The Charlotte Hornets have opened the preseason in a place they haven’t often been: inside Yahoo Sports’ top 20.
Kevin O’Connor slotted Charlotte at No. 16 in his NBA preseason power rankings, putting the Hornets one spot ahead of the Dallas Mavericks and one behind the Atlanta Hawks. It’s a notable showing for a team that spent the offseason reshaping its roster in a big way.
Charlotte’s most dramatic move came when it dealt LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks. The Hornets then moved Miles Bridges, along with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick, to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick.
The front office kept moving after that, adding Dennis Schröder from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Houston Rockets.
The overhaul leaves Charlotte in a very different spot entering the season. The Hornets never reached the playoffs during the Ball-Bridges era, and they haven’t been back to the postseason since 2016. Now the question is whether Year 1 of the post-Ball-Bridges era can finally end that drought.
Not everyone in Charlotte was thrilled with the Ball trade, but Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Jeff Peterson defended the decision in comments to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Peterson pointed to Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel as reasons for confidence in the team’s direction.
“I’m very comfortable," Peterson said. "Charles and I had a conversation with both of them knowing that these trades can be challenging.
Sometimes I do think we forget that we’re human beings dealing with this stuff - lives and its emotions. Those guys are friends and they are in the locker room every day.
At the same time, Charles and I kind of explained, We believe in you guys, too. You guys are here.
We want to continue to see you guys grow. This is going to challenge you guys.
You guys got to continue to get better.' We wouldn’t have made that trade if we didn’t feel comfortable with what they can continue to be developing into."
With Ball out of the picture, Miller and Knueppel should see more of the offense run through them.
Charlotte opens the 2026-27 season on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.
In Other News...
Nicolas Batums Retirement Hits Hornets Fans On A Much Deeper Level
Nicolas Batums retirement announcement landed with a familiar kind of weight for Hornets fans, the sort that goes beyond basketball. After an 18-year NBA career across four teams, Batum stepped away from the game and framed the moment around family and reflection, making clear in a video message that he feels ready to turn the page to a new chapter in life.
For Charlotte, Batum has always been more than a role player who passed through. His decision to pick September 21 carried personal meaning tied to his fathers death, a detail that speaks to how much of his journey has always been shaped by loss, memory and family. Even in retirement, the focus around Batum feels less like an ending than a reminder of the person behind the jersey, which is why this news hits Hornets fans in a deeper way. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks May Be Weighing A Costly Defensive Tradeoff
The Hornets have already made two notable roster moves this summer, reshaping the backcourt and adding a frontcourt piece while collecting draft capital in the process. LaMelo Ball and Josh Green were sent to Minnesota for Naz Reid and multiple picks, and Charlotte also brought in veteran point guard Dennis Schroder from Cleveland for Tre Mann, giving the team a different look as it continues to sort out its depth and balance.
There may still be more coming, with Charlotte having held trade talks with Atlanta on a possible deal that could alter both teams rotation plans. The discussion has centered on a veteran wing package, and the appeal is obvious from the Hornets side: adding another established piece while deciding how much more defensive stability it is willing to sacrifice. For now, though, the talks remain just that, with no agreement finalized. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Training Camp Could Shape Charlottes Next Core Fast
After an offseason of significant roster turnover, the Hornets head into training camp with a season that could quickly clarify the direction of the franchise. The front office has already done plenty of reshaping, but the next step is less about adding bodies than sorting out who fits where and how fast this group can settle into a workable core.
A lot of the attention is going to cluster around Brandon Miller and the long view on his future in Charlotte, along with a center battle that should become one of camps cleaner position fights. From there, the Hornets also need to sort through the roles of players such as Naz Reid, Coby White, Dennis Schrder and Christian Anderson Jr., because this month could say a lot about what the next version of the team is supposed to look like. [Read more 🡒]