Hornets Land Curious Win Total Entering 2026-27 NBA Season

The Charlotte Hornets will be entering the new 2026-27 NBA season ready to prove themselves in a tough Eastern Conference.

After reaching the Play-In Tournament last season, the Hornets decided to change the roster around, going with more of a youth movement. Charlotte traded away star guard LaMelo Ball, giving the keys to the organization to young forward Brandon Miller.

But the Hornets also moved longtime forward Miles Bridges, setting up a new era of basketball in Charlotte. With Miller and co-star Kon Knueppel now leading the charge, the Hornets are one of the more interesting teams in the East.

Charlotte also added in a few pieces around the stars to help make their lives easier, with center Naz Reid being the big pickup. Players like Reid, who can play both ends of the floor, will help the Hornets be a more well-rounded group as the year goes on.

Defense was a struggle at times for the Hornets a year ago, but the front office has tried to bring in players that can change the reality of this franchise. Charlotte was one of the best offensive teams in the NBA last season, and that is expected to remain the same this year.

Coming into the season, NBA analyst Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report provided win total predictions for every team. For the Hornets, Hughes gave them a prediction of over 38.5 wins for the season.

This number seems a little low for Charlotte after the busy offseason, but it's likely a reflection of the team without Ball for the first time. The Hornets are going to have to prove that they can be successful without the star guard, and Miller is going to have to step up as the franchise leader.

For all the moves that the Hornets made, there are still some real questions around this group. Veteran Coby White returns to replace Ball in the backcourt, and he is going to have to make sure the production doesn't slip.

Reid has to fill the role of being a starter for the first time in his career, while justifying the move to trade Ball. Wing players Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale are both good role players, but can they produce on a consistent level throughout the season?

Each one of these questions will define the Hornets' season, and the team could slip back from where they were a year ago. But Charlotte could also take a step forward, continuing the narrative of them as an ascending team in the East down the line.