The Charlotte Hornets enter training camp with more than just a new-look roster. They’re carrying a handful of questions that will help shape what comes next, and not just this season.
At the top of the list sits Brandon Miller’s contract situation. The Hornets don’t need an extension from him immediately, and he may not sign one right away, but the issue hangs over everything.
There are plenty of moving parts inside that one decision: when he signs, what kind of money he gets, and what it means for Kon Knueppel. Once a deal is done, another question will follow fast - did the Hornets overpay?
It’s a complicated situation, even if the basic answer may eventually be straightforward.
The frontcourt picture is just as unsettled. Moussa Diabaté enters camp as the starting center by default, since he’s the incumbent, but there’s already a strong case building for rookie Hannes Steinbach.
Steinbach turned heads in Summer League, and some projections have him opening the season in the lineup. The Hornets also have to account for the fact that their offense can’t simply run the same way it did with Diabaté last year, especially with LaMelo Ball gone.
That opens the door to questions about where Naz Reid fits, whether at center or power forward, and what the lineup looks like if he’s used at the five.
Then there’s the backcourt behind Coby White. White is expected to start, but the real issue is how much the Hornets can ask him to carry.
He has his own injury history, and 36 minutes a night probably isn’t the answer. The problem is that the depth behind him isn’t especially strong.
Charlotte did bring in Dennis Schröder in a trade and added Christian Anderson Jr. in the draft, which creates its own set of questions: how much Schröder has left, when Anderson Jr. will be ready, and how much time the rookie will spend with the NBA team.
For a team that already made its major roster moves this offseason, training camp now becomes the place where the next answers start to take shape.
In Other News...
Nicolas Batums Retirement Hits Hornets Fans On A Much Deeper Level
Nicolas Batums retirement announcement landed with a familiar kind of weight for Hornets fans, the sort that goes beyond basketball. After an 18-year NBA career across four teams, Batum stepped away from the game and framed the moment around family and reflection, making clear in a video message that he feels ready to turn the page to a new chapter in life.
For Charlotte, Batum has always been more than a role player who passed through. His decision to pick September 21 carried personal meaning tied to his fathers death, a detail that speaks to how much of his journey has always been shaped by loss, memory and family. Even in retirement, the focus around Batum feels less like an ending than a reminder of the person behind the jersey, which is why this news hits Hornets fans in a deeper way. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks May Be Weighing A Costly Defensive Tradeoff
The Hornets have already made two notable roster moves this summer, reshaping the backcourt and adding a frontcourt piece while collecting draft capital in the process. LaMelo Ball and Josh Green were sent to Minnesota for Naz Reid and multiple picks, and Charlotte also brought in veteran point guard Dennis Schroder from Cleveland for Tre Mann, giving the team a different look as it continues to sort out its depth and balance.
There may still be more coming, with Charlotte having held trade talks with Atlanta on a possible deal that could alter both teams rotation plans. The discussion has centered on a veteran wing package, and the appeal is obvious from the Hornets side: adding another established piece while deciding how much more defensive stability it is willing to sacrifice. For now, though, the talks remain just that, with no agreement finalized. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Are Getting More Respect Than Fans Might Expect
The preseason chatter around Charlotte has taken a different turn than many fans expected, with Yahoo Sports slotting the Hornets 16th in its NBA power rankings. Considering how much roster turnover followed a busy offseason, thats a notable vote of confidence for a team that has spent years trying to reset its direction and build a more stable core.
Charlottes reshaped roster reflects just how aggressive the front office was in making those changes, sending out familiar names like LaMelo Ball, Josh Green and Miles Bridges while bringing in a new mix headlined by Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce ONeale, Dennis Schrder and Dorian Finney-Smith. Jeff Peterson has also shown belief in the clubs younger talent, which is part of the reason the outlook has changed so quickly, and the first real test of how all of it fits together comes when the Hornets open the 2026-27 season on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. [Read more 🡒]