The Hornets have already spent the offseason reshaping the roster with veteran pieces, and they may not be finished. Charlotte has now been linked to trade talks with Atlanta involving Buddy Hield and Dorian Finney-Smith, a move that would add another proven perimeter threat to a team that keeps looking for ways to retool around its young core.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that the two teams have discussed a framework in which Finney-Smith would go to Atlanta and Hield would land in Charlotte. “Among our latest items, Atlanta and Charlotte have held trade talks surrounding Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith, sources say. It remains unclear whether an agreement will be struck before training camps open,” Fischer posted.
If Charlotte pulled it off, the fit would be obvious. Kon Knueppel would suddenly be paired with one of the league’s most dangerous shooters, giving the Hornets another clean option to stretch defenses and diversify the offense.
Hield has already made $122 million in his career, and he’s no stranger to sharing the floor with elite shooting. He has played alongside Steph Curry before, and the idea of him working next to Knueppel would give him another high-level marksman in the same lineup.
The potential move would come on the heels of a busy stretch for Charlotte. The first headline-grabbing deal of the offseason saw the Hornets move LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota in a package that brought back Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three second-round picks and first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
“The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a series of draft picks, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday. In addition to Reid, the Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033). Charlotte also gets first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030," ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk wrote.
Charlotte then added another veteran guard by acquiring Dennis Schroder from Cleveland in exchange for Tre Mann.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources told ESPN on Friday. In Schroder, Charlotte picks up an established veteran at point guard who has history with Hornets president Jeff Peterson and coach Charles Lee from his tenure in Atlanta at the start of his career,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
So while the Hornets have already made two significant moves, the door is still open for more. And with talks involving Hield and Finney-Smith now in the mix, Charlotte’s front office is clearly not done working the trade market.
In Other News...
Kingston Flemings Has 2 Big Hurdles Between Promise And Stardom
Kingston Flemings already arrives in Atlanta with traits teams cant teach: speed, athleticism and the kind of playmaking that can change the pace of a game in a hurry. As the Hawks 2026 first-round pick, he looks the part of a guard with real long-term upside, the sort of talent a franchise hopes can grow into more than just a useful contributor.
The next step is where the conversation gets more interesting. Flemings has the tools to become a serious scoring threat, but the path to that level depends on whether his outside game becomes a bigger part of his profile and whether he can get more reliable around the basket. If those pieces come together, Atlanta could be looking at more than a promising young guard. It could be looking at a cornerstone. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Problem They Didn't Plan For
The Hawks were already counting on rookie center Henri Veesaar to be part of their long-term frontcourt picture after drafting him 52nd overall and signing him to a four-year deal in July. Instead, his first stretch with the organization has been derailed by a knee injury that leaves Atlanta with an immediate reason to reassess how it plans to build size and depth around its young core.
Veesaar suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during a workout on September 15, and the surgery is set for next month. The bigger concern for Atlanta is the timeline beyond that procedure, because the team expects him to miss the entire 2026/27 season, turning what had looked like a development project into another test of the Hawks patience in the frontcourt. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Depth Just Took A Hit Atlanta Could Feel All Year
The Hawks frontcourt picture lost another layer of depth this week when rookie center Henri Veesaar went down in a workout on Sept. 15, an early setback for a team already trying to sort out its big-man rotation. Veesaar, who was in line to push for a role in Atlanta, is now headed for surgery and a long rehab process, putting his development on pause before he could even get going.
For a roster that was hoping to build more stability behind Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale, the timing could hardly be worse. Atlanta is already navigating an offseason in which forward Mouhamed Gueye is coming back from a foot injury, and losing another young frontcourt option only makes the depth chart thinner and the internal competition less settled heading into the year. [Read more 🡒]