Liam McNeeley is making a real case for himself in Charlotte, and he’s doing it the way young players usually have to: by forcing the issue in Summer League.
The Hornets guard gave the front office and coaching staff something to think about in their first Summer League game, powering Charlotte to a win with 28 points, two rebounds and four assists. He was efficient, too, going 9-18 from the field and 7-8 from three.
That kind of night matters for a player trying to climb into the rotation picture. Charlotte took McNeeley with the 29th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he wasn’t part of the regular mix as a rookie. In 31 games, he averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc.
Even with limited run, McNeeley flashed the shooting touch that makes him interesting. The three-point shot looks like his calling card, and that alone gives him a path to carving out a bench role next season.
The roster changes around him only sharpen that opportunity. Charlotte moved on from LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Josh Green this offseason, a reshaping that leaves more minutes available for young players. The Hornets also added draft capital and are set to lean on their youth in the 2026-27 season.
There will still be competition for those minutes. Naz Reid is set to step into the starting power forward spot left by Bridges, while Royce O'Neale, Grayson Allen and Dorian Finney-Smith could all be in the mix for playing time if they aren’t dealt in another trade.
O'Neale posted 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game for the Phoenix Suns in the 2025-26 season, shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from deep. Allen made a scoring leap, averaging 16.5 points, three rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals, though his shooting numbers dipped to 40.3 percent overall and 34.9 percent from three.
For now, McNeeley has done the part that matters most: he’s shown growth. If that carries over, Charlotte could have a useful rotational piece on its hands in year two.
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Hornets Just Sent A Surprising Message About Kon Knueppel
Kon Knueppels first Summer League appearance with the Hornets came with an unusual twist, and it said plenty about how Charlotte views the rookie. Instead of sitting with teammates or spending the opener on the floor, he was placed alongside the coaching staff, giving him a front-row seat to the way the Hornets handle substitutions, defensive tweaks and offensive sets in real time.
It was a quiet but notable developmental move for a player the organization clearly believes has more going on upstairs than the average newcomer. Charlotte has not explained the decision, which only adds to the intrigue, but the setup gave Knueppel a rare chance to absorb the game from the bench and study the kind of details young players usually miss. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Trade Delay Is Holding Up More Than Fans Realized
A Hornets deal that has been sitting in the background is finally moving toward the finish line, with the LaMelo Ball and Naz Reid trade expected to be completed Friday as part of a larger four-team transaction. The move is being folded into a complicated set of leaguewide business that also ties in the Timberwolves, Nets and Bulls, the kind of paperwork-heavy shuffle that can keep a roster note from becoming official even after the basketball side is settled.
The ripple effects have reached beyond Charlotte, too. The Suns are waiting on the completion of the Hornets Bridges-related trade before they can finalize Luke Kennards signing because of salary-cap rules, while other teams are still navigating their own delayed business, including the Clippers Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto. Even around the edges, the offseason is still being shaped by timing, cap math and a few transactions that are not quite done yet. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Fans Just Got An Encouraging First Look At Liam McNeeley
Charlottes Summer League opener offered an early glimpse of what Liam McNeeley can bring to the Hornets, and it came in a win. After a sluggish start against Orlando, Charlotte settled in and leaned on McNeeleys scoring to take control in an 86-74 victory, with the forward finishing as the teams leading scorer and giving the offense the kind of lift the Hornets were hoping to see from him right away.
The supporting cast did its part, too, as Hannes Steinbach added a strong all-around showing and Ryan Kalkbrenner chipped in with a productive night on the boards. Charlottes ability to recover after the rough opening stretch was encouraging on its own, but the bigger takeaway was how quickly McNeeley looked comfortable carrying the offense once the game opened up. [Read more 🡒]