Previewing the Charlotte Hornets for the 2026–27 Season
The Charlotte Hornets are entering the 2026–27 season with plenty of optimism after finishing their final 64 games with a 40–24 record before ultimately losing in the Play-In Tournament to the Orlando Magic. Charlotte was one of the most interesting teams to monitor this offseason as they moved on from franchise point guard LaMelo Ball and forward Miles Bridges, two players who had been with the organization for several years.
After their most successful season as a team in years, the Hornets decided to move in a different direction. The organization wants to focus on building a roster around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, giving the young duo more opportunities offensively. That played a major role in the decision to move on from Ball and Bridges.
I think it was ultimately the right decision. Charlotte received plenty of draft capital in return, along with Naz Reid, who should be a great fit alongside the young duo. The Eastern Conference is extremely deep, and it might be difficult for this team to contend this season. However, with the moves they made this offseason, Charlotte's foundation looks set for the foreseeable future.
The Roster
Point Guards: Coby White, Dennis Schröder, Christian Anderson, Kylan Boswell (Two-Way Contract)
Shooting Guards: Brandon Miller, Grayson Allen, Sion James
Small Forwards: Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Liam McNeeley, Michael Ajayi (Two-Way Contract)
Power Forwards: Naz Reid, Royce O'Neale, Tidjane Salaün
Centers: Naz Reid, Moussa Diabaté, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Hannes Steinbach, P.J. Hall (Two-Way Contract)
The biggest changes to this roster are obviously the departures of Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball. Those were two very solid offensive players, and Charlotte is essentially replacing them with Grayson Allen and Naz Reid, along with some major draft capital that won't impact the team this season.
I think Allen and Reid are two great players to pair with Knueppel and Miller. Allen provides another strong spot-up shooting option, while Reid is one of the best stretch big men in the NBA. With an increased role, Reid could put up All-Star-caliber numbers and should be the clear third option on this team, no question.
Biggest Questions
One major question I have is how the offensive production will be split among this roster and who will really establish themselves. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are the star-studded duo, but it will be interesting to see how things play out between them. Could one overtake the other as the clear No. 1 option, or will they develop into more of a 1A and 1B duo, similar to what Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had in Boston?
I think this duo has the ceiling to reach the level that Tatum and Brown reached. I also believe Knueppel was snubbed of Rookie of the Year and will become a star in this league very shortly. With his usage expected to increase in year two, it will be interesting to see how much of a jump he can make and how the dynamic between these two young players develops.
With LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges gone, the two players stepping into bigger roles are Coby White and Naz Reid. White was with Charlotte last season but was more of a scoring option off the bench. He will now be the team's starting point guard, and we have seen throughout his career in Chicago that he can handle that role very well.
Reid was also a very efficient player in Minnesota and will now be rewarded with a much bigger role. He was the perfect fit for this team, especially since Charlotte has lacked consistent perimeter shooting from its big men for several years.
I think either White or Reid could put up All-Star-caliber numbers and potentially have the type of mid-career breakout that we don't see very often in the NBA. It will be interesting to see if that happens for both players, just one of them, or neither if things go sideways.
The last question I have is whether some of the young talent on this roster can really establish consistent roles this season. Players like Ryan Kalkbrenner, Liam McNeeley, Tidjane Salaün, Sion James, and the two rookies, Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson, will all have opportunities to contribute.
Some of these players will need to step up and establish consistent roles as the season goes on for Charlotte to have success.
Salaün is one player who really interests me. He is entering his third season, and the former sixth overall pick hasn't shown a whole lot in his first two years. He needs to have a solid season and show some real improvement. Charlotte drafted him sixth overall in 2024 for a reason, and it will be interesting to see if he can finally find a consistent spot in the rotation, especially with less competition at power forward following the departure of Miles Bridges.
Prediction Markets
Some of the current futures betting lines for the Hornets are as follows:
Regular-season win total: 38.5
To win the NBA Finals: +10000 (19th-best odds)
To win the Eastern Conference: +4500 (11th-best odds)
To reach the Conference Finals: +1600 (11th-best odds)
To reach the Conference Semifinals: +650 (11th-best odds)
To win the division: +850 (4th-best odds)
To make the playoffs: +150
To miss the playoffs: -180
To participate in the Play-In: +130
To win the NBA Cup: +6000 (19th-best odds)
These odds are slightly below average and project the Hornets to finish somewhere around the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. In most other seasons, I think these odds would be higher, but with how deep the East is this year, it is difficult to put Charlotte much higher.
With the organization clearly positioning this roster for the future, I think simply earning a top-10 seed and making the Play-In Tournament would be considered a successful season.
Final Prediction and Outlook
I believe the Hornets are on a very bright path and might have one of the best futures in the NBA. They have plenty of draft capital, a talented young core, and this is certainly not a veteran-heavy team by any means.
The vibes are high in Charlotte, and I think the organization is finally on a path that it hasn't been on in a very long time. Although the Eastern Conference is extremely deep this season, I believe the 2027–28 season is when the Hornets could really take off.
I expect Charlotte to remain competitive throughout the year, but with so many talented teams in the East, it will be difficult for them to make a serious playoff push. This season should be more about developing the young core and setting the team up for long-term success.
Final Prediction: 38–44 | 10th Seed | First-Round Play-In Loss
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