The Charlotte Hornets’ starting five still has a big asterisk next to it, because the group isn’t close to whole right now. Coby White and Kon Knueppel are both out, and that matters because each fills a key job in the lineup.
Even so, there’s enough on the board to get a sense of what this unit is supposed to become once those two return. If the other three spots stay put, the five should line up as White, Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid and Moussa Diabaté. At the moment, there’s no real reason to expect a change there anytime soon.
On paper, that group should be better than it looks. White is a solid player, and Reid gives the power forward spot a major boost. Losing LaMelo Ball still hurts, but replacing Miles Bridges with Reid is a meaningful upgrade.
That said, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley still slotted the Hornets’ projected starting group 23rd in his ranking. As he put it, "This ranking is placing a slight wager on some internal growth, but this lineup isn't lacking for potential improvers. Knueppel had a historic shooting run as a rookie, Miller can look the part of a star big wing (the most coveted archetype in basketball) and Reid could really blossom with more of a featured role than he filled in Minnesota," he wrote.
That’s the heart of the issue: there are plenty of possibilities here, but not much that feels fully settled. White’s small-sample splits last year were strong, but he is not the same kind of playmaker Ball was, and he doesn’t bring the same offensive gravity.
Without that engine in place, the ceiling comes down to individual growth. Can Brandon Miller take the next step?
After one game, that looks hard to bank on. Can Knueppel stay deadly from deep without the easy looks and spacing he had last season?
That remains to be seen.
Reid is the one who already appears to be trending upward with more usage, and that part has mostly held true so far. But unless all three of those breakout questions get answered with a yes, this starting five still has a clear missing piece. It may not be a bad group, but it won’t be the one everyone got used to in 2025-26.
In Other News...
Hornets Handed Miami A Win That Already Has Spoelstra Fuming
Miamis rough opening to the 2026-27 season has already put Erik Spoelstra in an uneasy spot, and the Hornets were part of the latest chapter. The Heat dropped a third straight game to open the year, their worst start since 2007-08, after a matchup that left their coach sounding frustrated with both the way his team played and the way the game was being called.
Charlottes win also came with a notable twist involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had been effective in Miamis first two games before getting bogged down in foul trouble against the Hornets. Spoelstra made it clear afterward that he was unhappy with the whistle Antetokounmpo received and with how his team handled the game around it, leaving Miami searching for answers as the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Gave Hornets Fans Exactly The Response They Needed
The Hornets got exactly the kind of response they were looking for in a 115-110 win over Miami, a result that pushed Charlotte to 2-1 and sent the Heat to 0-3. Brandon Miller was at the center of it, putting together a big night that looked nothing like his rough outing in the previous game, while Charlotte also got steady production from Naz Reid, who has fit in quickly through his first three games with the team.
For a Hornets group still trying to settle in early this season, the encouraging part was not just the final score but the way the offense held up against a Miami team that can make games uncomfortable. Millers performance gave Charlotte a clear lead option when it needed one, and Reids early impact has added another layer to a rotation that is still finding its shape. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Is Giving The Hornets Something They Desperately Needed
Naz Reid has given Charlotte exactly the kind of stabilizing presence it was chasing when it brought him over from Minnesota. Through the opening stretch of the 2026-27 season, he has slid into a major role for a young Hornets group, logging heavy minutes while supplying scoring, rebounding and a steadying voice in the locker room. For a team that has often leaned on youth and upside, Reids blend of experience and production has been a welcome change.
He has backed that up on the floor, too, with his recent showing in a win over Miami serving as another sign that Charlotte may have found more than just a complementary big. Reid has also talked about the need for resilience and preparation with an eye toward the playoffs, which says plenty about where his head is at and what the Hornets hope he can help them become. If he keeps this up, the trade is going to look like a very timely piece of business. [Read more 🡒]