The Hornets finally get to show something on a basketball floor tonight, even if it’s only preseason. After that ugly Play-In loss to the Orlando Magic, Charlotte opens its preseason against the Brooklyn Nets with a handful of real questions hanging over the roster.
The biggest one is the starting lineup. Charlotte has the full preseason to sort that out, but Game 1 should still reveal plenty.
If Moussa Diabaté gets the nod, that would point to him as the early favorite to keep the job. If Hannes Steinbach starts instead, it would suggest the Hornets are willing to shake things up.
There’s even the possibility that Charles Lee goes in a different direction altogether and starts Naz Reid at center with someone else at power forward.
There’s also a lot to sort out behind Coby White. Charlotte is set to start White, but the backup picture is far from settled. Dennis Schröder, Christian Anderson Jr., Grayson Allen, and Sion James all fit into the conversation in different ways, and this game should start to clarify how those minutes are going to be handled.
Kon Knueppel’s absence creates another opening. He brings plenty to the table, but the Hornets still need someone else to step forward while he’s out.
Grayson Allen is expected to start in his place, but replacing Knueppel is about more than just filling a spot in the lineup. Tonight should offer the first look at who can help cover that gap, at least in the opening stretch of the regular season.
The roster situation adds another layer. Even after waiving a few players acquired in trades, the Hornets still have too many bodies.
That means some guys who barely see the floor tonight may be the ones in danger, while others who get run could be auditioning as trade pieces and trying to boost their value. Either way, not everyone is safe.
And then there’s the offense. Charlotte cannot simply roll out last year’s attack without LaMelo Ball and expect it to function the same way.
The structure has to change, and tonight is the first chance to see what that new version might look like. The key question is simple: how effective can the Hornets be without Ball’s creation?
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 🡒]