A major piece of the Charlotte Hornets’ reshaped roster has already been tagged as a breakout candidate for 2026-27.
Naz Reid is stepping into a much bigger job in Charlotte after the Hornets sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that brought Reid and draft capital back to the franchise. With Ball gone, Reid is set to open as the starting power forward, and the buzz around him is real.
Danny Chau of The Ringer identified Reid as a breakout candidate for the 2026-27 season, and it’s easy to see why. Reid spent last season coming off the bench for Minnesota, but he still made plenty of noise. He won the 6th Man of the Year Award in 2023-24 after averaging 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three.
The 26-year-old has been steady for years, not just for one hot stretch. Over that span, he has averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, a steal, and a block per game, while shooting 45.6 percent overall and 36.2 percent from beyond the arc.
That kind of production gives Charlotte something it needs: a forward who can score and stretch the floor. With Ball and Miles Bridges no longer on the roster, Reid should be one of the Hornets’ main options on offense alongside Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Coby White.
His shooting also makes the frontcourt picture more interesting. Reid’s ability to space the floor gives Charlotte a cleaner fit with centers Hannes Steinbach, Moussa Diabate, and Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Steinbach is entering his rookie season after a strong 2025-26 run at Washington. The 20-year-old was one of the nation’s top rebounders, putting up 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 34 percent from deep.
Even though his three-point shooting hasn’t been elite, he has shown enough range to hint at a possible five-out look next to Reid.
Kalkbrenner brings a more traditional presence, averaging 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 75.3 percent from the floor. Diabate fits that same general mold as a conventional big, finishing with 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and a block per game while shooting 63.1 percent from the field.
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