The Charlotte Hornets have had an interesting offseason, using their first round draft picks to select Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley in an attempt to infuse some more young talent into what was last year one of the worst rosters in the NBA. The Hornets haven't been particularly great at drafting over the last several years, which was evidenced by a recent roster move they made involving a 2023 first round draft pick.
“The Charlotte Hornets are parting ways with 2023 first-round pick Nick Smith Jr.,” reported Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter, citing a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “Smith will make $2.71M this year after being waived by the team before his third season.”
Siegel also noted that “with Smith off the roster, the Hornets are now down to 16 players on their active roster, with Moussa Diabate who has a non-guaranteed deal up until Opening Night. The Hornets do intend on keeping Diabate on their roster, for now, which means more roster changes in CHA.”
Smith Jr. was never quite able to get his NBA career off the ground in Charlotte after injuries sidelined him for most of his tenure with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was selected number 27 overall by Charlotte back in 2023.
Can the Hornets be competitive?
The Charlotte Hornets over the last few years have been defined by an overall lack of a consistent identity, which hasn't been helped by frequent injuries to point guard LaMelo Ball. While Ball remains one of the most talented pure playmakers in the NBA, it doesn't matter if he's not on the court consistently.
Meanwhile, the Hornets are hoping for another solid season out of forward Miles Bridges, and made some interesting guard additions this offseason in Spencer Dinwiddie and Collin Sexton.
If Knueppel and McNeeley are able to contribute something right away, it's not off the table that the Hornets could at least make themselves a part of the postseason conversation in an Eastern Conference severely weakened by injuries.
The Hornets are slated to kick off their 2025 season at home against the Brooklyn Nets on October 22.
