The Hornets have already started shuffling the back end of their roster, and the latest move brings in another young forward with G League mileage.
Charlotte announced today that it has signed free agent Trey Townsend and waived Josiah Allick. The change comes just days after the Hornets signed Allick on Monday, using the only open opening on their 21-man offseason roster to get that deal done.
That spot now goes to Townsend, a 6-foot-6 forward who went undrafted out of Arizona in 2025. He spent a busy 2025/26 campaign bouncing between Sweden, the G League and Canada, with stops at the Köping Stars, the Texas Legends, the Salt Lake City Stars and the Saskatoon Mamba. In 24 NBAGL games with Utah’s and Dallas’ affiliates, he put up 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game.
Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer confirmed that Townsend is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract. That makes the path here pretty clear: he’s likely to be waived before the season, perhaps even later this week, and then head to the Greensboro Swarm in hopes of collecting a bonus worth up to $91K.
Charlotte has been using that open roster spot to cycle players through ahead of training camp, a move that can help secure G League rights and potentially set players up for Exhibit 10 bonuses if they’re cut and then spend at least 60 days with Greensboro. The Swarm acquired Townsend’s returning rights from Salt Lake City in a six-team trade in August.
In Other News...
Hornets Face A Big Brandon Miller Decision At The Worst Time
Brandon Millers offseason has already become one of the more consequential storylines for Charlotte, and not just because the Hornets are preparing to lock in one of the franchises foundational young pieces. The expectation is that the team will finalize a rookie-scale extension before the deadline, a move that would underscore how central Miller is to the organizations plans as it continues to build around its young core.
The complication is timing. Miller is still rehabbing after left shoulder surgery for instability and has not yet been cleared for basketball activities, which makes the next stretch more delicate than the usual extension discussion. In a recent interview, he focused on recovery, readiness and the value of being available, while also stressing that the work has to be shared across the roster, a reminder that Charlottes optimism about the future is still tied to getting this part right. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Has One Big Obstacle In A Rare Hornets Award Push
Brandon Miller is suddenly in a spot the Hornets have not often found themselves in, with the young wing drawing early buzz as a Most Improved Player candidate for the 2026-27 season. After LaMelo Balls departure opened up a bigger offensive runway, Miller is expected to shoulder far more creation and scoring responsibility, and that kind of jump is exactly the sort of thing that can reshape an award race if the production follows.
The catch for Charlotte is visibility. A breakout season can only carry so much weight if voters are not seeing it enough, and with the Hornets no longer carrying the same national spotlight, Miller may have to make his case without the benefit of regular marquee exposure. That leaves his push in an unusual place: promising on paper, but still fighting for the kind of attention that often turns a strong season into an award winner. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets May Need One Player To Keep Their Defense From Slipping
Charlottes defensive rise last season was not just about Charles Lees system. It also had a lot to do with the way Moussa Diabat stabilized the middle after moving into the starting lineup, giving the Hornets a big man who could rebound, stay out of foul trouble and hold up as a rim protector while fitting the scheme in different ways. His presence helped the team look sturdier possession to possession, which mattered for a club that needed real defensive wins to keep games from getting away.
Now the question is whether that same backbone is there again. The Hornets are expected to lean on Diabat this season because the other center options come with clear defensive limitations, and he is the one big on the roster who can handle multiple coverages without forcing the rest of the group to adjust around him. If he misses a step, Charlottes defense could start to look a lot less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]