LaMelo Ball is gone, and the Hornets are not pretending there’s a clean one-for-one answer.
That’s the picture Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports paints as Charlotte tries to move forward after trading Ball to Minnesota over the summer. O’Connor writes that the replacement plan is a shared one, with the Hornets not asking any single player to duplicate what Ball brought to an offense that finished fifth in the NBA last season.
Coby White is lined up to start at point guard, but Charlotte isn’t expecting him to be a LaMelo clone. O’Connor notes that White is more of a shot-maker than a pure playmaker, though he does apply more pressure at the rim than Ball.
The heavier lift may fall on the wings. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are both expected to be part of Charlotte’s next step in 2026/27, and O’Connor points out that Miller’s first three NBA seasons have been interrupted by health issues.
He also has had trouble creating his own shot, ranking 61st out of 66 players with at least 100 possessions in isolation scoring efficiency last season. With Ball no longer there to generate open looks, that area becomes a major swing skill for Miller.
The Ball deal also brought in Naz Reid, and O’Connor says the floor-stretching big man changes the “geometry” of Charlotte’s lineups. In practical terms, that gives the Hornets a path to rolling out five-man groups made up entirely of shooters.
Elsewhere in the Southeast, Ryan Nembhard’s future in Charlotte is already being debated. The Hornets picked him up from Atlanta earlier this week, but reports that followed suggested the second-year guard could be waived. Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel, writing on Miami’s possible interest, said the Heat could use another ball-handler but may not be inclined to chase the 5’11” Nembhard because the front office generally avoids undersized players.
Miami’s roster math may have gotten a little easier, too. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that the NBA’s salary cap projection for 2027/28 has been raised from $174MM to $176MM, a bump that could help the Heat bring back Davion Mitchell next summer while still using most or all of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to add another rotation piece.
In Orlando, new Osceola Magic head coach Ronnie Burrell said Wednesday that he actively wanted to get back to the NBA G League after spending the last three years as an NBA assistant coach, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Burrell, who was the G League’s Coach of the Year in 2023 with the Long Island Nets, said he’s returning as a “better version” of himself and is eager to “put to use” what he learned over the past three seasons.
“I love it. It fits me,” Burrell said of coaching in the G League.
“It’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve done as a coach. So, I’m happy to be back and (I’m) very grateful.”
In Other News...
Heat Championship Hopes Suddenly Rest On One Huge Spoelstra Call
The Heat spent the offseason loading up around the margins and then some, adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and drafting Ryan Conwell to a roster that already has pieces Spoelstra can mix and match. Miamis path back into the top tier of the Eastern Conference now looks less like a simple star-driven ascent and more like a coachs puzzle, with lineups that could feature those newcomers alongside returning contributors such as Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins.
For Spoelstra, the real challenge is figuring out which combinations maximize the Heats defensive edge without shortchanging the shooting that is supposed to make the whole thing work. In a conference stuffed with talent, Miamis championship hopes may come down to whether its coach can keep enough spacing around its stars while still preserving the identity that has long made the Heat dangerous in the spring. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have A Roster Question Fans Will Want Answered
The Heat have been busy adding depth through the margins, bringing in players such as Mo Bamba and Bez Mbeng via their G-League affiliate and waiver claims as they continue to round out the roster around a veteran core. It is the kind of low-profile work that can matter later, especially for a team that always has to balance present-tense contention with the need to keep a little younger talent in the pipeline.
One name that now fits that conversation is Johni Broome, the former Auburn standout and 2025 second-round pick who was recently waived by the Clippers. Miami could view him as a possible source of youthful interior help behind its established bigs, but for now the question is simply whether the Heat decide to make room for another developmental piece or keep looking elsewhere for that last bit of frontcourt depth. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Backcourt Gamble Now Comes Down To Davion Mitchell
D'Angelo Russells sudden availability has put another backcourt option on the board for Miami as the Heat continue sorting out how much guard help they still need before the season begins. After being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies, Russell can sign with another team, and his name immediately fits a discussion that has already been hovering around Miamis roster picture: whether the Heat should add another veteran ballhandler or trust the pieces they already have.
For now, the more important question appears to be how the Heat feel about Davion Mitchell and the rest of their current guard group. Miami has not been reported to have any official interest in Russell, but the possibility itself underscores the balancing act in front of the front office, which has to decide whether to keep the backcourt as is or pursue another proven option. However that conversation ends, Mitchells place in it seems central. [Read more 🡒]