Here are the biggest X-Factors for the Charlotte Hornets entering the 2026-27 NBA season.
The Charlotte Hornets will be entering a new era of the franchise this coming NBA season following a massive offseason.
Charlotte traded away both star guard LaMelo Ball and forward Miles Bridges, opening the door for other players to step up. Forward Brandon Miller is now the franchise guy for the Hornets, and the team will be expecting big things from him.
But Charlotte is still not seen as a title contender, only a low-ceiling playoff squad. The Hornets will be out to prove themselves in a tough Eastern Conference in 2026.
Here are the biggest X-Factors for the Hornets coming into a crucial season:
1. Naz Reid
Reid will man the middle for the Hornets this season, leading an interesting center rotation in Charlotte. Being that he was traded for Ball, Reid will have to make sure that he justifies the franchise's decision to move on from their star guard.
The big man will be a starter for the first time in his career after dominating the Sixth Man role with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But Reid has all the talent to make things happen on the floor, and his emergence this year could help the Hornets surprise some in the East.
2. Hannes Steinbach
Steinbach, the Hornets' first-round pick from this year, will be thrust into a big role early on. Given that Charlotte's frontcourt situation isn't the deepest, the rookie will have to step up for this group.
In college, Steinbach averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game while shooting over 57 percent from the field. The Hornets are going to need him to put it together on the floor from the opening start of the year if this team has any chance to win.
3. Coby White
White came to the Hornets in the middle of last season, playing in 19 games for the team. During this time, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Now taking over for Ball, White has a lot of pressure on him to lead this group on the floor. While he isn't an All-Star-caliber player like Ball, the Hornets will need White to quarterback this team, something that the veteran hasn't had to do much in his career.
4. Brandon Miller
While Miller being on this list is almost a given, he will now be the top player for this franchise. With Ball gone, Miller is going to have much more responsibility on his shoulders, and whether he can handle that remains to be seen.
But given how he has performed so far in his career, the young forward has given Charlotte hope that he can be the guy that they need. Playing in 65 games last season, Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.7 blocks per contest.
