The Charlotte Hornets spent the offseason reshaping their roster, and the result is a team built very differently than the one that came before it.
Charlotte’s biggest swing came in a blockbuster deal that sent All-Star guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid and draft capital. The Hornets also moved Miles Bridges, bringing back veterans Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale along with a future first-round pick. On top of that, Charlotte added guard Dennis Schroder in another trade and brought in more young talent through the draft with Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr.
Even with all that turnover, the Hornets still have enough talent to matter. The new-look roster is centered around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, and there’s a real path for Charlotte to stay in the mix in the 2026-27 season.
Knueppel is the face of that next step. Last season’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, the 21-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three. With Ball gone, Knueppel is now positioned to take over as Charlotte’s top scorer.
Miller remains the other major piece. The 23-year-old wing is entering his fourth season and turned in a strong 2025-26 campaign, putting up 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a block per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from deep.
Put Knueppel and Miller together with the Hornets’ mix of young players and veterans, and Charlotte looks like a team that can push for a Play-In Tournament spot for the second year in a row.
Still, the Hornets are not in the same class as the reigning-champion New York Knicks. And the East got a lot tougher around them, too. The Miami Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, and the Toronto Raptors added Kawhi Leonard, pending the NBA's investigation into the Clippers.
Because of that, Charlotte’s clearest path to the playoffs is through the Play-In Tournament.
In Other News...
Ryan Kalkbrenner Just Gave Hornets Fans A New Reason To Pay Attention
The early market for 2025-26 Topps Chrome Update Debut Patch basketball cards is already giving collectors a glimpse at which rookies are drawing real attention, and Ryan Kalkbrenner is right in the middle of it. The Hornets big mans debut patch card has been among the more notable recent sales as the checklist starts to take shape, with the top handful of transactions offering an early read on how the rookie class is being valued before the season fully settles in.
For Charlotte, it is another small but telling reminder that Kalkbrenner is already on the radar beyond the box score. The card market has also been led by Nolan Traore, whose sale set the pace for the group so far, but the presence of Kalkbrenner near the top of the list says plenty about the interest surrounding his rookie profile. It is the kind of off-court buzz that does not change anything on the floor, but it does add a little more intrigue every time Hornets fans look at the rookie class. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face One Big Zion Question Before Any Trade Talk Gets Real
Any conversation about Zion Williamson and Charlotte has to start with timing, because the mechanics of a deal are not even open for business yet. A proposed framework would send Grant Williams, Royce O'Neale, Grayson Allen and a 2027 first-round pick from the Hornets to New Orleans for Williamson, but restrictions on O'Neale and Allen mean nothing can be finalized before Sept. 13.
Even with the calendar still getting in the way, the bigger issue is whether the Pelicans would entertain the idea at all. New Orleans executive Joe Dumars has already said the team has no intention of trading Williamson and expects him back next season, which leaves the Hornets waiting on a door that, at least publicly, does not look ready to open. [Read more 🡒]
Coby White Faces One Big Test As Hornets Hand Him The Keys
Coby Whites next stretch in Charlotte is shaping up as the kind of season that can define a players place in a rebuild. After thriving in a reserve role last year, he now enters a much larger spotlight with the Hornets, who moved quickly to keep him around on a three-year deal and give him a chance to steer the offense in the wake of LaMelo Balls departure.
Whites production off the bench suggested there is more here than just a useful stopgap, but the real question is whether he can carry that level of impact when the responsibility grows. He could emerge as the long-term answer at point guard, or he could settle in as a bridge while Charlotte keeps searching for its next franchise piece, and this season should bring the first real clue. [Read more 🡒]