The Charlotte Hornets have a decision to make, and Collin Sexton is part of it.
After trading LaMelo Ball, Charlotte created a vacancy on the bench at point guard, with Coby White moving into the starting lineup. The front office may like first-round pick Christian Anderson, but it would be a surprise to see the Hornets open the 2026-27 season with him as the clear No. 2 option at the position.
That is why a Sexton reunion belongs in the conversation, though only after the Hornets take a broader look at the market. They have a $40M TPE to work with, and that exception gives them a real chance to add a difference-maker in the backcourt.
The Hornets may use it on a guard, but they also could decide to spend it on a wing or add more help in the frontcourt. If the exception goes elsewhere, Sexton becomes a much more realistic fallback.
And as far as fallback options go, he makes sense. The 2026 point guard free agent class does not offer much appeal, and depending on who you ask, Sexton could be the top unrestricted free-agent point guard available.
Charlotte also already knows what it would be getting. Sexton’s time with the Hornets was brief, but it left an impression.
Jeff Peterson, Charles Lee, and people in the locker room appreciated what he brought. Peterson made that clear after Sexton was traded to Chicago.
“I want to thank him for everything he’s done in this very short time," Peterson said following his trade to Chicago. "He is every bit of the reason we’re in this position that we are in right now.
His competitiveness on a nightly basis. He wants to play.
The tenacity that he plays with, the shotmaking, getting to the rim, I could go on and on and on.”
That praise lines up with why Peterson brought him in last summer in the first place. Sexton was signed to steady the bench and provide another veteran guard who could score, not simply to be moved later for a better asset.
There are obvious limitations here, too. Sexton has flaws, especially defensively, and he does not fix every issue on the roster.
But Charlotte does not currently have a guard who attacks the rim and gets downhill the way he does. That kind of pressure matters, and the Hornets need it somewhere in the backcourt.
He would be a cheap option, he would not require a long-term commitment, and the Hornets already know he fits the room. If they do not land a guard through the $40M TPE, Sexton should absolutely be on the list.
He is not the answer to everything. He can help the second unit, though, and for Charlotte that is reason enough to keep the door open.
In Other News...
Hornets Rookies Chose Their Numbers And Charlotte Fans Will Remember Them
Jersey numbers may seem like a small detail in June, but around the Hornets they have a way of sticking. LaMelo Ball turned his own switch from No. 2 to No. 1 into part of his Charlotte identity, and now the teams newest first-rounders have picked the digits theyll carry into training camp. Hannes Steinbach will wear No. 22, while Christian Anderson goes with No. 5, giving both rookies an early place in the franchises uniform history.
The numbers matter a little more here because both players arrive with defined jobs already waiting for them. Steinbach is expected to be in the rotation right away and could grow into a starter if his defense comes along, while Anderson is positioned as a backup point guard behind Coby White. For a Hornets team trying to sort out its next core, even the jersey choices feel like part of the larger picture, with the real question still being how quickly those numbers start meaning something on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Suddenly Face A Franchise Defining All In Decision
Charlottes front office has spent the past year quietly changing the shape of its future, using the LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges trades to gather the kind of flexibility and draft capital that can be turned into a much bigger swing. Thats why the latest chatter around Jaylen Brown matters so much. A move of that size would not just be about adding another scorer, but about deciding whether the Hornets are ready to spend their new assets on a player who can alter the trajectory of the franchise.
The appeal is obvious, and so are the complications. Brown would force Charlotte to weigh fit, finances and the cost of parting with more pieces, including veterans and picks that have become part of the teams growing trade inventory. For a roster still trying to define its next identity, the question is less whether Brown is the kind of name that can change the conversation and more whether this is the moment to push in and make that kind of bet. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face A Summer That Could Define Jeff Petersons Plan
Jeff Petersons first summer steering the Hornets has quickly become a test of how patient and how bold this new front-office era will be. After the LaMelo Ball trade reshaped the roster, Charlotte has more flexibility than it has had in a while, including a $40 million trade exception, and Peterson said the team intends to keep looking at every path while staying disciplined with its assets. The challenge now is not just to make moves, but to make the right ones for both the short term and the long term.
Charlotte has already spent part of the offseason strengthening the frontcourt, which changes the shape of the next problem on the board. The Hornets are now evaluating guard help, with an eye toward adding more ballhandling and shooting to fit around what is already in place. Petersons approach suggests the front office is willing to be selective, but the summer still feels like the moment that will show how aggressive this reset really is. [Read more 🡒]