Preseason Player Power Rankings: Who Leads the New-Look Charlotte Hornets?

In the NBA, groups usually win with one of 2 things: star power or depth. The groups with the requisite balance of both are generally the ones playing deep into the postseason. The Charlotte Hornets might do not have the previous, however the latter is probably the most bankable property on their 2026-27 lineup.

So, with training school less than 2 weeks away, let’s power-rank that depth by going through every possible rotation gamer Head Coach Charles Lee might turn to this season, from worst to finest.No. 16: Dorian Finney-Smith

Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith( 2) warms up before the video game versus the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota. Compulsory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images|IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters

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Finney-Smith is coming off a quite harsh season with the Houston Rockets, ending up near thebottom of the league amongst forwards in points per shot effort and shooting terribly at all 3 levels of the court. The 33-year-old likewise had a really unfavorable analytical effect on defense, making it the worst season of his profession on both ends of the flooring.

After going through ankle surgical treatment before the 2025-26 season, Finney-Smith never ever rather looked ideal physically in 2015, that makes him the gamer on this list probably not to make Charlotte’s regular-season lineup.

Still, the Hornets can see what they have in Finney-Smith throughout training school. If he appears moving much better and looking more like his old self, he might in theory assist Charlotte as a protective wing stopper. At this phase of his profession, it might merely be too late for that variation of Finney-Smith to return.No. 15: Tidjane Salaün

All of an unexpected, the Frenchman enters his 3rd season in Charlotte and most likely with a comparable function in the rotation, or absence thereof, as he had throughout his very first 2 years with a totally healthy group.

Salaün did reveal some significant enhancement as an on-ball protector throughout Summer League and has actually included more size to his frame, both favorable indications for his private advancement moving forward. He is still not a trusted adequate possession-by-possession group protector or constant adequate offending decision-maker for me to imagine him getting lots of minutes once the routine season comes around.

There are still lots of factors to think Salaün can remain the NBA for a very long time. He shot approximately 43 %from 3 and 70% at the rim last season, and when you integrate that with his youth, motor, and competitiveness, there is still an interesting gamer to deal with.

Charlotte has an approaching October due date to choose whether to get Salaün’s $ 10.4 million group choice.

No. 14: Christian Anderson

Charlotte’s 2nd first-round draft choice back in June is going to invest a lot of time with the Greensboro Swarm this season, which is for the very best. Summertime League revealed that Anderson requires some spices and time to get used to NBA protectors and the physicality of the league.

Throughout this year, I will be searching for Anderson to continue dealing with producing separation with his deal with and see if he can include more downhill capability to his video game than he has actually revealed on tape up until now, enabling him to end up being more of a three-level scorer and risk.

There is likewise the concern of simply how rapidly Anderson’s marksmanship equates to NBA variety, which can go a long method towards making him an impactful offending gamer right away. In the meantime, in mid-September, Anderson is Charlotte’s third-string point player.

No. 13: Liam McNeeley

The Richardson, Texas, local was among Charlotte’s standouts throughout Summer League, making All-Summer League Second Team honors while flaunting some top-level shooting and feel. McNeeley ought to make more of an effect

on Charlotte winning regular-season video games than he did as a novice.

However, as training school techniques, McNeeley is no lock to be in Charlotte’s 10-man rotation, with a number of gamers at the two-and-three areas who are more tested factors to winning at the NBA level. Even if McNeeley is not greatly included as soon as again in his 2nd season in Charlotte, he would be the Swarm’s finest gamer and might assist lead a G League champion repeat run.

No. 12: Royce O’Neale

O’Neale is the essential NBA 3-and-D function gamer that every group can utilize. Even at 33 years of ages, he stays among the much better three-point shooting

wings in the league while being a low-usage, high-efficiency gamer last season.

He understands his function, has actually been playing it for a very long time, and has to do with as strong a bench piece as you can request, particularly within Head Coach Charles Lee’s three-point-heavy offending viewpoint. O’Neale has slipped some defensively with age, however he can still hold his own and supply Charlotte with

trustworthy minutes on that end.No. 11: Ryan Kalkbrenner

While Kalkbrenner’s function and minutes might be minimized from last season, his capability stays additive to Charlotte’s rotation. The 24-year-old is a reputable drop-coverage huge who evaluates well

and ends up effectively around the basket.

There is genuine worth in understanding precisely what you are going to get from your backup center

on a nighttime basis, and Kalkbrenner will supply that when again for Charlotte this year

.

No. 10: Sion James

Feb 28, 2026; Charlotte

, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James( 4) responds throughout the very first quarter versus the Portland Trail Blazers at Spectrum. Obligatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images|IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters Connect

James is Charlotte’s finest boundary protector and stopper at the minute and will be charged with decreasing opposing groups’ premier guards and wings. While he can be an unfavorable offensively sometimes when his shot is not falling, that is a compromise Charlotte will need to cope with, offered the absence of border protective skill somewhere else on the lineup.

No. 9: Grant Williams

The 27-year-old veteran was among Charlotte’s many ignored gamers throughout its second-half winning run last season. It was no coincidence that the Hornets chased Williams went back to the lineup. He was not entirely accountable, obviously, however his return assisted get the equipments switching on Charlotte

‘s bench.

Williams is a prepared and effective three-point launcher, a strong post protector, and flexible in how he can be utilized offensively, consisting of as a pick-and-pop alternative. He is likewise an essential leader both on and off the court who will be depended on greatly because function with this new-look group. There are restrictions to his video game, however Williams seldom attempts to run outside the bandwidth of what he succeeds, which is what makes him a winning gamer.

No. 8: Dennis Schröder

Now on his 12th NBA group, the 32-year-old Schröder is going to offer Charlotte much of what he has actually provided throughout his profession, consisting of quality rim pressure and playmaking production. He published a 27.3% help portion in between his time with Sacramento and Cleveland last season and can be lively defensively sometimes.

The other side is that the German guard can be an ineffective scorer and outdoors shooter and can be turnover-prone sometimes, however he offers Charlotte skilled backup point player play.

No. 7: Hannes Steinbach

Charlotte’s latest lottery game choice is an extremely knowledgeable offending gamer with a video game that need to equate rapidly. Steinbach’s 9-foot standing reach makes him a force on the glass, while his touch around the basket and capability to process the flooring as a

passer or handoff center provide Charlotte lots of methods to utilize him offensively.

Regardless of how Head Coach Charles Lee and his personnel release Steinbach positionallyhe ought to make a favorable effect early. There will likely be some growing discomforts defensively, especially if he is asked to work as the back line of the defense, however Steinbach is an amazing young gamer whose function will deserve seeing early in the season.

No. 6: Grayson Allen

Allen is Charlotte’s finest gamer coming off the bench heading into training school.

There is a factor he began many video games and completed third on Phoenix in minutes per video game last season, in spite of having a down shooting year.

Prior to the 2025-26 season, Allen had actually developed himself as one of the NBA’s premier three-point snipers over the previous 6 years. Messing around more spacing and playmaking in Charlotte’s offense need to develop cleaner and more open try to find Allen. Together with his motion shooting and secondary playmaking chops, he’ll be an actually good offending piece for the Hornets this season.

Defensively, Allen can certainly be assaulted, similar to much of Charlotte’s guards, however in general, the 30-year-old will be among the main chauffeurs of the Hornets’ bench success.

No. 5: Naz Reid

Jan 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid( 11 )looks up while he plays versus the Houston Rockets in the 2nd half at

Toyota. Necessary Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images|IMAGN IMAGES by means of Reuters Connect

Reid is among the more distinctively competent gamers in the NBA. There just are very few bigs with his mix of shooting, passing, and ball-handling capability. As a higher-usage forward who can area the flooring, shoot off the catch or off the bounce, and attack closeouts successfully, Reid’s capability is custom-made for Charlotte’s design of basketball.

With Reid moving into much of the function and the 2,385 minutes Miles Bridges inhabited last season, he might rapidly end up being a fan favorite in Charlotte since of simply how enjoyable he is to see on the offending end.

No. 4: Moussa Diabaté

Mar 14, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate( 14) goes into Frost Bank Center before a video game versus the San Antonio Spurs. Necessary Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images|IMAGN IMAGES by means of Reuters Connect

As I have actually composed previously, Diabaté is Charlotte’s crucial protective gamer at the minute. He is the only center on the lineup who is both switchable and efficient in mastering numerous protective protections, permitting Charlotte to have some much-needed adaptability on that end of the flooring.

With how he determines the belongings fight on the glass, his underrated connective death and stylish decision-making with the ball, Diabaté is unquestionably among the very best gamers on this group.

No. 3: Coby White

Charlotte’s brand-new beginning lead guard created a really remarkable offending analytical profile in his seventh NBA season. Now, provided the secrets to Charlotte’s offense, it will be intriguing to see what a scaled-up variation of White’s video game appears like.

With White’s aggressive driving of the basketball and his capability to develop shots for himself and others by getting paint touches, there is a genuine possibility he has a profession year throughout numerous offending classifications. Most especially, a career-best help year ought to be within reach as he sees a boost in use and lead guard obligations.

Defensively, White is very little of a playmaker, however his size avoids him from being an overall unfavorable on that end. He remains in the best position generally, however reducing his nasty rate will be crucial for him this season.No. 2: Kon KnueppelKnueppel is among the very best shooters in the world and among the league’s most flexible motion shooters. The 21-year-old is a powerful offending weapon for Charlottewhether he is being utilized in guard-guard actions or producing extra area for others with his off-ball motion and gravity.Kon is likewise an exceptional decision-maker with the ball in his hands, regularly making the best checks out to preserve a benefit. He is the kind of young, winning gamer every effective NBA company requires. Knueppel is a pillar for the Hornets and will stay one for the foreseeable future.No. 1: Brandon Miller

Feb 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) searches throughout the very first half versus the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Necessary Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images|IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters Connect

With Charlotte rotating off LaMelo Ball, it is reasonable to state Miller is the group’s finest gamer and finest two-way piece at the minute. He will likewise likely be Charlotte’s leading scorer as soon as again.What stuck out most this previous season was Miller’s capability to deal with a high offending work without it significantly affecting him defensively. He will need to reproduce that this season, bring a considerable scoring concern while safeguarding opposing groups’ finest wings and larger guards.Charlotte’s training personnel is going to ask more of Miller than any gamer on the lineup this season. Due to the fact that of that, he is the gamer most crucial to the Hornets possibly overachieving.That stated, Miller still has locations of his video game that requirement to enhance to make that star leap, consisting of getting to the rim and free-throw line regularly, tightening his deal with, broadening his table-setting and self-creation, and ending up being more comfy handling physicality.As things stand, however, Miller is the closest thing Charlotte needs to a star gamer. Whether he can take that next action and strongly reach that level will be among the specifying concerns of the Hornets’ season.Register for our FREE newsletter for the most recent news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

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