2025-26 NBA Guide : Charlotte Hornets

Hornets: Another Year of Rebuilding

It’s been nine years since the Charlotte Hornets last played a postseason game, and the franchise appears stuck in a never-ending rebuild. Entering the 2024–25 NBA season under new head coach Charles Lee, former Boston Celtics assistant coach, who served during their 2023–24 championship run, there was hope that things might finally start looking up.

The Hornets were far from favorites in the Eastern Conference, but they did possess a young and intriguing core built around LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting the previous season, behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

Still, the biggest concern surrounding Charlotte was health. Ball had played in just 58 of a possible 164 games over the prior two years due to persistent ankle injuries, while Williams had managed only 62 appearances in that span.

Unfortunately, those fears became reality. Injuries once again ravaged the Hornets’ roster, and several key players missed large chunks of the season. The worst of all came when Brandon Miller suffered a torn ligament in his wrist that required surgery, sidelining him after just 27 games.

LaMelo Ball managed to play in 47 games, his highest total since his 2021–22 All-Star season, before undergoing surgeries on both his ankle and wrist. As for Mark Williams, his season featured one of the more bizarre storylines. He returned from injury in December, played well, and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at the February deadline. However, the deal was voided after the Lakers’ medical team flagged concerns in his physical. Williams ultimately returned to Charlotte and finished the season healthy.

Other key contributors, including Grant Williams and Tre Mann, also suffered injuries that kept them out for extended periods. With so many absences, the Hornets endured yet another brutal season, finishing second to last in the East with a 19–63 record, just one win better than the Washington Wizards.

Even before the injuries piled up, though, Charlotte was struggling. By the end of December, when most of the roster was still available, the team stood at a disappointing 7–25.

Hornets Target Strategic Additions to Move Forward

Charlotte entered the offseason with a clear mission: reshape the roster through the NBA Draft. And they did just that, adding four rookies, Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner.

Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick, is the most promising of the bunch. A teammate of Cooper Flagg at Duke, the shooting guard is an elite scorer capable of producing at all three levels. While his lateral quickness on defense still needs work, his high effort and strong instincts make him a positive presence. He’s expected to start from day one.

McNeeley, taken 29th overall, was projected to go much earlier by many analysts. A well-rounded wing who can both score and defend, his poor three-point shooting numbers at UConn may not tell the whole story, his 87% free-throw accuracy suggests room for improvement as a shooter.

James, another Duke product, is a defensive-minded guard who makes sound decisions offensively, while Kalkbrenner is perhaps the most intriguing of the four.

The Hornets were also active in the trade market. They acquired Collin Sexton from the Utah Jazz in exchange for center Jusuf Nurkić. Sexton has struggled to meet the lofty expectations from his Cleveland Cavaliers days, but he remains a dynamic shot creator and could provide much-needed scoring depth in the backcourt.

Charlotte also brought in Pat Connaughton from Milwaukee as part of a salary move that included two future second-round picks. He may be waived before the season starts, but if retained, the veteran offers championship experience to the locker room.

In free agency, the Hornets signed Spencer Dinwiddie, another experienced guard with proven offensive ability, and reunited with Mason Plumlee, who returns for a second stint with the team.

The biggest departure, however, was Mark Williams, who was eventually traded to the Phoenix Suns. The return wasn’t as lucrative as the original voided Lakers deal, but Charlotte did secure two late first-round picks, one of which was used to draft McNeeley.

Can the Hornets Climb Out of the Cellar?

The year prior, the Atlanta Hawks had just the ninth-best odds for the top pick and still won the lottery. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons, who had back-to-back worst records, also dropped to No. 5.

Recent NBA history has shown that the league’s draft lottery is no longer a guaranteed reward for bad teams. In 2025, for example, the Dallas Mavericks reached the Play-In Tournament yet still landed the No. 1 overall pick, while the league-worst Utah Jazz fell to fifth, behind the Hornets themselves.

Simply put, the NBA’s new lottery system is increasingly unforgiving to tanking teams. For Charlotte, that means it’s time to aim higher. The Pistons’ recent turnaround is a prime example. After years of mediocrity and record-setting futility, they bounced back to make the playoffs and win their first postseason game since 2008.

While the Hornets may not yet have the talent to reach that level, they do have enough young pieces to become competitive, if they can stay healthy.

Ryan Kalkbrenner: A Rookie with a Real Opportunity

At 7-foot (2.13m), Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton was selected 34th overall and brings a polished, college-tested game. Over five NCAA seasons, he earned four Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards and led the conference in blocks per game in three of them, averaging over three rejections per contest in 2023–24.

Kalkbrenner is a premier rim protector and post defender, though his perimeter mobility remains a question. Offensively, he’s an effective finisher around the rim and a capable pick-and-roll partner for LaMelo Ball and Collin Sexton.

At 23, he’s physically mature and ready to contribute immediately, especially on a team lacking frontcourt depth. With both Nick Richards and Mark Williams gone, only Mason Plumlee and Kalkbrenner remain as true centers. French forward Moussa Diabaté and veteran Taj Gibson could see spot minutes, but Kalkbrenner is expected to earn significant playing time, perhaps even a starting role.

If his defensive instincts and rim protection translate to the NBA level, the Hornets could finally have the anchor they’ve been missing.

Improving Three-Point Shooting Is Key

Teams that lose 63 games usually have problems everywhere, but Charlotte’s biggest weakness last season was perimeter shooting. The Hornets ranked second-worst in offensive rating and shot just 33.9% from three, the third-lowest mark in the league.

Their catch-and-shoot efficiency was even worse, at 35.3%, ahead of only Orlando, Washington, and Portland, despite taking a respectable number of such attempts. That could change this year thanks to the new additions.

Knueppel shot 40.6% from deep at Duke and led the ACC in free-throw accuracy at 91.4%, showcasing his pure shooting touch. McNeeley, while streaky in college, impressed with 42.3% from three in Summer League play. Even Kalkbrenner added range to his game, hitting 34.4% from beyond the arc last season.

Surrounding LaMelo Ball with capable shooters is essential for Charlotte’s offense. His elite court vision thrives when teammates can convert the open looks he creates.

If the Hornets can finally stay healthy and improve their perimeter efficiency, 2025–26 could mark the beginning of a genuine upward turn, perhaps not playoff contention yet, but a step out of the endless cycle of rebuilding.