Welcome to the Post-Melo Era
Well folks, the 2026-27 NBA season is finally upon us!
After getting within one game of a playoff berth last season, Charlotte enters the new campaign full of hope for its first ever division title and a chance to play in their first playoff series since 2016.
There is certainly no shortage of questions swirling around the Hornets after this summer’s blockbuster trade that sent star point-guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Charlotte fans openly questioned the decision to trade Ball in the offseason, but in this season’s first edition of Buzz Bulletin, we’ll analyze the reasons why this trade makes sense in the short-term, and how it sets up the Hornets for success in the long-term.
Here are our questions, observations, and predictions ahead of Charlotte’s season-opening matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on October 21st.
How will the Hornets adjust to LaMelo Ball’s departure?
Many fans were, unsurprisingly, shocked and dismayed at the team’s decision to part ways with their undisputed go-to star player this summer.
Coming off a productive season that saw him play in 70 games for only the second time in his career, Ball appeared primed to continue leading Charlotte’s high-powered three-guard offensive attack alongside sharpshooter Kon Knueppel and athletic wing Brandon Miller, but the Hornets’ front office had other ideas. Ball was shipped off to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a blockbuster four-team trade that brought over veteran big man Naz Reid along with six draft picks over the next seven years, including three first round picks in 2028, 2029, and 2030.
During media day, head coach Charles Lee expressed confidence the offseason moves would not change what it means to play Charlotte Hornets basketball.
“No matter what players are coming in, I think that we have developed standards around here,” said Lee. “We’ve developed an identity in how we wanna play offensively and defensively, and we stay committed to that.”
The Ball trade is also a vote of confidence in Miller’s ability to be the team’s top scoring threat and Coby White’s play-making prowess as the lead guard.
Last year, Miller poured in over 20 points a game for the second straight season after coming back from an injury that sidelined him for nearly a month at the very beginning of the season, and White contributed 17 points and 4 assists in only 25 minutes of playing time. With Miller set to sign a five-year deal worth in excess of $200 million, Charlotte is making their faith in him crystal clear.
Just how effective will Coby White be as Melo’s replacement?
Fans who watched Charlotte’s thrilling last-second overtime victory in last season’s play-in game against Miami will surely remember White’s dramatic turn-around fade-away 3-pointer that tied the game in the final seconds of regulation. It’s that kind of shot-making ability, along with his aforementioned statistical productivity, that can give fans, players, and owners alike the belief that the Goldsboro native and former UNC Tarheel can more than adequately step in as Charlotte’s lead guard. His size and ability to score in bunches will nicely complement Knueppel and Miller, enhancing the trio’s ability to space the floor and create scoring opportunities for everyone.
On the defensive end, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to qualify the shift from Ball to White as a wash. Though Ball cut down on his high-risk gambles and improved his defensive motor last season, he is still considered by many league analysts to be an average defender at best. White may not be a clear upgrade on the defensive end, but he should be able to hold his own with his quickness and sturdy 6’ 4” frame.
It’s also worth noting White’s mature and even-keeled demeanor. LaMelo’s off-court behavior issues were well-documented, so it can’t hurt to have a (slightly) older, more mature player stepping into a leadership role for the team.
Can Kon Knueppel top his historic rookie season?
Coming into last season, it was no secret that Knueppel could shoot the rock.
A McDonald’s All-American in high school, and as the Robin to Cooper Flag’s Batman in their lone season of college basketball at Duke, Kon was already a known quantity as a long-distance threat. Few could have predicted, however, his emergence as the most productive 3-point shooter in the league as a rookie, or his ability to finish at the rim and in the midrange.
When asked what he had learned from his first year, Knueppel had this to say at media day: “A lot of it comes down to having your body ready to go. Making sure you’re taking care of your diet, taking care of your sleep, adjusting to the travel, I think I’ll just settle into that a little bit more. I wanna keep myself fresh for the parts of the season that really mean something. At the end of the season, I wanna play better than I did last year.”
The first rookie ever to lead the league in made 3-point baskets, Knueppel is currently nursing a hamstring injury and remains questionable for the beginning of the regular season. With his mature, hard-working approach and elite shooting ability, this publication bee-lieves that a healthy Knueppel has a great shot to replicate or even surpass his impressive rookie campaign.
Can Naz Reid be a legitimate starter in the NBA, and how well will he mesh with Diabate?
Naz Reid is a tough, energetic defender that can also step out and knock down three-point shots as a career 37.1% shooter from distance.
At media day, fan favorite Moussa Diabate described Reid as “one of the most versatile players in the league.”
Diabate, clearly impressed with what he has seen from Reid in practice, added: “Being able to rebound, shoot the ball, playmake, his understanding of the game, guard. For somebody this big to be able to move this well, with the ball, without the ball, he’s very impressive.”
Standing at 6’9” with a 7’3” wingspan, Reid gives Charlotte a legitimate paint presence to shore up last year’s sometimes shaky interior defense.
Offensively, with Diabate operating exclusively in the paint and getting the majority of his points on close-range shots and putbacks, Reid’s long-distance shooting ability should be a nice complement to the Frenchman’s hustle-and-tussle playing style, and with only 77 career starts in his seven-year career, including just three starts all of last year, Reid will be eager to prove himself in this new role.
What can we expect from Charlotte’s other notable offseason pickups?
Entering his 14th NBA season, veteran reserve Dennis Scroeder brings a scrappy, hard-nosed defensive approach and serviceable shooting, although Charlotte will be hoping he can eclipse his career 34% 3-point shooting average this season.
There is a lot of excitement around lottery pick Hannes Steinbach, the talented post player who hails from Würzburg, hometown of the greatest German player of all time, Dirk Nowitzki. Already having experience playing professionally in Germany, and with a highly productive year of college basketball under his belt, the projected backup to starting center Moussa Diabate looks primed to make an immediate impact for the Hornets as a defensive force in the paint and capable perimeter scorer. Steinbach shot over 34% from the 3-point line and 75% from the free-throw line last year in his only season of college basketball.
Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale should provide a nice scoring boost off the bench for the Buzz. Allen led the league in 3-point shooting percentage at a 46.1% clip during the 2023-24 season while playing for the Phoenix Suns, and O’Neale shot 40.8% from deep for the season last year.
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Known Unknowns and Unknown Unknowns
Charlotte went 33-16 after the start of the new year last season, ranking 1st in the NBA in offensive rating and 5th in defensive rating over that span. While these stats are cause for optimism, key Hornets players have been dealing with a slew of offseason and preseason injuries, and both Grant Williams and Kon Knueppel are nursing hamstring injuries. Williams is set to be re-evaluated during the first week of the regular season, while the team remains uncertain about Kon’s participation in the regular season opener.
Coby White’s status for Charlotte’s matchup against Brooklyn is also questionable as he recovers from a left calf strain. As of Sunday, October 11th, Brandon Miller remains day-to-day with a shin contusion, but if Charlotte can get healthy quickly and avoid any serious injuries moving forward, they figure to have a potent offensive attack, a stout interior defense anchored by Diabate, Reid and Steinbach, and legitimate playoff chances.
A division title and deep playoff run seem less likely. The Southeast division boasts its fair share of star players, with the likes of the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, and Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo all hoping to lift their teams to great heights. With Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and the defending champion New York Knicks representing the cream of the Eastern Conference crop, any first-round playoff matchup is likely to come against a team with serious star power and championship aspirations.
Buzz Bulletin Predictions
With that said, here are the official Buzz Bulletin predictions for our Charlotte Hornets this season.
Adrian
Regular Season Record: 45-37
Finish: 2nd place in the Southeast Division; 6th place in the Eastern Conference
Playoffs: 1st Round Exit
Jorge
Regular Season Record: 42-40
Finish: 2nd place in the Southeast Division; 7th place in the Eastern Conference
Playoffs: 1st Round Exit
Sam*
Regular Season Record: 50-32
Finish: 1st place in Southeast division; 4th place in Eastern Conference
Playoffs: 2nd Round Exit
* This optimism comes with the assumption that any preseason injury issues are not long term.
Buzzworthy Facts
Just for good measure, here are a few beginning of the year Buzz-worthy facts for your enjoyment.
Steinbach led the nation in rebounding last year as a freshman at the University of Washington, snaring nearly 12 rebounds a game to go along with an 18.5-point scoring average.
The German trio of Schroder, Steinbach, and Anderson ties the Orlando Magic of the past two seasons for the most German players ever on a single NBA team.
The Carolina fans at Buzz Bulletin are less enthused about the team’s other notable triumvirate. The addition of Grayson Allen to the roster brings the total number of former Duke players to three. Coby White must feel outnumbered.
Coming off an impressive rookie season which saw him play in all 82 regular season games, second-year reserve guard Sion James is looking to take another step forward for the team this season. During media day, James identified three-point shooting and finishing around the rim as the areas he focused on during offseason training.
Having acquired a whopping six draft picks from Minnesota in the Melo trade, Charlotte looks to be set up for future success. The Hornets feature one of the youngest cores in the league. At an average age of just over 24 years old, the Hornets projected starting lineup should generate plenty of buzz for years to come.
This is the third time Allen and O’Neale have played for the same club. The veteran sharp-shooting duo previously played together in Utah during Allen’s rookie season and joined forces again in Phoenix when the Suns traded for O’Neale in February of 2024.