Charlotte
Hornets ROSTER
7-16 • 13th in EASTERN CONFERENCE
| NAME | POS | AGE | SALARY | HT | WT | COLLEGE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | BryceMcGowens | G | 20 | N/A | 6' 6" | 178 lbs | NEBRASKA | |
| #11 | CodyMartin | F | 27 | $7,000,000 | 6' 4" | 202 lbs | NC STATE | |
| #8 | DennisSmith | G | 25 | $1,836,090 | 6' 1" | 202 lbs | NC STATE | |
| #20 | GordonHayward | F | 32 | $30,075,000 | 6' 6" | 224 lbs | BUTLER | |
| #21 | JTThor | F | 20 | $1,563,518 | 6' 9" | 202 lbs | AUBURN | |
| #6 | JalenMcDaniels | F-C | 24 | $1,930,681 | 6' 8" | 202 lbs | SAN DIEGO STATE | |
| #2 | JamesBouknight | G | 22 | $4,362,240 | 6' 4" | 189 lbs | UCONN | |
| #23 | KaiJones | C-F | 21 | $2,909,040 | 6' 10" | 216 lbs | TEXAS | |
| #12 | KellyOubre | F-G | 26 | $12,600,000 | 6' 6" | 202 lbs | KANSAS | |
| #1 | LaMeloBall | G | 21 | $8,623,920 | 6' 6" | 178 lbs | N/A | |
| #5 | MarkWilliams | C | 20 | $3,722,040 | 7' 0" | 240 lbs | DUKE | |
| #24 | MasonPlumlee | F-C | 32 | $9,080,417 | 6' 10" | 253 lbs | DUKE | |
| #4 | NickRichards | C | 25 | $1,782,621 | 6' 11" | 244 lbs | KENTUCKY | |
| #25 | P.J.Washington | F | 24 | $5,808,435 | 6' 6" | 229 lbs | KENTUCKY | |
| #3 | TerryRozier | G | 28 | $21,486,316 | 6' 0" | 189 lbs | LOUISVILLE | |
| #9 | ThéoMaledon | G | 21 | $1,900,000 | 6' 3" | 174 lbs | N/A |
Current Hornets Roster Status
The Charlotte Hornets saw a significant update to their side during the offseason, as they look to make a much bigger impact on the NBA compared to previous years.
The Hornets went all-in on Gordon Hayward, signing the former All-Star to a four-year, $120 million deal via a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics. The 30-year-old has battled through a number of major injuries over the past few seasons, but he did show some signs of life for the Cs last term. This was enough motivation for the Hornets to pretty much commit their future on the 6-foot-7 forward.
Charlotte also selected the most high profile player in the draft in LaMelo Ball as the third overall pick. The 19-year-old appears to be a perfect fit for a Hornets franchise desperate for some star power on their side. Early on, Ball is already making a serious claim for this season's Rookie of the Year award.
Notable departures over the offseason include Nicolas Batum (waived, signed with the Los Angeles Clippers), Dwayne Bacon (signed with the Orlando Magic as a free agent), and Willy Hernangomez (signed with the New Orleans Pelicans as a free agent).
Devonte' Graham and Terry Rozier man the starting spots for Charlotte's backcourt, with Hayward, P.J. Washington, and Bismack Biyombo rounding out the squad's starting five. Ball, Miles Bridges, Cody Zeller, and the Martin brothers (Caleb and Cody) are some of the Hornets' most important players on the second unit.
charlotte hornets Team Analysis
Offense
—In 2020-21, the Charlotte Hornets have drastically amped up their offensive rating. From being almost at the bottom of the league last season, the Hornets find themselves with a top-18 offensive rating in the 2020-21 NBA Season. Clearly, there's a lot of work still that needs to be donem but their young core seems to have been gelling as the season progresses. They're top-10 in the league when it comes to three-pointers as well as assists, plus it doesn't hurt that they've been filling up the archive this season with incredible offensive plays.
Defense
—The Charlotte Hornets’ on-ball defense has been stifling and the addition of rookie LaMelo Ball and superstar Gordon Hayward has definitely helped their cause in disrupting passing lanes and offenses in the 2020-21 season. They do need help in terms of frontcourt protection, as they’ve started to slip to a league-average defensive rating thanks to their struggles defending the paint.
Coaching
—The man tasked to run things for the Charlotte Hornets is head coach James Borrego. Borrego signed a four-year deal back in 2018. So far, he's managed this rebuilding squad quite fairly. If everything runs smoothly, Borrego is poised to bring the Hornets back to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Borrego has made the Hornets fun. His fast-paced approach to the game has been such a delight for fans across the league with players like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges punching in highlight after highlight.
Top charlotte hornets Roster Questions
Who Did The Hornets Recently Sign?
—The latest signing the Charlotte Hornets made was signing guard Nate Darling on a two-way contract. Darling officially made his NBA debut in March 2021 and became the first player born in Nova Scotia to play in the NBA.
Who Are The Hornets Targeting In Free Agency?
—It's clear that what the Charlotte Hornets need right now is a legitimate big man to help them contend in the East. Realistically, Charlotte can target a young center like Richaun Holmes, who's on the last year of his two-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. Once Holmes becomes a UFA come the off-season, look for the Hornets to swoop in and make an offer.
Another potential big they can make a deal for is Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. Unlike Holmes, Turner is locked in with the Pacers until 2023, which means the Hornets would need to offer players in return via a trade. If that becomes the case, having a stud like Turner would definitely transform this young Hornets core into a true threat in the East.
Who Did The Hornets Most Recently Trade For?
—The most recent trade the Charlotte Hornets made was for Brad Wanamaker from the Golden State Warriors. As part of the deal, the Hornets received the 31-year-old alongside a 2022 second-round draft pick (top-54 protected) and cash considerations in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick.
What Is The Best Hornets Roster Of All-Time?
—Arguably the best Charlotte Hornets roster of all-time was the 2000-2001 squad led by Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn. The team also had a handful of vets in the lineup, including David Wesley, PJ Brown, Elden Campbell, and Derrick Coleman. This Hornets squad finished the regular season at the sixth spot but went on to upset the third-seeded Miami Heat with a 3-0 sweep in the first round of the playoffs. In the second round, the Hornets took the Milwaukee Bucks all the way to seven games only to lose 104-95 on the road.
What Is The Hornets' Salary Cap?
—In the 2020-21 NBA season, the Charlotte Hornets' salary cap is at $102,553,579 (via Spotrac). Their current cap gives them around $5 million in cap space left under the allowable max salary cap of the league.
