Eric Collins’ contract is up, and that alone has been enough to stir up some noise around Charlotte. But the feeling here is simple: the Hornets’ play-by-play voice isn’t about to leave the franchise hanging.
The uncertainty comes at a time when the broadcast setup is still being sorted out. The Hornets’ non-nationally televised games will air locally on Channel 9 WSOC for free in the greater Charlotte area, but that announcement was just the first step. For Collins, the moving parts behind the scenes still need to be locked in before anything becomes official.
That’s why the current holdup doesn’t feel like a warning sign. It feels like the kind of negotiation that happens when a team is trying to build the right environment around a broadcaster who already has deep roots in place. The horse is there, the land is there - the rest of the stable still has to be built.
And Collins is not just any voice. There are only 30 primary play-by-play jobs in the league, and that kind of position carries real weight.
He has talked before about how much it meant to step in after Steve Martin, and that transition mattered. Martin helped show him the ropes, introduced him around Charlotte, and passed along the kind of knowledge that makes a smooth handoff possible.
That earlier experience stands in sharp contrast to Collins’ road-game work with Vin Scully, when Scully was still handling home games for the Dodgers. Collins did those broadcasts to help Scully ease toward retirement, but the setup didn’t give him much of a chance to learn directly from him.
Charlotte was different. Steve Martin’s guidance, according to the source material, made the transition much more complete.
Martin also did that for Dell Curry when Curry first came in as a color analyst, and that continuity matters in broadcasting. These jobs are built on chemistry, and chemistry is not something teams can simply go out and buy.
That’s part of why Collins and Curry work so well together. They are described as close friends, with families that genuinely love each other, and that connection shows up on the air.
It’s also why the pair works national TV games together. The fit is real, and the product benefits from it.
Martin once spoke to Rick Bonnell about Gil McGregor and said there was an immediate connection between them. That kind of thing is rare, and when it exists, it tends to keep broadcast teams together for years. Collins and Curry fit that mold.
So while rumors and jokes about Collins leaving have spread online - especially alongside the LaMelo trade chatter - the belief here is that those fears are overblown. If Curry isn’t going anywhere, the logic goes, Collins won’t either. The two are too intertwined, and Collins’ bond with Charlotte is too strong.
There may be strong offers out there. In fact, the sense is that the kind of money that makes someone pause is probably being thrown at him right now.
But even with that, the expectation is that he stays. He has become synonymous with the Hornets in a way few broadcasters ever do, and his voice has given the team national visibility even through the rough stretches.
In the end, Charlotte is part of what makes Collins special, and the belief is that he knows it.
In Other News...
Dennis Schroder Could Be Exactly What The Hornets Bench Needed
The Hornets are betting that Dennis Schroder can give their second unit some much-needed bite, and Charles Lee sounds encouraged by what the veteran guard brings beyond simple backup duties. Lee pointed to Schroders energy, leadership and defensive presence, with the expectation that he can settle in behind Coby White and give Charlotte a steadier option at point guard while also raising the standard for younger players on the roster.
What makes the fit intriguing is how Schroders game is supposed to translate on both ends without needing to dominate the ball. Lee believes he can push the pace, attack the lane and help create cleaner looks for teammates, while also bringing the kind of competitive edge the Hornets have been searching for from their bench. For a team trying to build habits as much as results, that combination could end up mattering a lot. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Enter A Risky New Era With One Huge Offensive Question
Ben Simmons landing with the Sacramento Kings this week is a reminder of how differently teams are choosing to handle risk right now, and Charlotte is suddenly in that conversation for reasons that go beyond one free-agent decision. Around the league, some clubs are looking for a clean fit and others are willing to gamble on upside, and the Hornets have spent their offseason trying to navigate that same balance as they sort through their own next chapter alongside other Southeast teams like Orlando.
For Charlotte, the bigger question is not just who is available, but how much offensive responsibility the roster can realistically absorb after a major reshaping. ESPNs projections point to Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel taking on most of the scoring load, with Charles Lee leaning into a committee approach, and that puts a lot of pressure on the Hornets to make the right calls early. The challenge is obvious: if the offense stalls, the margin for error gets thin fast, and the teams newest era could turn risky before it ever gets comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller's Next Step Could Decide How Relevant Hornets Stay
With LaMelo Ball now in Minnesota, the Hornets are heading into a different kind of era, one with a lot more riding on Brandon Miller. The move opened up a far larger runway for the second-year forward, and it immediately shifted the conversation from Balls long-term ceiling to Millers next leap. For a team trying to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference, his development may end up mattering as much as any roster move.
Miller already showed enough last season to make the league take notice, and some analysts think the increased opportunity could push him into Most Improved Player territory. The logic is simple enough: more touches, more responsibility, and a bigger offensive burden could bring out the best in him. For Charlotte, the question is no longer whether Miller has talent. It is whether he can turn that talent into the kind of star turn that gives the Hornets a real direction. [Read more 🡒]