The Charlotte Hornets’ preseason opener ended in a lopsided loss to the Brooklyn Nets, but the bigger story was how Charles Lee chose to use his pieces. With preseason results carrying little weight, the real value was in the reps, the roles, and the early reads on who looked comfortable and who didn’t.
Naz Reid was a clear focal point from the jump. Lee made a point of putting his newest chess piece in spots where he could succeed, and Charlotte repeatedly ran actions that forced Brooklyn to switch a smaller defender onto him.
That gave Reid room to work inside the arc, where he showed off some polished post footwork, powered through a bruising downhill drive, and hit one of his five attempts from three. Charlotte was missing its three primary scorers in Coby White, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel, but the effort to get Reid the ball in favorable positions felt intentional - and like something worth carrying forward.
The play that probably said the most about Reid came late in the second quarter. With 2:30 left and the game well into preseason territory, he still dove on the floor for a loose ball. That kind of effort is exactly why Timberwolves fans were so fond of the former Sixth Man of the Year.
Charlotte also got a strong look at what Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale can add as perimeter shot-makers. That matters for a team trying to stretch and organize LaMelo’s offensive impact from deep.
Allen opened by knocking down a couple of pull-up jumpers while handling pick-and-roll duty, then punished Brooklyn when the defense got too aggressive and created looks for himself and others. He finished a perfect 3-for-3 from long range and led the Hornets in first-half scoring before the reserves took over in the second half.
O’Neale brought a different flavor, but just as useful. His ability to create space with shot fakes and pass fakes showed up all night, and Charlotte’s offense seemed to benefit every time he had the ball.
The live-dribble passing stood out too, especially for a roster that can use any extra shot creation it can find off the bench. He finished with a team-high five assists, all in the first half.
Once Christian Anderson Jr. was ruled out, the door opened for some Point Sion. After having trouble in that role at different points over the last 12 months, Sion James looked much steadier on the ball against Brooklyn.
He wasn’t flashy - and probably never will be - but the handle held up, the decisions were clean, and he showed a left-handed finish on a straight-line drive that was a welcome sight after last season. James ended with eight points, four rebounds, and a 2-for-4 mark from three while giving Charlotte solid work on defense.
There was also a short look at rookie center Hannes Steinbach, who didn’t check in until late in the third quarter. That timing says plenty about where he sits in the frontcourt rotation right now, and one preseason game is enough only to suggest that early-season minutes may be hard to come by.
Liam McNeeley had the most volatile night of the bunch. After a rough first half, he caught fire in the third quarter and buried four straight long-range tries.
But the hot streak didn’t erase the rest of the line. He turned it over six times, picked up four fouls, and didn’t record an assist despite plenty of time on the ball.
The shotmaking flashed, but the overall package was uneven - not the opening he was probably hoping for after a strong G-League run and a standout Summer League.
In Other News...
Hornets Already Have A Point Guard Problem After Moving LaMelo
Moving on from LaMelo Ball was always going to reshape the Hornets backcourt, and the early returns have only made the point guard picture look more unsettled. Charlotte tried to patch things up by re-signing Coby White, drafting Christian Anderson Jr. and bringing in Dennis Schrder, a group that was supposed to keep the position steady while the franchise moved into its next phase.
Instead, the preseason has already brought more questions than answers. Anderson struggled in Summer League and is dealing with an injury, while White is sidelined with a calf issue and will miss preseason games, leaving Charlotte thin at the spot before the games even count. Ball, meanwhile, opened his Minnesota preseason looking comfortable in his new uniform, which only sharpens the contrast for Hornets fans still waiting to see whether the team's next answer at point guard is actually in place. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Injury Creates An Early Hornets Concern
Brandon Millers preseason has already hit a small snag for the Hornets, with the second-year wing dealing with a shin contusion he picked up in practice. Charlotte has been taking the cautious route, keeping him day-to-day as the team works through the opening weeks of exhibition play and prepares for its next preseason test against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Millers absence from the recent game against the Brooklyn Nets added a little more early-season concern, especially for a player whose development remains central to Charlottes plans. There is already outside buzz about a possible long-term extension down the road, but for now the Hornets are focused on getting Miller back on the floor and making sure a preseason bump does not linger. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Already Feels Like A Huge Part Of Charlottes Reset
Before Charlottes first preseason game against Brooklyn, Charles Lee was already talking about Naz Reid like a player who can help steady the Hornets new direction. The big man arrived from Minnesota as part of the LaMelo Ball trade, and his first taste of a Charlotte uniform offered a quick glimpse of why the team wanted him in the mix as it starts over with a reshaped roster.
Reid wasted little time showing he can bring scoring and activity in short bursts, and that matters for a Hornets group still sorting out how its pieces fit together around young talent such as Miller and Knueppel. With the season just getting underway, Charlotte is trying to establish roles and identity, and Reids early return has at least given the coaching staff one more reason to believe the reset can take hold sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]