The Hornets are expected to move on from Ryan Nembhard after landing him in a trade with the Hawks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charlotte officially wrapped up the deal Tuesday night, sending veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta in return for Buddy Hield, Nembhard and cash.
Nembhard arrives with a guaranteed contract, but the number attached to it makes him an easy candidate to cut as the Hornets work toward their opening-night roster limit. Charlotte currently has 18 players on standard contracts, with 17 of those deals fully guaranteed, and the team must get down to 15 by the start of the season. Nembhard is set to make $2,150,917 on an expiring contract in 2026/27, so waiving him would not create much damage on the cap sheet.
The Hornets also have other point guard options in the mix. Dennis Schröder and first-round pick Christian Anderson Jr. are projected to back up Coby White.
For Nembhard, this would be the latest stop in a busy offseason. Dallas had him earlier in the summer before sending him to Atlanta as part of the three-team Luguentz Dort / Zaccharie Risacher trade in July.
The undrafted guard broke in with the Mavericks last season, appearing in 60 games, starting 27 of them, and moving from a two-way deal to a standard contract. He averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game, while shooting .415/.356/.806.
If Charlotte does waive him, Nembhard should draw interest quickly. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that multiple teams are expected to pursue him on a two-way deal, with the Nuggets among the clubs interested. He would be able to sign with any team except Atlanta.
Jake Fischer also floated another possibility in his latest Bleacher Report live stream: Charlotte could choose to waive Hield as well. That path would come with a much bigger financial hit, though. Hield is owed a fully guaranteed $9.66MM this season, and his contract carries a $10.1MM player option for ’27/28 that would become partially guaranteed for $3.14MM if he were waived.
In Other News...
Hornets Make Another Roster Move With Greensboro In Mind
The Hornets continued to reshape their offseason group by bringing in forward Tre Carroll while moving on from guard DJ Armstrong to open a spot on the 21-man roster. Carroll, an undrafted June prospect who played at Florida Atlantic and Xavier, also spent time with Washingtons Summer League team, giving Charlotte another look at a player still trying to carve out his NBA path.
For the Hornets, the move fits the familiar pattern of using the back end of the roster to keep options open, especially with the Greensboro Swarm in mind. Carrolls contract is expected to carry Exhibit 10 language, which would make him a candidate to land with Charlottes G League affiliate if he doesnt stick in camp, and that keeps one more developmental piece in the organization as the summer shuffle continues. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]