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Bruski 150SportsEthos 2026 Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide
Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide 2026: Charlotte Hornets Team Preview
Last Updated on August 30, 2026 2:54 am by Mike Passador | Published: August 30, 2026
How’d We Get Here?
The Hornets were one of the most improved teams in the second half of last season, putting up plenty of highlights with good underlying numbers as they fought their way to the Play-In (again) before falling short of the playoffs proper (again). Rather than stick with the same group that had finally given fans something to look forward to, the front office decided to get out ahead of upcoming financial decisions and trade starters LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. The Ball trade in particular was a shock given his standing in the franchise, but management came to the conclusion that selling high on Ball — between his injury troubles and his unpredictable on-court impact — would set them up best for the future. For Ball and Bridges the Hornets received Naz Reid, Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale plus a handful of future draft picks to keep the good times rolling. The Ball era is over and the Hornets have decided to build around Brandon Miller and standout rookie Kon Knueppel, who helped kickstart Charlotte’s resurgence last year. They went with big man Hannes Steinbach and PG Christian Anderson in the draft, creating a glut of bigs and a clear succession plan in the backcourt even with Coby White re-signed and Dennis Schroder acquired via trade. The Hornets could have let inertia win out to see if Charles Lee, who also received an extension this summer, could propel the same group to greater heights, but they’ll try and work their way back to the postseason with a new cast of characters and a refocused roster core.
For a full recap of last season to set the table, check out our Charlotte Hornets Season Wrap!
The Charlotte Hornets Season Wrap
Offseason Moves
Arrivals: Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith
Rookie Arrivals: Hannes Steinbach (No. 14), Christian Anderson (No. 18), Michael Ajayi (UDFA 2W), Kylan Boswell (UDFA 2W)
Departures: LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Josh Green, Tre Mann, Xavier Tillman, Tosan Evbuomwan, Antonio Reeves
Retained: Coby White
Depth Chart and Minutes Per Game
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Mike graduated from Boston University’s Dual Degree Program with a BA in Economics and a BS in Business with Concentrations in Marketing and Operations Management. He is a faithful supporter of Toronto sports and the Detroit Lions and is always ready to be let down. Tweet to him @Mike_Pandador, but if you badmouth Jose Calderon you might get blocked.
