The Hornets have a crowded frontcourt, but one big man is starting to separate himself from the pack. Ryan Kalkbrenner may not be the flashiest name in the mix with Moussa Diabate and Hannes Steinbach, yet he’s giving Charlotte the kind of interior presence that’s hard to overlook.
That case got stronger in Saturday’s 124-112 upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a win that snapped a six-game losing streak and jolted the offense back to life. Charlotte did it without Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Dennis Schröder, and still posted its highest point total of the season after scoring fewer than 100 points in four of its previous six games.
Kalkbrenner was right in the middle of it. In 35 minutes, he finished with eight points, 15 rebounds, 10 offensive boards, three assists, three blocks, and a steal. Against Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, he controlled the paint and owned the glass, giving Charlotte the kind of stability it has been missing.
That performance fits the bigger picture, too. Through 11 games, Kalkbrenner has produced Charlotte’s best net rating at +7.6, and he’s the only player on the roster with a positive mark so far this season. He’s played in all 11 games and logged more than 200 minutes, giving the Hornets a real sample of what he brings.
The split when he’s off the floor is even more striking. In 321 minutes without Kalkbrenner, Charlotte is sitting at a -22.9 net rating, the worst on the team. That’s a 30.5-point swing per 100 possessions.
His impact shows up in the numbers around him, too. Naz Reid is producing 3.8 more points, 3.6 more rebounds, and 2.0 more assists per 36 minutes while shooting 4.5 percent better from the field and 5.3 percent better from three with Kalkbrenner on the court. Brandon Miller’s jump has been even bigger, with 11.2 more points per 36 minutes, plus shooting gains of 12.7 percent from the field and 13.2 percent from deep.
Miller’s shooting line tells the story clearly: he’s at 31.4 percent from the field in 209 minutes without Kalkbrenner and 44.1 percent in 101 minutes with him.
The ripple effect doesn’t stop there. Grayson Allen is averaging 9.2 more points per 36 minutes while shooting 13.6 percent better from the field and 14.9 percent better from three with Kalkbrenner on the floor.
Sion James is at 35.3 percent from beyond the arc with him and 22.9 percent without him. Royce O’Neale has also seen a 10.0 percent bump from three.
That means six of the top seven players on the team in minutes per game are more efficient with Kalkbrenner out there. The lone exception is Diabate, the player Kalkbrenner would be starting over.
The defensive side is just as important. Opponents are shooting 13.1 percent worse than average within six feet of the rim when Kalkbrenner is the primary defender. He’s also averaging 1.3 blocks per game and 2.4 blocks per 36 minutes.
On offense, he’s giving Charlotte something it badly needs. Kalkbrenner is an active screener, generating 8.0 screen assist points per 36 minutes for a team that ranks dead last in offensive rating. He’s also pulling down 5.9 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes and handing out 3.0 assists per 36.
The bigger point is that he doesn’t need touches to matter. He screens, rebounds, passes, protects the rim, and makes the game simpler for everyone else. For a Hornets team that leans perimeter-heavy, having a 7-foot-1, 256-pound anchor in the middle matters.
Diabate had an excellent 2025-26 campaign and may still turn things around in 2026-27, but right now the Hornets have a clear answer in the middle. With Reid and Kalkbrenner inside and the perimeter group hopefully getting back to full strength, Charlotte may have a path to climbing out of its 4-7 start.
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Naz Reid Is Giving The Hornets Exactly What They Need
Naz Reid has settled into a much better rhythm for Charlotte since being benched by head coach Charles Lee, and the timing has mattered. Over his last six games, he has averaged 17.6 points while giving the Hornets a steadier scoring presence, something the team has needed with Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel still sidelined. His recent 25-point effort in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers was another sign that he is becoming more comfortable carrying a bigger load.
Charles Lee also had reason to be encouraged by the way Reid impacted both ends of the floor in that victory, especially with Charlotte trying to piece together offense without several key pieces. The Hornets are leaning on him as a primary option for now, and the question is whether this stretch is simply a hot run or the beginning of a more permanent role in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Losing Streak Is Putting Charlottes Biggest Weakness On Display
The Hornets six-game skid has done more than pile up losses, it has put their thinnest area in plain view. With multiple rotation pieces sidelined, Charlotte has had a harder time generating offense and even harder time surviving the night-to-night grind that comes with injuries, especially when the lineup keeps changing around them.
Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schrder are both dealing with hamstring injuries, while Brandon Miller is out with a groin issue, leaving the Hornets short on scoring and depth at the same time. For a team already searching for stability, the next stretch will be about managing those absences and hoping the roster can hold together long enough to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Suddenly Need These 3 Players To Keep The Season Afloat
Kon Knueppels latest setback leaves Charlotte trying to piece together its wing rotation again, and the timing could hardly be worse. The rookie had only just worked his way back after missing the first eight games, then lasted just six minutes against Brooklyn before the left hamstring strain forced him back out of the lineup.
With Knueppel out, the Hornets will have to lean harder on Grayson Allen, Sion James and Coby White to absorb the minutes and keep the offense moving. It puts more pressure on that group to stabilize a season that has already been tested by injuries, and it leaves Charlotte waiting to see how long it can hold things together without another key piece on the floor. [Read more 🡒]