1989–90 Charlotte Hornets season

The 1989–90 Charlotte Hornets season was the Charlotte Hornets' second season in the National Basketball Association. After finishing with a 20–62 record in their inaugural season, the Hornets received the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected power forward J.R. Reid from the University of North Carolina, and signed free agent Kenny Gattison during the off-season. The Hornets moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference, also switching from the Atlantic Division to the Midwest Division for the season.

In their second season, and with the addition of J.R. Reid, the Hornets struggled losing 18 of their first 21 games of the regular season, which included a 10-game losing streak between November and December. In December, the team traded Kurt Rambis to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Armen Gilliam. After an 8–32 start to the season, head coach Dick Harter was fired and replaced with Gene Littles. The Hornets held an 8–37 record at the All-Star break, posted a 12-game losing streak between January and February, posted an eight-game losing streak in March, and lost six of their final seven games of the season. The team finished in last place in the Midwest Division with a 19–63 record, which was one game worse than the previous year.

Gilliam averaged 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in 60 games after the trade, while second-year star Rex Chapman averaged 17.5 points per game, and Dell Curry played an increased as the team's sixth man, averaging 16.0 points and 1.5 steals per game off the bench. In addition, Kelly Tripucka contributed 15.6 points per game, while J.R. Reid provided the team with 11.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, and Muggsy Bogues provided with 9.4 points, 10.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Meanwhile, Robert Reid contributed 6.4 points per game, and Gattison averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, Chapman participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Despite the lack of success on the court, the Hornets sold out every home game, finishing second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves, with an attendance of 979,941 at the Charlotte Coliseum during the regular season.

Following the season, Robert Reid and Mike Holton were both released to free agency.