The Charlotte Hornets have 16 guaranteed contracts on the books, and Sam Vecenie expects Jeff Peterson to make one more trade before camp.
The Charlotte Hornets have done their part to make headlines this NBA offseason. However, with 16 guaranteed contracts on the books, more work is needed.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie is willing to bet that another move from president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson is in the works.
"Charlotte is another team with 16 guaranteed contracts," Vecenie said. "I would imagine that this roster isn't done yet. I would bet there's some sort of deal that Jeff Peterson comes up with at some point just to even out the roster."
Peterson has taken major steps to reshape the Hornets. He traded LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three pick swaps, and three second-round picks. He then traded Miles Bridges to the Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a first-round pick. Charlotte used two first-round picks on Washington's Hannes Steinbach at No. 14 and Texas Tech's Christian Anderson Jr. at No. 18, then re-signed Coby White for three years and $74M.
More work is needed to rebalance the roster and reach 15 standard contracts before the 2026-27 NBA season starts.
Why Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen Could Still Be Dealt
A possibility for the Hornets could involve trading one of the recently acquired veteran wings the team added through the Bridges trade with Phoenix. However, it would require confidence in Liam McNeeley stepping into a larger role this season.
"Can you move a Royce O'Neale for a couple of second-round picks?" Vecenie said. "Or Grayson Allen, does he get moved if you feel like Liam McNeeley might be able to step into that floor-spacer/shooter role?"
McNeeley, the No. 29 pick in last year's draft, spent much of his rookie season buried on the bench behind Brandon Miller and the Hornets' other wings. He put together an impressive stretch at Las Vegas Summer League, leading Charlotte in scoring across three of his four outings while shooting well from three. If the Hornets believe he's ready, Allen and O'Neale both become logical trade candidates.
Tre Mann's Fit Gets Murkier With Christian Anderson in the Mix
After drafting Christian Anderson, another possible trade candidate that could emerge is Tre Mann. If Charlotte wants a guard who is more pass-first minded with a skill set to run the offense while keeping his teammates organized, this would be a logical consideration.
"Maybe it's Tre Mann because you just drafted Christian Anderson," Vecenie said. "This feels like an incomplete offseason to me right now, even after the LaMelo [Ball] trade and all the deals they've made."
Mann struggled last season to find a consistent role, and now a rookie on a cheaper deal is competing for backup point guard minutes behind White. With Sion James, Anderson, and White also able to play point guard, Mann's spot on next season's roster isn't guaranteed just because of his contract.
Peterson spent the summer clearing Charlotte's core, focusing on Miller and Kon Knueppel. If Vecenie is correct, the rebuild isn't finished. It's waiting on one more trade to reach 15 players.
