Philadelphia 76ers for Mike Gminski.
Signed Scott Haffner to the first of two 10-day contracts.
Signed Jeff Sanders to a 10-day contract.
Traded a 1993 2nd round draft pick (Alex Holcombe was later selected) and a 1995 2nd round draft pick (Dejan Bodiroga was later selected) to the Sacramento Kings for Eric Leckner.
Waived Jeff Sanders.
Signed Scott Haffner to a contract for the rest of the season.
Robert Reid signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Waived Steve Scheffler.
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