Hornets Rumors

Southeast Notes: Kalkbrenner, Miller, Jovic, Middleton

October 4th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s competition for the center spot on the Hornets’ roster and rookie second-rounder Ryan Kalkbrenner is making a strong bid to be part of the rotation, writes Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer (subscription required).

The 34th pick of the draft is a seasoned Big East veteran out of Creighton and he’s making a strong impression during training camp.

“His basketball IQ stands out to me, his competitiveness stands out to me and I think his willingness to keep it simple stands out to me,” coach Charles Lee said. “I think that he’s in the right positions a lot of times because he’s willing to do whatever it takes to kind of help his teammates defensively and offensively. And so he’s been phenomenal — as have all the rookies. But he’s stood out.”

Kalkbrenner has been encouraged by the atmosphere during the first week of camp.

“It’s been great,” Kalkbrenner said. “I was thinking about this as we were wrapping up practice. As you go through this draft process, you don’t know what team you’re going to end up with, how the guys are going to be. And I couldn’t be happier with the group I’m with. Come in every day — I don’t always know what I’m doing, but they’ve been so helpful in helping me get better and improve. And I’m feeling much more comfortable because of that. So, it’s been great.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets forward Brandon Miller missed a good chunk of last season due to a wrist injury. Miller, still just 22 and entering his third season, can not only be a future All-Star but a legacy player, in executive VP of basketball operations Jeff Peterson‘s estimation. “I don’t want to put a cap or a ceiling on him because Brandon can be as good as he wants to be. He can be a Hall of Famer,” Peterson said, per Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer. “And he knows the expectations on him this season. More importantly, he has those same expectations for himself.”
Heat forward Nikola Jovic has appeared in exactly 46 games in each of the last two seasons. Jovic also missed most of his rookie season with a back injury. He has dealt with hamstring, ankle, hand and nasal injuries the past two seasons but Jovic, who signed a four-year extension this week, disputes the notion he’s injury-prone, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “I broke my foot [when I] stepped on someone,” he said. “I broke my nose [when] someone elbowed me. I broke my hand because someone hit my hand. What was I supposed to do? If someone hits you, I can’t talk to my bone and tell it to not break. Hopefully, I’m preparing my body for the whole season and play as many games as I can.”
Wizards wing Khris Middleton is an anomaly on a roster filled with young players trying to prove their worth. That makes him an essential piece — a veteran those players can lean on for advice and guidance, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “These guys are eager to play, and that’s what basketball players want to be around, people that are energetic, happy about playing basketball, being around basketball,” Middleton said. “That’s what I love about this group. They’re all young. They’re all learning. I just want to help guide them on their way. I don’t want to necessarily overstep and try to be the ‘super vet.’ I want to give them room and a path to let them grow and find their own journey, like my own vets did with me.”

Eastern Notes: Porter, Celtics, Magic, Hornets, Wiseman

October 1st, 2025 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Responding to a question about Kevin Porter Jr.‘s increased responsibilities in 2025/26 now that Damian Lillard is no longer on the roster, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers suggested that the plan will be to start Porter at point guard, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“He started out as a high draft pick. He started. They put the ball in his hands. He could literally take any shot and he did,” Rivers said. “And now he comes from that, from not playing at times, coming off the bench, being out of the league, to now back to starting. And that’s a huge a responsibility for him to run the team and still be aggressive. That’s the hardest thing to do, I think, in basketball is from the point guard, understand when and when. It’s just hard, and so I’m sure at times he’ll be great at it and then at times he may struggle at it, but we’ll support him and get him right.”

As Rivers alluded to in his comments, Porter was the starting point guard in Houston from 2021-23, but was out of the NBA during the 2023/24 season due to a domestic violence incident.

Returning to action last season, Porter was up and down for the Clippers, but thrived following a deadline deal to Milwaukee. In 30 regular season outings for the Bucks, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game and posted a shooting line of .494/.408/.871.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Brian Robb of MassLive.com shares his takeaways from the Celtics‘ first day of practice on Tuesday, which featured an appearance from former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. Jenkins got a first-hand look at another former Grizzly, big man Xavier Tillman, who appears to be back to 100% after being plagued by knee issues in 2024/25. “From just a playing perspective, (last season) was very hard,” Tillman said, per Robb. “Just wanting to play, wanting to contribute. But I also knew I was going through stuff myself. My knee would have days where it would just swell up into a balloon after I had one scrimmage or stuff like that. So I knew consistency-wise, I could be there to kind of support. But as far as my actual play, I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do.”
Speaking of former Grizzlies, Magic newcomers Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones also played together in Memphis under Jenkins, and their chemistry has been on display so far at Orlando’s training camp, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic details. “There’s a comfort level that they have with one another,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said of the duo. “Their veteran leadership, knowing that they’re calling each other out, going to the same baskets. There’s just something about them and their experience through this league that just says, one, they’ve been together before and, if I didn’t (already) know it, I would have thought it.”
The Hornets officially announced a series of changes and additions to their basketball operations staff, including confirming that former Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune as been hired as an assistant coach, as was first reported in August.
Although he admits he was “shocked” and disappointed when he tore his Achilles last fall, Pacers center James Wiseman said he got through the recovery process “one day at a time” and believes he’s now in the best shape of his career, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, Wiseman was one of the team’s best performers in a conditioning test last week. “You think about what he’s gone through with his rehab and everything else and this is a week before camp, he’s out there with some of our best conditioned wings and guards,” Carlisle said. “That’s a strong statement.”

Hornets Sign Ibou Badji, DJ Rodman

September 30th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

10:20 am: In addition to signing Badji, the Hornets have also re-added DJ Rodman to their camp roster, the team confirmed today in a press release. Rodman was initially signed and waived by Charlotte last week.

The team now has a full 21-man squad.

8:28 am: The Hornets are adding free agent center Ibou Badji to their preseason roster, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

While Boone doesn’t specify what type of contract Badji is signing with the Hornets, it will almost certainly be non-guaranteed, with Exhibit 9 language. If it also includes an Exhibit 10 clause, it could be converted to a two-way deal prior to the regular season or would line up the big man to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate.

Badji, who will turn 23 next month, appeared in 22 NBA games during the 2023/24 season while on a two-way contract with Portland. He averaged 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 10.3 minutes per contest during his time with the Trail Blazers.

Outside of that stint in Portland, Badji has spent the rest of his professional career playing in the G League or in Spain, including most recently with La Laguna Tenerife, which competes in Spain’s top basketball league (Liga ACB). He headed overseas in the spring after appearing in 50 games for the Wisconsin Herd during the 2024/25 G League season.

The seven-footer from Senegal put up 6.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and an impressive 3.5 BPG in 22.4 MPG for the Herd, earning himself as spot on the NBAGL’s All-Defensive team.

The Swarm acquired Badji’s returning rights from Wisconsin in August, which suggests that the plan is for him to eventually report to Greensboro.

The Hornets have two openings on their roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for the signing.

Hornets Notes: Miller, Knueppel, Lee, Mann, Dinwiddie, Lineup

September 29th, 2025 at 12:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Brandon Miller is healthy and will participate in training camp, Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said on Monday, according to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Miller’s 2024/25 campaign was cut short by wrist surgery performed in January.

There’s no timetable regarding the injury status of Grant Williams and Josh Green, Peterson added. Both players are expected to miss all of training camp. Green underwent left shoulder surgery in June, while Williams tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee last November.

We have more on the Hornets from Boone:

LaMelo Ball was caught off guard by rookie Kon Knueppel‘s athleticism, particularly his hops (Twitter link). “I’m not going to lie. I’m going to go with the bounce,” he said. “For real. I didn’t know he could jump like that. He’s even caught a few little dunks. I’m like, ‘Hold up, I’ve seen ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ at the end and he’s been kind of jumping like that the whole day, though. Solid.”
Hornets head coach Charles Lee indicated the system and offensive strategy has been tweaked so they can play faster this season. He added he’s more prepared now than he was in his first year on the job (Twitter link).
Tre Mann re-signed with the team on a three-year, $24MM contract. He missed most of last season due to a back injury but started to feel back to normal in April. “I’m grateful to be healthy,” he said. (Twitter video link).
Journeyman guard Spencer Dinwiddie signed a one-year deal in July as a free agent. He believes the team has the talent to end its postseason drought. “Being able to help a team possibly trying to make the playoffs is an exciting opportunity and another challenge in my career,” he said. (video link).
Ball, Miller and Miles Bridges are starting lineup locks. Who fills the other spots? According to Boone, Sexton could be the person sliding into the shooting guard spot. Starting him would allow Lee to moved him to point guard when Ball goes to the bench in the opening quarter. At center, Lee could play the matchup game. Veteran Mason Plumlee appears to be the favorite to snag that spot, backed up by Moussa Diabate and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner.

Hornets Sign, Waive Jaylen Sims

September 27th, 2025 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

September 27: The Hornets have waived Sims, the team’s PR department tweets.

September 26: The Hornets have signed free agent guard Jaylen Sims, the team announced today (via Twitter). Charlotte had an open spot on its 21-man preseason roster after waiving Nick Smith Jr. on Thursday.

While the team didn’t reveal any details about the deal, it’s almost certainly an Exhibit 10 contract. Sims has made a habit of signing Exhibit 10 deals with the Hornets over the years, having also done so in September of 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Sims, a Charlotte native who went undrafted out of UNC Wilmington, has spent most of his first three professional seasons playing for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. However, the 6’6″ shooting guard made his first NBA appearances this past April while on a 10-day deal with Charlotte, averaging 7.0 points and 2.0 assists in 18.7 minutes per game across six outings.

Prior to his NBA call-up, Sims enjoyed his most productive G League season. In 49 games for the Swarm, he averaged 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 32.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .441/.375/.837. The 26-year-old also played a key role in July for the Hornets’ Summer League team that won the Las Vegas championship, averaging 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .551/.438/.800 shooting in six appearances.

While Sims would be eligible to have his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal prior to the regular season, he’s more likely to be waived and report back to the Swarm for another season. In that scenario, he’d be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 (on top of his standard G League salary) if he spends at least 60 days with Greensboro.

Hornets Sign, Waive Isaih Moore

September 27th, 2025 at 1:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

September 27: Moore has been been waived by the Hornets, the team’s PR department tweets.

September 24: The Hornets have announced the signing of 6’10” forward Isaih Moore, who played for their G League affiliate last season. Terrell Brown Jr. was waived to make room on the roster.

No details were provided on Moore’s contract, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 deal that will include a bonus of up to $85,300 if he returns to Greensboro and spends at least 60 days there. The moves leave the Hornets’ roster at the offseason limit of 21 players.

Moore, 25, appeared in 20 G League games last season, averaging 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per night. He spent the previous season with Sioux Falls in the G League after going undrafted out of Fresno State in 2023.

Brown spent just one day on the Hornets’ roster after being signed on Tuesday. Charlotte has cycled through several players over the past week to make them eligible for bonus money with the Swarm. DJ Rodman, Marcus Garrett, Brandon Slater and Keyontae Johnson have also been signed and waived recently.

Southeast Notes: Bane, D. Smith, Hawks, Wizards, Hornets

September 26th, 2025 at 7:50am CST by Luke Adams

New Magic swingman Desmond Bane feels good about how he’ll fit alongside star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, telling Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com that he thinks his skill set “complements those guys very well” and will help “open up the floor for them to attack and do their thing.” Bane also pointed to Orlando’s roster versatility when asked why he’s confident about the team’s ability to be a contender in 2025/26.

“I think we can play so many different lineups,” he told Medina. “We have so many different handlers. We have so many different screeners. We have guys that can get baskets one-on-one when the game slows down and you get into crunch time. So we really have a lot of tools on this roster.

“It’s always easy to talk this highly at this time of the year. But once you get into December, some guys are playing well, some guys aren’t, some guys are in the rotation, some guys aren’t. That’s when teams really have a choice to come together or split. So we have a long way to go. It’s a long journey. But we got good people in the building and people that work hard and care. So I think that gives us a chance. That’s all you can ask for.”

Bane will be playing for a new team for the first time since entering the NBA in 2020 — he spent his first five professional seasons with the Grizzlies, who traded him to Orlando in June. Speaking to Medina, the 27-year-old made it clear he harbors no ill will toward his former team for ending their relationship over the summer.

“I’m rooting for Memphis 80 games out of the year,” Bane said. “I hope they do well. I got a lot of guys out of there that are up for contracts and things like that. So I want it to work out for them and that they get everything that they deserve. So I’m looking forward toward seeing how they do, and hoping for the best of them. There’s no bad blood at all.”

We have more from around the Southeast:

Heat guard Dru Smith, who tore his Achilles last December, has resumed five-on-five work, a league source tells Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Smith re-signed with Miami this summer on a three-year, minimum-salary deal, though only the first season is guaranteed.
The Hawks put out a press release this week announcing several hires and promotions in their basketball operations department. Most notably, Brittni Donaldson has moved from an assistant coaching role to the front office as Atlanta’s director of basketball development, methodology, and integration, while Mychel Thompson (Klay Thompson‘s brother) has been hired as a pro scout.
While Wizards general manager Will Dawkins assured fans on Wednesday that the front office has a “very clear vision” for its rebuild, he offered few specifics about the plan to turn the team from one of the league’s worst into a legitimate contender, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. With that in mind, Robbins reads between the lines of Dawkins’ comments in an effort to highlight the primary components of the Wizards’ approach to rebuilding, including casting a wide net for young talent, maintaining financial flexibility, and doing a good job scouting their own players.
In a mailbag for The Charlotte Observer (subscription required), Rod Boone explains why he views Collin Sexton and Mason Plumlee as strong candidates to start for the Hornets and evaluates whether an in-season Miles Bridges trade is likely, among other topics.

Hornets Waive Nick Smith Jr.

September 25th, 2025 at 5:25pm CST by Earnest Marshall

5:25pm: The move is now official, per the Hornets.

4:28pm: The Hornets are waiving guard Nick Smith Jr., according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Smith, 21, was the No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 draft. On the surface, the decision to waive him may seem surprising, given that he averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game as a 20-year-old while starting 27 games for Charlotte last season.

However, the Hornets are facing a roster crunch ahead of the 2025/26 season. Before last week, the Hornets had 16 players on fully guaranteed contracts and DaQuan Jeffries and Moussa Diabate among those on partially or non-guaranteed contracts. Charlotte got to work trimming the roster last week by cutting Jeffries, but still had to make multiple moves to set its 15-man regular season roster.

Over the course of the offseason, Charlotte brought in four rookies on standard contracts and, through a series of free agent moves and trades, added veterans Mason Plumlee, Spencer Dinwiddie, Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton. That meant, barring other trades, the Hornets were always going to have to cut at least one player on a fully guaranteed contract, such as Smith.

Once this move is official, the Hornets will still have 15 players on standard contracts and Diabate’s non-guaranteed deal along with their three two-ways and Isaih Moore on an Exhibit 10 contract.

While the easy answer would be to cut Diabate to satisfy roster limits, the decision is not that simple. Diabate averaged a touch under 20 minutes a night for Charlotte last year, appeared in 71 games (eight starts) and posted 5.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. Additionally, Diabate is one of just three players on the roster (including two-ways) who is over 6’10”, so waiving him would leave Charlotte in an even more dire need of big depth. Keep an eye on how this situation unfolds before opening night, given the Hornets will need to make another trade or cut.

As for Smith, it’s possible a team will claim him and his modest $2.7MM salary this year. His contract includes a $4.9MM team option for 2026/27, which will be automatically declined if he clears waivers.

The Nets seem like a great candidate to take a flier on a 21-year-old with a career average of 8.0 PPG and a 36.9% clip from three, although they have a roster crunch of their own to sort through. If he goes unclaimed, it’s hard to imagine it will be long before Smith signs on somewhere. He would be eligible to sign a two-way contract with just two years of service.

The decision to cut Smith for Charlotte was likely less about the player himself than the sheer overlap of guards the Hornets find themselves equipped with. In addition to Connaughton, Sexton and Dinwiddie joining the backcourt, the Hornets drafted Kon Knueppel and Sion James while still rostering LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann and Josh Green.

NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Charlotte Hornets

September 25th, 2025 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Charlotte Hornets.

Free agent signings

Tre Mann: Three years, $24,000,000. Third-year team option. Includes back-related injury protection. Re-signed using Bird rights.
Spencer Dinwiddie: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Mason Plumlee: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Terrell Brown: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Marcus Garrett: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Keyontae Johnson: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Isaih Moore: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
DJ Rodman: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Brandon Slater: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Acquired Collin Sexton and either the Jazz’s or Clippers’ 2030 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable) from the Jazz in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic.
Acquired Vasilije Micic, the draft rights to Liam McNeeley (No. 29 pick), and either the Timberwolves’ (top-five protected), Cavaliers’, or Jazz’s 2029 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable) from the Suns in exchange for Mark Williams and the Suns’ 2029 second-round pick.
Acquired Pat Connaughton, the Bucks’ 2031 second-round pick, and the Bucks’ 2032 second-round pick from the Bucks in exchange for Vasilije Micic.

Draft picks

1-4: Kon Knueppel
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $45,487,013).
1-29: Liam McNeeley
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $14,194,138).
2-33: Sion James
- Signed to four-year, $9,968,963 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
2-34: Ryan Kalkbrenner
- Signed to four-year, $9,968,963 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.

Two-way signings

Drew Peterson
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee.
Antonio Reeves
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee.

Note: The Hornets carried over KJ Simpson on a two-way contract from 2024/25.

Departed/unsigned free agents

Seth Curry (unsigned)
Taj Gibson (unsigned)
Wendell Moore Jr. (unsigned)

Other roster moves

Waived DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed contract).
Waived Josh Okogie (non-guaranteed contract).
Waived Damion Baugh (two-way contract).

Salary cap situation

Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
Carrying approximately $171.5MM in salary.
Hard-capped at $195,945,000.

The offseason so far

Since taking over as the Hornets’ president of basketball operations in March of 2024, Jeff Peterson has shown little urgency to accelerate the team’s rebuilding process. Charlotte, which last appeared in the playoffs in 2016, has the NBA’s longest active postseason drought and hasn’t won a playoff series since returning to the league as an expansion team in 2004, but Peterson and his front office are showing patience as they attempt to build the roster into one capable of sustained success.

That philosophy was evident again this summer. The Hornets entered the offseason with a pretty favorable cap situation and could have used their full mid-level exception on a free agent addition while remaining comfortably below the luxury tax line. However, the front office instead focused on building through the draft and accumulating draft assets on the trade market, while the club’s only forays into free agency involved re-signing its own players or bringing in minimum-salary veterans.

Let’s start with the draft, where the Hornets made four picks in the top 34 and subsequently signed all four players to standard contracts. With the No. 4 overall selection, Charlotte took the relatively safe route by adding Duke sharpshooter Kon Knueppel. The one-and-done wing should have a high floor as a pro, but his ceiling is probably quite a bit lower than that of Ace Bailey, who fell to Utah at No. 5.

There’s a case to be made that the Hornets should have rolled the dice on Bailey, the player with greater star potential, but they didn’t get a chance to visit with or work out the former Rutgers standout, who was believed to be trying to steer his way to Washington at No. 6. With incumbent cornerstones LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller coming off injury-shortened seasons, the Hornets decided to prioritize stability over a higher-risk, higher-reward option. And while Knueppel may not become a superstar, he absolutely has the chance to become one of the NBA’s very best shooters while holding his own on defense.

With the 29th, 33rd, and 34th overall picks, Charlotte drafted UConn’s Liam McNeeley, Knueppel’s former Duke teammate Sion James, and Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, respectively. Once again, the Hornets took a more conservative approach with these picks — McNeeley had been projected by draft experts to come off the board much earlier in the first round, so he was a solid value at No. 29, while James and Kalkbrenner were five-year college players who have had plenty of time to hone their games and could be ready to contribute at the NBA level right away.

Kalkbrenner, in particular, could have an immediate path to rotation minutes in a fairly thin Charlotte frontcourt. James will likely have to rely on his defense to earn him playing time, while McNeeley will have to get back on track after a poor shooting performance in his only college season. Playing alongside Ball and/or Tre Mann should benefit McNeeley in a major way after he spent his freshman year on a Huskies team that operated without a true point guard.

The Hornets acquired the pick they used on McNeeley as part of a trade sending Mark Williams to Phoenix. It was actually the second time the front office had agreed to trade Williams — a deal with the Lakers at last season’s trade deadline fell through due to concerns about his physical. Whether the Hornets share those concerns about the big man’ long-term health or whether they just weren’t especially bullish about his long-term upside, it was clear he was no longer part of their future plans.

Taking into account a subsequent trade involving Vasilije Micic, who was sent from Phoenix to Charlotte in the Williams deal and then flipped to Milwaukee, the Hornets’ total haul for Williams consisted of McNeeley, Pat Connaughton, a 2029 first-round pick, and a future second-round pick (they gave up a second-rounder in the Suns trade but got two back in their deal with the Bucks).

Given that the first-rounder includes “least favorable” language and seems likely to land in the 20s, the return might not be as strong as the package Charlotte nearly acquired from the Lakers at the trade deadline (Dalton Knecht, a future unprotected first-rounder, and a first-round swap). But if McNeeley can develop into a reliable rotation player, it should end up looking fine for the Hornets, who would have had to pay Williams on his second contract beginning in 2026 if they’d hung onto him.

The Hornets’ other offseason trade wasn’t as significant as the one involving Williams, but it was curious for a couple reasons. For one, I’m not sure how Charlotte managed to extract a second-round pick from Utah while swapping Jusuf Nurkic for Collin Sexton, given that both players are on nearly identical expiring contracts and Nurkic – who is older than Sexton by five years – saw his playing time and production fall off last season. That was good work by the front office.

On the other hand, the Hornets’ backcourt is far more crowded than its center spot, so the trade wasn’t an obvious fit from a depth chart perspective. But with Ball and Mann both coming off injuries, acquiring another guard who can handle the ball made some amount of sense for Charlotte.

Speaking of Mann, even though he was limited to just 13 games last season due to a back injury, he was rewarded in free agency with a three-year, $24MM contract. The deal includes a third-year team option and some injury protection for the Hornets in the event that same back issue resurfaces, but it’s still a nice payday for Mann, who was productive (12.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, .446/.377/.797 shooting) in 41 games for Charlotte across parts of two seasons before being sidelined.

The Hornets brought in some additional depth at the point and in the middle by signing free agents Spencer Dinwiddie and Mason Plumlee to minimum-salary contracts. Neither Dinwiddie nor Plumlee is likely to play a starring role in Charlotte, but they’re reliable veterans who can give the team 15-20 minutes per night if needed.

Up next

Even after waiving DaQuan Jeffries earlier this month, the Hornets have a bit of a roster crunch to deal with before the regular season begins, with 16 players on guaranteed contracts and Moussa Diabate (on a non-guaranteed contract) looking likely to make the roster.

If Charlotte chooses to simply waive two players in order to set its 15-man regular season roster, Connaughton and former first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. look like the odd men out to me.

Diabate’s non-guaranteed contract would normally make him an obvious release candidate, but he gave the team good minutes last season and could even have a path to a starting role this fall, with just Kalkbrenner and Plumlee as his primary competition at center. Dinwiddie and Plumlee are on small expiring contracts, but probably wouldn’t have been given guaranteed salaries two months ago if the plan was to waive either of them.

If the Hornets want to hang onto Connaughton’s expiring contract for midseason trade purposes or if they liked what they saw from Smith down the stretch last season, maybe they try to make a trade to open up a spot to keep one of them. But most teams won’t be looking to shake up their rosters during the preseason, and there are only so many legitimate trade candidates on the Hornets’ roster. Josh Green and Grant Williams could be a couple to watch.

Green and Williams are two of the Hornets’ players eligible for contract extensions, along with Sexton and Connaughton, but I’d be surprised if the team completes any extensions before the season tips off. The front office likely wants to keep its cap sheet relatively clean going forward, and none of those four players are obvious long-term keepers for the organization.

Hornets Sign Terrell Brown Jr.

September 23rd, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets continue to swap players in and out of the final spot on their 21-man offseason roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed guard Terrell Brown Jr.

Since waiving veteran wing DaQuan Jeffries last Thursday, the Hornets have rotated players on Exhibit 10 contracts through that 21st roster spot in order to ensure those players receive bonus money if and when they report to Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Prior to signing Brown, the Hornets also briefly carried DJ Rodman, Marcus Garrett, Brandon Slater, and Keyontae Johnson. Rodman was waived to make room for Brown.

Brown, who went undrafted out of Washington in 2022, has spent most of his first three professional seasons in the G League, including the past two years with the Greensboro Swarm. He appeared in 48 NBAGL games in 2024/25, averaging 7.6 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 22.0 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .405/.229/.859.

In all likelihood, Brown will soon be waived and will have the opportunity to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm this season.

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