The Hornets have moved on from Kobe Stewart just three days after bringing him in on an Exhibit 10 contract, officially waiving the guard/forward in a press release.
Stewart, 24, entered the pro ranks after going undrafted in 2025 following five seasons at Presbyterian College. His final college season was his best by far: in 33 games for the Blue Hose, he posted 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game while logging 33.2 minutes a night. He shot .479 from the field, .352 from three and .792 at the line.
The 6’6″ swingman has already spent his first professional season in the G League, appearing in 46 total games for the Austin Spurs, Memphis Hustle and Wisconsin Herd. Across that stretch, he averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.0 minutes per game, shooting .455/.308/.767.
Stewart also got a look with the Bucks in July, playing in six games across the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues. He averaged 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game there.
Charlotte’s decision to sign Stewart and then waive him before the season keeps the Exhibit 10 pathway open. If he spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate, he can receive up to $91K on top of his usual G League base salary. For that bonus to kick in, the Swarm would need to acquire his rights from the Herd via trade at some point.
With Stewart waived, Charlotte is now at 20 players under contract, one short of the offseason limit.
In Other News...
Hornets Face A Big Brandon Miller Decision Before His Price Changes
Brandon Millers place in Charlottes future is suddenly one of the biggest questions hanging over the franchise. With LaMelo Ball gone, Miller is expected to step into a much larger role, and the Hornets have every reason to treat the next stretch of his career as a referendum on what kind of centerpiece he can become.
The contract side of that equation may be trickier than it first appears. NBA insider Zach Lowe has raised doubts about Charlotte simply handing Miller a max extension, suggesting the sides could end up negotiating toward a deal closer to Amen Thompsons range, while Miller continues rehabbing from left shoulder surgery and has not yet been cleared for basketball activities. For a team trying to map out its next core, the timing makes the decision even more delicate. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Add Another Young Guard With A Bigger Camp Question
The Hornets kept turning over the back end of their offseason roster by adding another young guard in Bez Mbeng, the undrafted Yale product who has already logged time with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and spent part of a season with the Utah Jazz on 10-day contracts before landing a rest-of-season deal. Charlotte made room for him after waiving Kobe Stewart, another sign that the team is still sorting through developmental options as camp approaches.
Mbeng looks like the kind of player the Hornets want in their pipeline, someone who can slot into the system and spend time with the Greensboro Swarm if everything lines up. The catch is in the paperwork and the path forward, because an Exhibit 10 setup would only be part of the equation and Greensboro would still need to secure his returning rights from Sioux Falls before that next step becomes official. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Just Gave Hornets Fans Another Reason To Be Excited
Naz Reids move to Charlotte already looked like one of the more interesting parts of the LaMelo Ball trade, and the fit only gets more intriguing from there. After winning the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award with Minnesota, Reid is expected to step into the Hornets starting lineup next season, giving the roster a proven frontcourt piece who just finished averaging 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Reid has also opened up about his reaction to the deal, which helps explain why this one landed with such a jolt. Hell be one of the more closely watched additions on the team next season, not just because of his production, but because Charlotte is paying real money for the chance to see whether his game translates cleanly into a bigger role after the move from Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]