The Hornets are heading into the 2026-2027 season with a very different look, and the bench could end up being one of the biggest reasons why. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are gone.
Rookies Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson are in. And while that already changes the feel of the roster, the bigger shift might come from a player who is expected to bring punch off the second unit: Grayson Allen.
Allen is the name to watch here because Charlotte no longer has Coby White in that bench-boosting role. With Ball traded, White is locked into the starting lineup, which leaves the Hornets needing someone else to provide that microwave-type scoring burst. The bet here is Allen can be that guy, the kind of player who comes in, changes the temperature of the game, and gives Charlotte instant offense when the starters need a breather.
There are fair health concerns around him, but the case for Allen goes well beyond that. He’s coming off a strong season in Phoenix, where he posted career-best numbers in points at 16.5, assists at 3.8, and steals at 1.4.
The shooting percentages dipped, but the overall production still points to a player who can give Charlotte a real scoring lift. That matters for a bench group that has talent, but also plenty of players who still need to prove themselves.
Allen’s value isn’t just about points, either. He brings the kind of edge that changes the feel of a game.
He’s not going to rebound like Moussa Diabaté, but, as the source puts it, there’s a certain energy that comes with him every time he steps on the floor. He’s also viewed as a strong defender, and that combination of energy and toughness can be exactly what Charlotte needs when things start to stall.
It’s not hard to imagine how that plays out in real time. Charlotte is down five, Allen checks in, the crowd boos, and then he knocks down a three.
Or he draws a foul that becomes the only thing anyone can talk about for a stretch, shifting the focus away from putting the Hornets away. Those are the kinds of moments that can swing a game fast.
And Allen won’t be doing it alone. Diabaté should be part of the mix too once Steinbach gets comfortable handling the demands of an NBA schedule. Add Sion James, and Charlotte suddenly has three energy players who can change a game in a hurry.
There are plenty of ifs in that picture. But if it all clicks, the Hornets may not be as far from a return to the postseason as they might look on paper.
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What made the exchange linger was the timing. The Warriors had hoped Brayden Burries might still be there at No. 11, only to watch Milwaukee take him one pick earlier, which forced the room to pivot quickly and stay focused on the options in front of them. In the end, Dunleavy and Lacob were aligned on the direction, but the clip captured the kind of last-second uncertainty that can make even a settled draft room look like it is on the verge of a bigger move. [Read more 🡒]
Grayson Allen Might Be The Hornets Addition Fans Are Overlooking
The Hornets spent much of the summer remaking the roster, and Grayson Allen could end up being one of the quieter additions with the loudest impact. Charlotte brought him in from Phoenix in the Miles Bridges trade, with Royce O'Neale also part of the return, and Allen arrives with the kind of shooting profile that can fit almost anywhere. Since the 2021-22 season, he has piled up more than 800 made threes while staying above 40 percent from deep, putting him in a select shooting tier.
For a team that has already shuffled in LaMelo Ball, Josh Green, Hannes Steinbach, Christian Anderson Jr., Coby White and Dorian Finney-Smith as part of its offseason overhaul, Allen gives the Hornets another proven spacer to sort into the new lineup. The question now is not whether he can shoot, but how Charlotte uses him and whether he becomes the bench scorer who quietly helps make the whole reshuffle work. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Roster Squeeze Just Forced The First Move After That Trade
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For the Hornets, the move opens one roster spot, but it does not solve the larger problem. Charlotte has been operating with a full offseason group and still needs to create more room before opening night, so this was only the first bit of housekeeping after a complicated trade. The next decisions will say more about how the front office plans to trim the group down than this one ever could. [Read more 🡒]