The Charlotte Hornets have been working through a hectic stretch, juggling roster limits and the financial side of the ledger while trying to shape the team for the regular season. That process has already led them through a chain of moves, and Rob Dillingham became the latest casualty.
Charlotte first landed Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. As ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported, “The Atlanta Hawks are trading Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith, the team announced on Tuesday. The Hornets are expected to waive Nembhard as part of the trade, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania," ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk wrote.
Not long after that, the Hornets flipped Hield to the Chicago Bulls and brought back Dillingham, a former first-rounder who had been viewed as a promising young guard when Minnesota drafted him out of Kentucky. ESPN reported, “The Chicago Bulls are trading Rob Dillingham to the Charlotte Hornets for Buddy Hield and cash, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday. Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NBA draft and still just 21 years old, is being traded less than a year after landing in Chicago at the trade deadline last season," ESPN wrote.
But the stay in Charlotte was short-lived. On Monday, the Hornets waived Dillingham, with NBA insider Brett Siegel writing, “The Hornets are waiving Rob Dillingham,”
The move comes as Charlotte tries to get down to the league’s roster limit. The Hornets currently have 16 players and must be at 15 when the regular season begins.
Dillingham was also carrying a $28 million rookie contract, which made him an expensive piece for a player who was expected to fill a bench role. For Charlotte, that contract likely made the decision even easier as the team continued sorting out both its roster and its finances.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Is Embracing A Role That Could Change Everything
Anthony Edwards is heading into his seventh NBA season with the Timberwolves looking more like a franchise centerpiece than ever, and the shift has been visible well before opening night. He has been around the team in a bigger way this offseason, showing up for workouts and taking part in the kind of day-to-day buildup that usually signals a player is ready to do more than just carry the scoring load.
At Media Day, Edwards kept the focus on the bigger picture, framing his goals around winning with the group rather than chasing individual markers. For Minnesota, that matters because his voice now reaches beyond the box score - from the locker room to the teams broader offseason planning - and the next step is seeing how far that buy-in can push a roster that expects to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Jayson Tatum Is Already Shaping Another Stars Achilles Comeback
Donte DiVincenzo is five months into the long grind back from an Achilles tear, and the Timberwolves guard has leaned on a familiar network of NBA help as he works through it. Among the players offering support and advice is Jayson Tatum, who came back from the same injury in nine months and has become one of the examples DiVincenzo can point to as he navigates the rehab process.
The bigger picture for Minnesota is simple: DiVincenzo wants to play again this season, and the Wolves would welcome any chance to add another useful piece when the games start to matter most. Recovery from an Achilles injury is as much about the people around a player as the therapy itself, and DiVincenzo's situation is another reminder that the path back can be steadier when the support system is strong. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Connelly Leaves A Big Timberwolves Question Hanging Over Opening Night
Minnesotas media day brought the usual optimism from president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, head coach Chris Finch and the players, with the conversation centered on a group that believes it can keep building and winning. Connelly said he is happy with the organization and the direction of the team, which is the sort of message fans want to hear on the eve of another season.
The bigger question, though, is whether that sense of stability extends beyond opening night. Connelly did not offer any long-term commitment as his contract moves closer to expiration, and the backdrop of recent ownership changes only adds to the uncertainty around his future. He has drawn attention before from other front offices, too, so for a team trying to stay in the title mix, the unresolved piece is whether the architect remains in place for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]