The 1999âÂÂ2000 Charlotte Hornets season was the 12th season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. Despite finishing the previous season with a 26âÂÂ24 record, the Hornets received the third overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, and selected point guard Baron Davis from the University of California, Los Angeles, and signed undrafted rookie small forward Eddie Robinson during the off-season. With the addition of Davis and Robinson, the Hornets got off to a solid 16âÂÂ7 start to the regular season, posting an eight-game winning streak in December.
However, tragedy struck on January 12, 2000, when guard Bobby Phills was killed in a car accident while racing with teammate David Wesley after a team practice; Wesley also had a suspended driver's license at the time. The Hornets retired Phills' #13 jersey on February 9, during a home game at the Charlotte Coliseum against his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers; the team also wore a patch bearing his #13 on their jerseys for the remainder of the season. Phills played a sixth man role off the bench this season, averaging 13.6 points and 1.5 steals per game in 28 games, starting in just nine of them before his death at the age of 30.
Despite the loss of Phills, and a seven-game losing streak between December and January, the Hornets were competitive and held a 27âÂÂ20 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team acquired Dale Ellis from the Milwaukee Bucks, and re-signed free agent Chucky Brown after a brief stint with the San Antonio Spurs. The Hornets won 14 of their final 16 games of the season, posting two seven-game winning streaks between March and April, finishing in second place in the Central Division with a 49âÂÂ33 record, and earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for their fifth NBA playoff appearance.
Eddie Jones averaged 20.1 points, 4.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game, led the Hornets with 128 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Derrick Coleman averaged 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and Wesley provided the team with 13.6 points and 5.6 assists per game. In addition, Elden Campbell provided with 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, and Anthony Mason contributed 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Off the bench, second-year center Brad Miller averaged 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Robinson contributed 7.0 points per game, and Baron Davis provided with 5.9 points, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California, Jones was selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was his third and final All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, second-year guard Ricky Davis participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Jones also finished tied in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, while Mason finished tied in eighth place; Coleman finished tied in eleventh place in Most Improved Player voting, and head coach Paul Silas finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 2000 NBA playoffs, the Hornets faced off against the 5thâÂÂseeded Philadelphia 76ers, a team that featured All-Star guard Allen Iverson, Tyrone Hill, and defensive shot-blocker Theo Ratliff. Despite both teams finishing with the same regular-season record, the Hornets had home-court advantage in the series. The Hornets lost Game 1 to the 76ers at home, 92âÂÂ82 at the Charlotte Coliseum, but managed to win Game 2 at home in overtime, 108âÂÂ98 to even the series. However, the Hornets lost the next two games on the road, which included a Game 4 loss to the 76ers at the First Union Center, 105âÂÂ99, thus losing the series in four games.
The Hornets finished eleventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 732,827 at the Charlotte Coliseum during the regular season; this was the first time during their history in Charlotte that the team did not finish in the top ten in home-game attendance. Following the season, Jones, Mason and Ricky Davis were all traded to the Miami Heat, while Miller signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls, and Brown was released to free agency. Ellis, who was involved in a trade with the Heat, was released and then retired.
|- | 1 | November 2 | Orlando | | Eddie Jones (24) | Elden Campbell (9) | David Wesley (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>17,461 | 1âÂÂ0 |- | 2 | November 4 | Indiana | | Eddie Jones (22) | Anthony Mason (10) | David Wesley (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,762 | 2âÂÂ0 |- | 3 | November 5 | @ Boston | | David Wesley (17) | Anthony Mason (8) | David Wesley (7) | FleetCenter<br>16,582 | 2âÂÂ1 |- | 4 | November 7 | @ Toronto | | Eddie Jones (26) | Mason, Campbell (10) | David Wesley (5) | Air Canada Centre<br>16,658 | 2âÂÂ2 |- | 5 | November 10 | Milwaukee | | Eddie Jones (33) | Anthony Mason (8) | David Wesley (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,769 | 3âÂÂ2 |- | 6 | November 12 | New Jersey | | Eddie Jones (24) | Elden Campbell (11) | David Wesley (11) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,668 | 4âÂÂ2 |- | 7 | November 13 | @ San Antonio | | Phills, Coleman (13) | Campbell, Mason (10) | David Wesley (8) | Alamodome<br>19,669 | 4âÂÂ3 |- | 8 | November 16 | @ Atlanta | | Mason, Jones (20) | Anthony Mason (16) | David Wesley (6) | Philips Arena<br>11,426 | 4âÂÂ4 |- | 9 | November 17 | Dallas | | Eddie Jones (24) | Derrick Coleman (18) | Eddie Jones (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,137 | 5âÂÂ4 |- | 10 | November 19 | @ Orlando | | Eddie Jones (30) | Anthony Mason (15) | Anthony Mason (8) | Orlando Arena<br>12,936 | 6âÂÂ4 |- | 11 | November 20 | Portland | | Elden Campbell (24) | Elden Campbell (11) | David Wesley (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>20,688 | 6âÂÂ5 |- | 12 | November 24 | Vancouver | | Eddie Jones (14) | Anthony Mason (10) | David Wesley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,003 | 7âÂÂ5 |- | 13 | November 26 | Washington | | Elden Campbell (19) | Brad Miller (10) | David Wesley (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,542 | 8âÂÂ5 |- | 14 | November 27 | @ Cleveland | | Eddie Jones (22) | Anthony Mason (13) | Baron Davis (4) | Gund Arena<br>15,194 | 8âÂÂ6
|- | 15 | December 1 | @ Portland | | Elden Campbell (19) | Elden Campbell (11) | David Wesley (11) | Rose Garden<br>19,980 | 8âÂÂ7 |- | 16 | December 3 | @ Vancouver | | David Wesley (28) | Anthony Mason (6) | Eddie Jones (12) | General Motors Place<br>12,107 | 9âÂÂ7 |- | 17 | December 5 | @ Seattle | | Derrick Coleman (26) | Derrick Coleman (11) | David Wesley (9) | KeyArena<br>12,233 | 10âÂÂ7 |- | 18 | December 8 | Golden State | | Eddie Jones (30) | Anthony Mason (15) | Eddie Jones (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,327 | 11âÂÂ7 |- | 19 | December 10 | Denver | | Anthony Mason (21) | Anthony Mason (12) | Mason, Wesley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>17,320 | 12âÂÂ7 |- | 20 | December 11 | @ Philadelphia | | Brad Miller (19) | Brad Miller (12) | David Wesley (13) | First Union Center<br>18,078 | 13âÂÂ7 |- | 21 | December 15 | Minnesota | | Derrick Coleman (20) | Anthony Mason (13) | Mason, Jones (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,303 | 14âÂÂ7 |- | 22 | December 17 | Cleveland | | Eddie Jones (17) | Anthony Mason (13) | Mason, Jones, Wesley<br>Phills, B. Davis (5) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,586 | 15âÂÂ7 |- | 23 | December 18 | @ Miami | | Eddie Jones (24) | Derrick Coleman (10) | Baron Davis (8) | Miami Arena<br>14,621 | 16âÂÂ7 |- | 24 | December 20 | @ New York | | Eddie Jones (23) | Anthony Mason (13) | David Wesley (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 16âÂÂ8 |- | 25 | December 23 | Orlando | | Derrick Coleman (20) | Mason, Coleman, Miller (9) | Baron Davis (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,918 | 16âÂÂ9 |- | 26 | December 26 | @ Detroit | | Anthony Mason (28) | Coleman, Mason, Campbell (6) | David Wesley (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>15,339 | 16âÂÂ10 |- | 27 | December 27 | Atlanta | | Derrick Coleman (25) | Derrick Coleman (16) | David Wesley (12) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>17,114 | 17âÂÂ10 |- | 28 | December 29 | Milwaukee | | Derrick Coleman (27) | Elden Campbell (11) | Anthony Mason (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>17,134 | 18âÂÂ10 |- | 29 | December 30 | @ Indiana | | David Wesley (17) | Campbell, B. Davis, R. Davis (6) | Baron Davis (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>18,345 | 18âÂÂ11
|- | 30 | January 4 | @ Phoenix | | Wesley, Campbell (18) | Derrick Coleman (19) | David Wesley (5) | America West Arena<br>18,640 | 18âÂÂ12 |- | 31 | January 5 | @ Utah | | David Wesley (19) | Campbell, Miller (6) | David Wesley (5) | Delta Center<br>19,518 | 18âÂÂ13 |- | 32 | January 7 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Coleman, Wesley (17) | Elden Campbell (13) | Baron Davis (5) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 18âÂÂ14 |- | 33 | January 8 | @ Denver | | Derrick Coleman (21) | Derrick Coleman (14) | Baron Davis (6) | Pepsi Center<br>18,408 | 18âÂÂ15 |- | 34 | January 10 | @ Milwaukee | | David Wesley (23) | Brad Miller (8) | Elden Campbell (5) | Bradley Center<br>13,159 | 18âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#bbb;" | â | January 12 | Chicago | colspan="6" | Postponed due to the Death of Bobby Phills. Makeup date March 5. |- style="background:#bbb;" | â | January 14 | New York | colspan="6" | Postponed due to the Death of Bobby Phills. Makeup date February 7. |- | 35 | January 15 | @ New York | | Eddie Jones (23) | Derrick Coleman (13) | David Wesley (9) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 18âÂÂ17 |- | 36 | January 17 | Toronto | | Eddie Jones (25) | Derrick Coleman (11) | David Wesley (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>20,278 | 19âÂÂ17 |- | 37 | January 19 | @ Chicago | | Eddie Jones (26) | Derrick Coleman (13) | David Wesley (11) | United Center<br>21,906 | 20âÂÂ17 |- | 38 | January 20 | Philadelphia | | Jones, Coleman (23) | Anthony Mason (9) | Eddie Jones (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,160 | 21âÂÂ17 |- | 39 | January 22 | Boston | | Derrick Coleman (24) | Mason, Coleman (11) | Mason, Wesley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,900 | 22âÂÂ17 |- | 40 | January 25 | Sacramento | | Derrick Coleman (24) | Elden Campbell (11) | Eddie Jones (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>17,370 | 22âÂÂ18 |- | 41 | January 27 | Detroit | | Eddie Jones (25) | Brad Miller (9) | Derrick Coleman (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,238 | 23âÂÂ18 |- | 42 | January 29 | Phoenix | | Eddie Jones (20) | Brad Miller (12) | Eddie Jones (6) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>19,366 | 24âÂÂ18
|- | 43 | February 1 | @ Houston | | Eddie Jones (20) | Derrick Coleman (11) | Baron Davis (5) | Compaq Center<br>14,391 | 24âÂÂ19 |- | 44 | February 3 | @ Dallas | | Eddie Jones (21) | Elden Campbell (10) | Mason, Davis (5) | Reunion Arena<br>11,126 | 24âÂÂ20 |- | 45 | February 5 | @ Washington | | Elden Campbell (27) | Derrick Coleman (10) | Anthony Mason (5) | MCI Center<br>18,422 | 25âÂÂ20 |- | 46 | February 7 | New York | | Eddie Jones (34) | Derrick Coleman (13) | David Wesley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,128 | 26âÂÂ20 |- | 47 | February 9 | Cleveland | | Eddie Jones (32) | Elden Campbell (10) | Jones, Wesley (5) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,512 | 27âÂÂ20 |- | 48 | February 15 | @ Philadelphia | | Eddie Jones (27) | Mason, Campbell (12) | David Wesley (7) | First Union Center<br>18,488 | 28âÂÂ20 |- | 49 | February 16 | L.A. Lakers | | Derrick Coleman (19) | Elden Campbell (13) | David Wesley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>23,799 | 28âÂÂ21 |- | 50 | February 18 | L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Coleman (17) | Elden Campbell (12) | Baron Davis (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,796 | 29âÂÂ21 |- | 51 | February 20 | Miami | | Eddie Jones (18) | Derrick Coleman (12) | Anthony Mason (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>21,539 | 29âÂÂ22 |- | 52 | February 22 | Houston | | Derrick Coleman (32) | Derrick Coleman (12) | Anthony Mason (11) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,921 | 30âÂÂ22 |- | 53 | February 24 | San Antonio | | Derrick Coleman (19) | Derrick Coleman (20) | Anthony Mason (6) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,535 | 30âÂÂ23 |- | 54 | February 26 | @ New Jersey | | Derrick Coleman (24) | Derrick Coleman (10) | David Wesley (7) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>18,481 | 30âÂÂ24 |- | 55 | February 28 | Seattle | | Eddie Jones (23) | Anthony Mason (13) | David Wesley (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,902 | 30âÂÂ25 |- | 56 | February 29 | @ Minnesota | | Elden Campbell (22) | Mason, Campbell (8) | Eddie Jones (5) | Target Center<br>15,922 | 31âÂÂ25
|- | 57 | March 2 | @ Orlando | | Elden Campbell (22) | Anthony Mason (13) | Mason, Davis (5) | Orlando Arena<br>12,382 | 31âÂÂ26 |- | 58 | March 3 | Utah | | Eddie Jones (31) | Elden Campbell (11) | Eddie Jones (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>21,148 | 31âÂÂ27 |- | 59 | March 5 | Chicago | | Derrick Coleman (26) | Mason, Coleman (7) | David Wesley (11) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,799 | 32âÂÂ27 |- | 60 | March 7 | @ Golden State | | Derrick Coleman (34) | Derrick Coleman (17) | Eddie Jones (7) | The Arena in Oakland<br>10,201 | 33âÂÂ27 |- | 61 | March 8 | @ Sacramento | | David Wesley (21) | Elden Campbell (13) | David Wesley (6) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 33âÂÂ28 |- | 62 | March 10 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Coleman (31) | Campbell, Coleman (12) | Baron Davis (7) | Staples Center<br>15,362 | 34âÂÂ28 |- | 63 | March 15 | Chicago | | Wesley, Jones (18) | Elden Campbell (20) | Eddie Jones (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,964 | 35âÂÂ28 |- | 64 | March 17 | New York | | David Wesley (24) | Elden Campbell (10) | Baron Davis (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>23,799 | 35âÂÂ29 |- | 65 | March 18 | @ Indiana | | Derrick Coleman (28) | Mason, Coleman (10) | Eddie Jones (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>18,345 | 35âÂÂ30 |- | 66 | March 20 | Philadelphia | | Eddie Jones (28) | Anthony Mason (11) | David Wesley (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,281 | 35âÂÂ31 |- | 67 | March 22 | New Jersey | | Eddie Jones (26) | Mason, Campbell, Robinson (7) | Jones, Mason, Wesley (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,595 | 36âÂÂ31 |- | 68 | March 24 | @ Toronto | | Eddie Jones (25) | Derrick Coleman (12) | Anthony Mason (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 37âÂÂ31 |- | 69 | March 25 | @ Atlanta | | Eddie Jones (24) | Mason, Fuller (15) | Anthony Mason (11) | Philips Arena<br>14,609 | 38âÂÂ31 |- | 70 | March 29 | @ Detroit | | Anthony Mason (22) | Elden Campbell (13) | Anthony Mason (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>14,997 | 39âÂÂ31 |- | 71 | March 31 | Toronto | | Eddie Jones (32) | Anthony Mason (14) | Anthony Mason (11) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>23,799 | 40âÂÂ31
|- | 72 | April 1 | @ Chicago | | Elden Campbell (25) | Mason, Campbell (9) | Anthony Mason (7) | United Center<br>21,882 | 41âÂÂ31 |- | 73 | April 4 | Boston | | Anthony Mason (27) | Derrick Coleman (14) | David Wesley (9) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,305 | 42âÂÂ31 |- | 74 | April 6 | @ Miami | | Anthony Mason (14) | Anthony Mason (15) | Coleman, Wesley (3) | American Airlines Arena<br>15,803 | 42âÂÂ32 |- | 75 | April 7 | Detroit | | Baron Davis (14) | Mason, Coleman (10) | Derrick Coleman (5) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>20,002 | 42âÂÂ33 |- | 76 | April 9 | Indiana | | Cambell, Jones, Coleman (19) | Elden Campbell (13) | Mason, Jones (5) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>19,312 | 43âÂÂ33 |- | 77 | April 10 | @ Washington | | Eddie Jones (26) | Derrick Coleman (16) | Anthony Mason (9) | MCI Center<br>12,071 | 44âÂÂ33 |- | 78 | April 12 | Atlanta | | David Wesley (29) | Brad Miller (8) | Anthony Mason (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,809 | 45âÂÂ33 |- | 79 | April 14 | @ Milwaukee | | Eddie Jones (29) | Derrick Coleman (12) | Coleman, Mason (6) | Bradley Center<br>15,839 | 46âÂÂ33 |- | 80 | April 16 | @ Boston | | Eddie Jones (25) | Anthony Mason (12) | Baron Davis (5) | FleetCenter<br>17,278 | 47âÂÂ33 |- | 81 | April 18 | @ Cleveland | | David Wesley (23) | Mason, Coleman (11) | Mason, Jones,<br>Wesley, Campbell (5) | Gund Arena<br>14,481 | 48âÂÂ33 |- | 82 | April 19 | Miami | | Mason, Jones (14) | Elden Campbell (8) | Baron Davis (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>18,838 | 49âÂÂ33
|- | 1 | April 22 | Philadelphia | L 82âÂÂ92 | Derrick Coleman (23) | Derrick Coleman (16) | David Wesley (4) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>15,023 | 0âÂÂ1 |- | 2 | April 24 | Philadelphia | W 108âÂÂ98 (OT) | Derrick Coleman (29) | Elden Campbell (14) | Eddie Jones (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>11,686 | 1âÂÂ1 |- | 3 | April 28 | @ Philadelphia | L 76âÂÂ81 | Eddie Jones (18) | Derrick Coleman (17) | Anthony Mason (7) | First Union Center<br>20,849 | 1âÂÂ2 |- | 4 | May 1 | @ Philadelphia | L 99âÂÂ105 | Campbell, Mason (21) | Campbell, Coleman (11) | Matt Geiger (10) | First Union Center<br>20,712 | 1âÂÂ3 |-
Signed Eddie Robinson as a free agent.
Signed Todd Fuller as a free agent.
Signed Derek Hood as a free agent.
Signed Jason Miskiri as a free agent.
Waived Jason Miskiri.
Signed Michael Hawkins as a free agent.
Waived Derek Hood.
Traded a 2000 2nd round draft pick (Jason Hart was later selected) and a 2002 2nd round draft pick (Chris Owens was later selected) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Dale Ellis.
Signed Chucky Brown as a free agent.
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