The NBA commissioner last week defended the league’s decision to return the All-Star Game to Charlotte and said 

As a valued Hornets fan, we wanted to make you aware of the NBA’s announcement today that Charlotte will no longer be hosting the 2017 All-Star Game in February. While we are disappointed by this decision, we understand the challenges around having All-Star Weekend in Charlotte this season and we are grateful that the league has provided an opportunity for us to host the event in the next available season in 2019.