The Hornets have already done plenty of lineup shuffling, and more changes could still be on the way. With 40% of last year’s starting five gone, someone - “Coby White and Naz Reid, most likely” - has to step in for the missing LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller are locked in, but the real question is at center, where Moussa Diabaté suddenly doesn’t look as safe as he once did.
That’s where Hannes Steinbach enters the picture. Some projections, including the ESPN depth chart, have Diabaté sliding to the bench in favor of the top rookie selection. It’s a real decision for Charlotte, and it isn’t an easy one.
Diabaté has already earned his way into the conversation. He’s been a starter, he’s ascended, and he brings the kind of small stuff that made Charles Lee’s offense click.
The numbers support that, too: the Hornets were significantly better when he was on the floor. But there’s a catch, and it showed up in the Play-In - size and physicality.
Steinbach brings a different profile. He’s technically taller, and he weighs more.
But he doesn’t yet stretch the floor, which matters here because the Hornets can’t really just play both of them in the same main five-man group. They can mix and match in bigger lineups, sure, but not as the default starting frontcourt.
There isn’t enough separation in what they do, especially with Naz Reid likely starting because he can bang inside and shoot.
So Charlotte is left choosing between the known and the unknown. Diabaté is the proven option, and he fits cleanly next to Reid. Steinbach might end up being the better player, but that’s still a projection, not something the Hornets can count on right now.
That’s why the safer call is Diabaté. If Steinbach proves he’s ready for NBA starter minutes and shows he’s a clear upgrade, then the job can be his.
For now, though, Charlotte has to work with what it knows. There may be some growing pains, but the Hornets need the proven commodity until they have real evidence that the rookie should take over.
In Other News...
LaVar Ball Just Reignited The Hornets Debate Over LaMelo
LaMelo Balls departure has already become the kind of move that keeps getting reopened in Charlotte, especially when his father has plenty to say about it. The Hornets sent LaMelo to Minnesota in a four-team deal that brought back multiple draft picks and players, and the reaction only added another layer to a trade that was always going to be judged through the lens of what it means for the franchise long term.
LaVar Ball wasted little time criticizing Charlotte after the move, questioning where the Hornets go from here without his son in the middle of it all. On the other side, president Jeff Peterson made clear he was comfortable with the deal and pointed to the talent already on the roster as part of the reason the team felt it could move on, leaving the debate over the Hornets direction very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Connaughtons Hornets Role Suddenly Feels Worth Watching
Pat Connaughton spent this week in Manhattan working with young players at the NBPA x Five-Star Basketball Camp, a four-day event that ran Monday through Thursday for boys and girls ages 9 through 17. For the Hornets, it was another reminder that Connaughton is bringing more than just veteran depth to Charlotte. He has long been tied into the players side of the business too, including his appointment to the NBPAs THINK450 board of directors in October 2023, when he became the first player to hold a seat.
All of which makes his place on the roster worth following closely as Charlotte sorts through its options before the season begins. Connaughtons career has already covered multiple stops and plenty of experience, and the Hornets are looking at him as part of a crowded mix of standard-contract players. Whether his role ends up being on the court, in the locker room or somewhere in between, there is a real reason to keep an eye on how this one develops. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face An Early Lineup Decision With Brandon Miller In Limbo
Brandon Millers recovery from offseason shoulder surgery has left Charlotte with an early lineup puzzle before the season even gets rolling. The Hornets have reason to plan for a stretch without one of their best young wings, and that means looking closely at who can help absorb those minutes without forcing the rest of the rotation into an awkward fit.
Grayson Allen, Liam McNeeley and Royce ONeale all come up as possible options, each bringing a different blend of shooting, size and experience, while Sion James offers a more developmental path if the team wants to keep its long-term picture in mind. Nothing has been set officially, but the uncertainty around Miller puts a real spotlight on how Charlotte wants to open the year and which players can best keep the offense and defense balanced in his absence. [Read more 🡒]