The Charlotte Hornets thought they had solved one of their biggest problems. For a while, the plan seemed straightforward: survive the non-LaMelo Ball minutes with more ballhandling on the roster, then let the offense keep moving when Ball sat.
That idea has already gone sideways.
Charlotte re-signed Tre Mann, drafted Sion James, and brought in Collin Sexton, but none of that fixed the issue. Sexton was eventually flipped for Coby White, and that finally gave the Hornets someone who could steer the offense with Ball off the floor. Then came the Ball trade, and the whole structure shifted again.
White was re-signed and pushed into the starting point guard role, which bumped Christian Anderson Jr. into the backup spot. On paper, that gave Charlotte three players who could handle the ball in White, Anderson Jr., and the rest of the mix.
In practice, it has not lined up that cleanly. James is not a point guard at all, and Mann is almost unplayable right now.
That leaves Anderson as the one real answer behind White, and Summer League has not exactly calmed anyone’s nerves. He has potential, but he does not look ready yet to log 25-plus minutes and run an NBA offense.
So the Hornets are right back where they started: searching for a legitimate backup point guard. If Anderson needs more time, and right now it looks like he does, Charlotte is in a bad spot. James is not the answer there, and Mann should not be on the floor.
The front office built around the White-Anderson pairing, but half of that plan may end up in the G League. There were chances to address it in free agency and on the trade market, but the Hornets have stayed quiet.
They did add players like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neal, though neither fills the point guard role. Charlotte also passed on trading for Ja Morant or signing Collin Sexton again.
What’s left is not exactly a comforting list. Gabe Vincent, Russell Westbrook, Killian Hayes, Nick Smith Jr., and Gary Payton II are among the top free-agent point guards still available. The Hornets could also use the trade exception from the Ball move to chase Jrue Holiday or Kyrie Irving.
But none of those paths looks simple, and none of the free-agent options jumps off the page. Westbrook may be the best of the bunch, though it is not clear Charlotte sees it that way. A deal for Irving or Holiday would not be easy to pull off, either.
For now, that leaves the Hornets hoping Anderson’s preseason goes far better than his Summer League. If it doesn’t, the bench could be headed for a long season.
In Other News...
Hornets First Round Picks Gave Fans Mixed Signals In Rough Loss
The Summer League result in Las Vegas was lopsided enough on the scoreboard, but the more interesting takeaway for Charlotte was how its recent first-round picks looked in the same game. In a 110-91 loss to Milwaukee, the Hornets had trouble keeping pace from deep, yet Steinbach and Tidjane Salan each flashed the kind of individual scoring punch that can make a rough night feel a little less bleak for a rebuilding roster.
Steinbachs big night stood out most, while Salan also gave Charlotte a needed lift after some earlier struggles, and Anderson added another layer by running the offense well enough to pile up assists even when his shot was not falling. For a team trying to sort out what it has in its young core, that mix of encouraging performances and team-wide inconsistency is exactly the kind of mixed signal Summer League tends to deliver. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Franchise Reset
Charlottes franchise reset took another sharp turn with the arrival of Naz Reid, a move that immediately changes the tone around the roster and the front offices long-term plan. Jeff Peterson made it clear the Hornets are excited about what Reid brings, pointing to his 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year Award and the kind of production and professionalism that made him one of the leagues more respected reserves in Minnesota.
Reid also arrives with a new opportunity waiting in Charlotte, where he is expected to start next season under Charles Lee. For a player who carved out his reputation by climbing from undrafted status to impact contributor, the next step is a significant one, and it gives the Hornets a cleaner read on what this reset is supposed to look like as they continue reshaping the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Could Be Headed For A Draft Moment That Changes Everything
The long view around Charlottes rebuild suddenly looks a lot more interesting, because the Hornets could be positioned to control as many as three first-round picks in the 2027 NBA draft. That kind of draft capital would give the front office a rare chance to attack multiple needs at once, and the early board already points to the sort of mix Charlotte would be hoping for: a forward like Dukes Cameron Williams, a high-upside guard such as Stefan Joksimovic, and a center option with real promise in Sayon Keita.
What makes the whole thing even more intriguing is how much hinges on the paths those outside picks take before they ever land in Charlotte. The Dallas and Miami situations are still fluid, and the Heats future could be shaped by a blockbuster move that changes the odds on their own pick. If the Hornets do end up with that kind of draft haul, the real challenge wont be finding talent - it will be deciding which direction best fits a roster that still needs help all over the floor. [Read more 🡒]