Coming off the first playoff appearance since 2010 and turning the page on some miserable years, Charlotte now has new hope — and a new old nickname. The Charlotte Hornets have rediscovered their sting and are for real. 
Guided a year ago by first-year coach Steve Clifford, Charlotte restructured its entire defensive system, and along with star big man Al Jefferson saw its win total spike from 21 all the way to 43. According to analyst David Locke, the Hornets shaved off an amazing 7.7 points per 100 possessions from the 2012-13 season, easily the league’s most improved defensive mark.
While many question this team’s ceiling, the taste of the playoffs is addictive, and management – led by owner Michael Jordan – made some bold decisions in the offseason that show the Hornets are serious about competing.
In a suddenly wide-open Eastern Conference, here are five things to watch this season from the team formerly known as the Bobcats.
1. The relationship between Lance Stephenson and Steve Clifford. There aren’t too many guys who come to a new team with a reputation of being both “a star on a contender” and “possibly crazy.” The Hornets are putting all of their eggs in Stephenson’s basket. Betting on his upstairs wiring is a high-risk, high-reward proposition.
Even in the most crucial moments of the Eastern Conference finals and on the verge of his first big contract, “Born Ready” 
acted in ways that labeled him somewhere along the scale from class clown to certifiably insane. In a league desperate for quality wings, the behavioral issues coast the 23-year-old unrestricted free agent loads of money this offseason. Now, after taking a smaller, shorter deal with the Hornets rather than staying with the Indiana Pacers, Stephenson should focus on letting his game make the headlines for him.
The importance of Stephenson’s relationship with his coach cannot be understated. If Clifford can channel his new star’s personality to the betterment of the team – or, at the very least, prevent it from being a distraction – the Hornets could take a leap toward the top of the East. Stephenson can untie a lot of the knots in Charlotte’s offense with his ball creativity, brilliant passing and brute strength. On the other end of the floor, he should fit right in with they are trying to do.
Will Stephenson see this next chapter of his career as his time to become a veteran leader for an up-and-coming team. Or is this just another chance to test the new teacher? Either way, you definitely want to stick around for the outcome.
2. Kemba Walker’s game. Walker is up for an extension this month, and Charlotte has to be considering locking him up early before the market puts a higher price tag on him as a restricted free agent next summer. The former college champion has outplayed his expectations coming into Charlotte, but is not in the elite group of point men in the league.
A shoot-first 6-foot guard, Walker will have to tweak his game to accommodate Stephenson’s skill set, becoming less ball-dominant and certainly taking less than the nearly 16 shots per game he hoisted last season (at less than 40 percent).
If Walker can find a way to evolve into a more efficient shooter and pick his spots in ways that allow Stephenson to do his thing, Charlotte’s offense is due for a big jump this season. If not, then the acquisition of Stephenson will not have the impact many are anticipating.
3. The new rotation. The offseason activity will give the rotation an extreme makeover with all the new pieces in place. Some returning players will have smaller roles, others may have bigger ones.
Gerald Henderson, who has averaged at least 14 points each of the last three seasons, likely will be demoted to a reserve role with the arrival of Stephenson. Free agent signing Marvin Williams will be the new power forward, replacing Josh McRoberts. Backup big Cody Zeller is experimenting with defending centers to provide some flexibility to the lineups and may be ready 
for a bigger role in his second season.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has completely reconstructed his jump shot and will try to prove he has extended his range to an acceptable level for a wing. Gary Neal, Charlotte’s best shooter, has been impressive in training camp. For both of them, it will be mostly about consistency.
Chemistry is a very delicate thing, and last season the Hornets achieved that tricky balance through a newfound commitment to winning and selflessness. With new personalities on board and the rotation sorting itself out, that chemistry will have to be rediscovered.
4. Clifford’s second season. After his impressive first year as a head coach and a strong offseason, Clifford will now be expected to help the Hornets take another step forward. A second consecutive playoff berth is not enough, especially in the weaker Eastern Conference. The Hornets are 0-8 all-time in the postseason; once getting there, they have to make some noise and perhaps even win a series.
The room for growth is there. Last season, Clifford made his mark on the defensive end, but Charlotte’s offense was holding it back, ranking just 24th in efficiency. With the new talents of Stephenson, Williams and solid-shooting Brian Roberts as the backup point guard, Clifford has a lot more to work with when it comes to scoring the basketball. He is expected to make this 
work, and if he does, the Hornets could be a dangerous team in the postseason.
RELATED: Hornets salaries and analysis
5. The fan base. When George Shinn moved the original Hornets to The Bayou, the fans clamored for another team and the NBA complied, believing in the market. However, Bob Johnson – the Bobcats’ original owner – seemed more enamored of the idea of owning a team rather than actually running one. Disillusionment set in among the fan base, and Charlotte has been in the bottom 10 of the league in attendance since being rewarded with a new team.
With the iconic Jordan as owner of a playoff team clearly taking steps in the right direction, and a rebranding that harkens back to what constitutes the city’s glory days as an NBA franchise, there are no excuses anymore.
The Charlotte market has been given everything it has asked for. It is time for folks in basketball-crazed North Carolina to support their NBA team.
INDEX: READ EVERY TEAM’S SEASON PREVIEW
Oren Levi is an amateur basketball scout and a frequent contributor to Sheridan Hoops. You can follow him on Twitter.