The Hornets made another small but meaningful offseason tweak, bringing in forward Tre Carroll and clearing space by waiving guard DJ Armstrong.
Charlotte announced the move on Twitter, and it fits the pattern the team has followed in recent weeks: cycle players through the 21-man offseason roster with an eye on stocking the Greensboro Swarm. Carroll now takes Armstrong’s spot, and he arrives with a résumé that points straight toward that next step.
Carroll spent his first three college seasons at Florida Atlantic from 2022-25 before transferring to Xavier for his senior year. The 6’8″ forward made the most of that opportunity, starting all 32 games and putting up 17.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting .501/.333/.709.
His college run included AAC co-Most Improved Player honors as a junior, followed by All-Big East first-team recognition as a senior. He also took part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, then went undrafted in June before appearing in two Summer League games for Washington in Las Vegas in July.
The Charlotte contract almost certainly carries Exhibit 10 language, which would set Carroll up as an affiliate player for the Hornets’ G League team. If Charlotte waives him and he then spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, he can collect an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $91K.
Armstrong is the latest name to come off the roster as the Hornets continue their late-summer shuffle. Since August 31, Josiah Allick, Trey Townsend, Kyle Mangas, Jarkel Joiner, Kobe Stewart, Bez Mbeng, and Armstrong have all had brief runs under contract with Charlotte, and most or all of them are expected to join Carroll in camp with the Swarm later this fall.
In Other News...
Hornets Just Made A Veteran Move That Feels Bigger Than Now
The Hornets kept their summer moving with a trade that looks modest on the surface but still tells you something about how theyre trying to shape the roster. Charlotte brought in Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard from Atlanta in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, adding a veteran shooter to a group that could use more spacing and a player whose contract could matter again down the line.
Hield gives Charlotte a proven perimeter threat and a bit of roster flexibility, since he still has two years left on his deal and a player option after the 2026-27 season. Nembhard is more of a back-end piece in the transaction, but the bigger point is that the Hornets were willing to turn a more straightforward veteran swap into something with at least a little future value, even if it doesnt dramatically alter the outlook right now. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Turned One Veteran Into A Much Bigger Roster Debate
The Hornets have been active in reshaping the back end of the roster, and the latest move with Atlanta fits the kind of flexible, low-risk approach they have been leaning into. Charlotte is bringing in a young point guard in Ryan Nembhard and a proven perimeter shooter in Buddy Hield, while sending veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith the other way after his return from ankle surgery and with his contract still carrying some uncertainty.
For Charlotte, the deal adds another layer to the debate about how much roster space and salary commitment should be tied up in veterans versus younger, more movable pieces. Hield gives the Hornets another floor-spacing option, and Nembhard gives them a developmental guard to evaluate, but the move also leaves open bigger questions about what the front office wants this group to look like by the time the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Now Carries The Pressure Of Charlottes Next Chapter
LaMelo Ball is gone, and with that move the Hornets have shifted the center of gravity in a big way. The roster now leans on Brandon Miller as a leading offensive piece, with Kon Knueppel, Naz Reid, Coby White and Moussa Diabate joining him in what looks like a very different next chapter for Charlotte.
Millers role is only part of the story, though. He is entering a contract year, which adds another layer of scrutiny to everything he does on the floor, and the Hornets are still working through what his long-term place in the franchise will be. For a team trying to reset around a new core, that makes every step from Miller feel a little more loaded than before. [Read more 🡒]