The Charlotte Hornets got a top-20 NBA preseason power ranking from Yahoo Sports. Find out where they landed.
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor ranked the Charlotte Hornets 16th in his NBA preseason power rankings.
Charlotte is one spot ahead of the Dallas Mavericks and one spot behind the Atlanta Hawks.
It was an active offseason for the Hornets, who dealt LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks.
Charlotte then traded Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick.
The Hornets also acquired Dennis Schröder from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Houston Rockets.
The Hornets never made the playoffs in the Ball-Bridges era. They haven't made the playoffs since 2016.
It will be intriguing to see if Charlotte can snap its playoff drought in Year 1 of the post-Ball-Bridges era.
Some Charlotte fans weren't pleased with the Ball trade, but Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Jeff Peterson told Marc J. Spears of Andscape he was comfortable trading Ball because of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
With Ball gone, Miller and Knueppel will see increased usage rates offensively.
"I’m very comfortable," Peterson said. "Charles and I had a conversation with both of them knowing that these trades can be challenging. Sometimes I do think we forget that we’re human beings dealing with this stuff — lives and its emotions. Those guys are friends and they are in the locker room every day. At the same time, Charles and I kind of explained, We believe in you guys, too. You guys are here. We want to continue to see you guys grow. This is going to challenge you guys. You guys got to continue to get better.' We wouldn’t have made that trade if we didn’t feel comfortable with what they can continue to be developing into."
Charlotte opens the 2026-27 season on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.
The home opener is against the Hawks.
Head coach Charles Lee is expected to start Coby White, Miller, Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabate next season.
