Record0-02026-27
Last 10—
Net rating+4.92025-26 · ORtg 118.4 · DRtg 113.5
Pace97.6eFG% 55.2 · TS% 58.9
Injuries20 out · 0 questionable
Rumors1tagged in the last feeds
Podcast
All episodes · RSSHornets Tip-Off · every morning · Jordan Reyes & Marcus Hale
First episode with the preseason
Your team, every morning: last night, tonight, what changed. 8–12 minutes, and Hornets Final within half an hour of every buzzer. Subscribe to the feed and the first one arrives on its own.
The hosts
Jordan Reyes · host
Runs the show. Grew up on League Pass and box scores. Believes in the team until the numbers say otherwise, then argues with Marcus.
Marcus Hale · analyst
The numbers desk. Lineups, on/off, cap sheets. Dry, precise, allergic to hype. Keeps the receipts every Friday.
Salary cap · 2026-27
Full cap sheet$174.9M$9.9M over the $165.0M cap · 17 contracts
Reid
White
Allen
Naz Reid $23.3M · Coby White $22.8M · Grayson Allen $18.1M · Brandon Miller $15.1M
The morning briefing · free · one email a day
What changed, every morning
Last night, tonight, injuries, rumors and the standings move — for the Hornets, before your coffee. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.
Video
All Hornets videosome of our favorite dimes in honor of nba assist week 🪙 #assist #charlottehornets
hannes’ road to charlotte 🛣️ more on our newest episode of reel access! #charlottehornets #nba
Hornets Open 2026-27 with a New-Look Roster and Two Names on the Injury List
newsroom · 3 h agoCharlotte sits at 0-0 with the season opener still ahead on October 21 at Brooklyn. The offseason cost the Hornets four rotation pieces, headlined by Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball, while Brandon Miller and PJ Hall work through injuries in camp. The roster leans on returning scorers Kon Knueppel and Coby White plus a deep rookie class.
Offseason Departures
The Hornets enter 2026-27 without four players who were part of last season's group. Miles Bridges is now with the Suns, LaMelo Ball has moved on to the Timberwolves, Josh Green is with the Jazz, and Tre Mann is with the Wizards. That is a significant amount of turnover for a team that finished last season at 44-38. None of the four are part of Charlotte's plans this season, and any reference to them going forward is strictly as departures, not as current roster options. The Hornets now build their identity around the players who remain and the new additions who have joined the roster for 2026-27.
The Roster Now
Charlotte's roster for 2026-27 includes Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Coby White, Dennis Schröder, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Naz Reid, Moussa Diabaté, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Dorian Finney-Smith, Grant Williams, Pat Connaughton, Xavier Tillman, PJ Hall, Sion James, Tidjane Salaün, Liam McNeeley and Antonio Reeves. The team also carries a rookie group: Christian Anderson, Hannes Steinbach, Jarkel Joiner, Kobe Stewart, Kylan Boswell and Michael Ajayi. Every player on this list is on the Hornets now, regardless of where they played last season. It is a mix of established veterans in Schröder, Connaughton and Finney-Smith, a young core in Miller, Knueppel, White and Diabaté, and a wave of first- and second-year players who will compete for minutes in camp.
Injury Report
Two players are on the injury report as camp gets underway. PJ Hall is day-to-day with a right ankle and leg issue, with an estimated return date of October 1. Brandon Miller is also day-to-day, dealing with a left shoulder and arm issue, also with an estimated return of October 1. Miller was one of Charlotte's top scorers last season, so his health is worth tracking heading into the preseason slate. Both players have a shot at being ready before the regular season opener on October 21, but for now they are limited as the Hornets work through preseason games against Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Boston and Memphis.
Last Season by the Numbers
Charlotte finished last season, 2025-26, at 44-38. The team scored 116.0 points per game with an offensive rating of 118.4 and a defensive rating of 113.5, for a net rating of 4.9. The Hornets played at a pace of 97.6 possessions, shot 55.2 percent effective field goal and posted a true shooting mark of 58.9 percent. Those numbers reflect the roster as it was last season, before the departures of Bridges, Ball, Green and Mann. How much of that offensive efficiency carries over to 2026-27 with a different mix of players on the floor is one of the open questions of training camp.
Players to Watch
Kon Knueppel led the way last season with 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game across 81 games, shooting 42.5 percent from three. Brandon Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 65 games. Grayson Allen scored 16.5 points a game and shot 34.9 percent from three, while Coby White put up 17.4 points and 4.0 assists in 50 games. Naz Reid averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds, and Moussa Diabaté posted 7.9 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds while shooting 50.0 percent from three. Those are the numbers this group takes into the new season.
Schedule Ahead
The Hornets play 80 regular season games in 2026-27, with 9 of them on national television. Preseason play opens October 6 at home against Brooklyn, followed by Milwaukee on October 11, then road games at Boston on October 14 and at Memphis on October 16. The regular season opener is set for October 21 at Brooklyn. A Southeast Notes roundup published September 5 touched on the Hornets' outlook alongside items on Simmons and the Magic's broadcasts, per that report. With the record still at 0-0, all of Charlotte's answers about this roster start with the games ahead.
Questions fans ask
What is the Hornets' record right now?
Charlotte is 0-0. The 2026-27 season has not started yet.
When do the Hornets play their season opener?
The regular season opener is October 21 at Brooklyn.
Who did the Hornets lose this offseason?
Miles Bridges (now with the Suns), LaMelo Ball (now with the Timberwolves), Josh Green (now with the Jazz) and Tre Mann (now with the Wizards) are no longer with the team.
Who is injured for Charlotte heading into camp?
PJ Hall (ankle) and Brandon Miller (shoulder) are both listed as day-to-day, each with an estimated return of October 1.
How did the Hornets do last season?
Charlotte finished 2025-26 at 44-38 with a net rating of 4.9.
How many national TV games do the Hornets have this season?
Nine of Charlotte's 80 regular season games are on national television.
What changed
Last 36 hoursRUM
Southeast Notes: Simmons, Hornets’ Outlook, Suggs, Magic Broadcasts · 6 h ago
INJ
Brandon Miller: Day-To-Day (Shoulder · Arm · Left) · 6 h ago
INJ
PJ Hall: Day-To-Day (Ankle · Leg · Right) · 6 h ago
Injury tracker
updated 3 min ago| Player | Status | Injury | Est. return |
|---|---|---|---|
| PJ Hall | Day-To-Day | Ankle · Leg · Right | 2026-10-01 |
| Brandon Miller | Day-To-Day | Shoulder · Arm · Left | 2026-10-01 |
Rotation tracker · player stock
expectedExpected rotation · minutes from 2025-26
Order = last season's minutes for the players on this roster; the real rotation replaces it after the first regular-season game.
Schedule
Full 2026-27 schedule · 84 games7:00 PM ET
BKN
CHA
Tue, Oct 6
7:00 PM ET
MIL
CHA
Sun, Oct 11
7:30 PM ET
CHA
BOS
Wed, Oct 14
8:00 PM ET
CHA
MEM
Fri, Oct 16
7:30 PM ET
CHA
BKN
Wed, Oct 21
7:00 PM ET
ATL
CHA
Fri, Oct 23
Head-to-head
Hornets vs every teamRoster
24 players| # | Player | Pos | Ht | Age | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Royce O'Neale | F | 6-6 | 33 | 9.8 | 4.8 | 2.7 |
| 2 | Grant Williams | F | 6-7 | 27 | 7.0 | 3.9 | 1.6 |
| 2 | Dorian Finney-Smith | F | 6-7 | 33 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 |
| 3 | Coby White | G | 6-4 | 26 | 17.4 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
| 4 | Sion James | G | 6-5 | 23 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.0 |
| 5 | Christian Anderson | G | 6-0 | 20 | — | — | — |
| 7 | Kon Knueppel | G-F | 6-6 | 21 | 18.5 | 5.3 | 3.4 |
| 8 |  Dennis Schröder | G | 6-1 | 32 | 10.8 | 2.7 | 4.9 |
| 8 | Grayson Allen | G | 6-3 | 30 | 16.5 | 3.0 | 3.8 |
| 11 | Naz Reid | C-F | 6-9 | 27 | 13.6 | 6.2 | 2.2 |
| 11 | Ryan Kalkbrenner | C | 7-1 | 24 | 7.6 | 5.5 | 0.8 |
| 12 | Antonio Reeves | G | 6-5 | 25 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| 14 | Moussa Diabaté | F | 6-10 | 24 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 1.9 |
| 16 | PJ Hall | C | 6-8 | 24 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 0.5 |
| 21 | Pat Connaughton | G | 6-5 | 33 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| 22 | Hannes Steinbach | F | 6-11 | 20 | — | — | — |
| 24 | Brandon Miller | F | 6-7 | 23 | 20.2 | 4.9 | 3.3 |
| 26 | Xavier Tillman | F | 6-8 | 27 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.4 |
| 31 | Tidjane Salaün | F | 6-10 | 21 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 0.7 |
| 33 | Liam McNeeley | F | 6-7 | 20 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 |
| Jarkel Joiner | G | 6-1 | 27 | — | — | — | |
| Kylan Boswell | G | 6-2 | 21 | — | — | — | |
| Michael Ajayi | G | 6-7 | 23 | — | — | — | |
| Kobe Stewart | G-F | 6-6 | 24 | — | — | — |
Per-game stats: 2025-26 (last season, until the new one tips off).
Most-used lineups
2025-26| Five | GP | Min | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Bridges - L. Ball - M. Diabaté - B. Miller - K. Knueppel | 49 | 509 | +26.4 |
| M. Bridges - L. Ball - B. Miller - R. Kalkbrenner - K. Knueppel | 23 | 111 | +7.2 |
| M. Bridges - L. Ball - M. Diabaté - K. Knueppel - S. James | 26 | 91 | +16.6 |
| M. Bridges - C. Sexton - R. Kalkbrenner - K. Knueppel - S. James | 16 | 69 | +10.6 |
| M. Bridges - L. Ball - R. Kalkbrenner - K. Knueppel - S. James | 15 | 59 | -15.0 |
| M. Bridges - M. Diabaté - B. Miller - K. Knueppel - S. James | 25 | 54 | -6.9 |
Trade radar
1 taggedhoopsrumors · 22 h ago
Team stats 2025-26: 116.0 PPG · 46.1 RPG · 26.3 APG