On April 13, 2018, the Hornets fired head coach Steve Clifford after the team missed the playoffs.
[3] With a Detroit Pistons win on April 10, against the New York Knicks, the Hornets were eliminated from playoff contention for the third straight season.
As the last remaining active player from the Spurs Big 3, this season was Parker's first missing the playoffs and he was also the last remaining active player from the Spurs' 2003, 2005, and 2007 championship teams.
Parker's retirement also left Rajon Rondo of the Los Angeles Lakers and Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat as the last remaining active players to win championships in the 2000s.
After 8 years, this season marked the end of the Kemba Walker era in Charlotte as he joined the Boston Celtics during the following summer.