<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tre-Mann.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T08:28:16-07:00">September 2nd, 8:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T08:28:16-07:00">September 2nd, 8:28am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After years of being stuck in NBA purgatory, the Charlotte Hornets enter the 2025-26 season with a clearer identity and a refreshed direction. Last year’s 19-63 record left them near the bottom of the Eastern Conference yet again, but for once, the losses didn’t feel empty. Under new ownership and the patient guidance of top executive Jeff Peterson, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-perfect-move-2025-nba-offseason">Charlotte is finally committed to building</a> a foundation instead of chasing short-term fixes. The release of the 2025-26 schedule now gives us the perfect lens to forecast what lies ahead for the Hornets in their most pivotal season in a decade.</p><h2><b>Building blocks are in place</b></h2><p>For years, Charlotte’s front office made decisions that were reactive instead of strategic. This summer marked a departure from that cycle. Peterson reshaped the roster not through flashy signings, but through careful accumulation of assets: Trading Mark Williams for Phoenix’s No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-rounder. Moving Jusuf Nurkic for Collin <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-collin-sexton-trade-charlotte">Sexton’s expiring contract</a> plus a second-round pick. Meanwhile,  absorbing Pat Connaughton’s contract which added two more second-rounders. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-tre-mann-true-feelings-crucial-role-charlotte">Re-signing Tre Mann on a team-friendly 3-year</a>, $24M deal.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tre Mann Offseason Workout 🤟</p><p>(📹 sjrvisualss/IG) <a href="https://t.co/OgbvuzDky3">pic.twitter.com/OgbvuzDky3</a></p><p>— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsReddit/status/1961152636834484711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Individually, these may seem like footnotes. Collectively, they signal a team valuing financial flexibility, draft capital, and tradable contracts over short-term wins. That’s exactly what Charlotte needs to pivot from bottom-feeder to long-term contender.</p><h2><b>The schedule factor</b></h2><p>Looking at the Hornets’ 2025-26 schedule, several takeaways stand out:</p><p>A brutal October/November slate. Charlotte opens against Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, and Miami in their first five games. Add in back-to-back clashes against Milwaukee mid-month, plus the Lakers, Knicks, and Warriors before December, and the Hornets could realistically start 6-15 or worse.</p><p>On the other hand, there are opportunities in December and January. The Hornets face more beatable teams: Orlando, Washington, Indiana, San Antonio, and Houston during this stretch. If they can stabilize, this is where they’ll collect the bulk of their wins.</p><p>Meanwhile, March and April feature heavyweights: Boston twice, Phoenix, Golden State, Minnesota, and New York. If Charlotte hasn’t found its stride by then, the schedule won’t offer much mercy.</p><p>The takeaway: Charlotte’s path is front-loaded with challenges and back-loaded with playoff-caliber opponents. Their season will be defined by whether they can weather the storm early and stockpile enough wins in the softer midseason.</p><h2><b>2025-26 record prediction</b></h2><p>Last season’s 19-63 mark gives us the baseline. With improved roster depth and a clear plan, Charlotte should show incremental growth, but don’t expect miracles. Ceiling: 28-54 if everything breaks right (health, rookies develop, one breakout star). That’s not playoff-worthy, but it’s meaningful progress in year one of this long-term vision.</p><p>A 28-54 record likely lands Charlotte in the 12th or 13th seed in the East. Teams like Boston, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, and Miami remain far ahead. Even mid-tier squads like Cleveland, Atlanta, and Orlando are better positioned.</p><p>The Hornets may hover around the play-in race, but realistically, they will fall short of the 10th seed cutoff. That’s not failure, it’s just reality in a loaded conference.</p><h2><b>Predictions Beyond the Record</b></h2><h2><b>Most likely breakout player</b></h2><p>Expect Tre Mann to surprise. If he stays healthy, he could average 15+ points per game off the bench, turning his contract into a valuable trade chip.</p><h2>Trade deadline fireworks</h2><p>Charlotte is positioned to be a seller again. Expect at least one rotation player, possibly Collin Sexton (expiring) or Pat Connaughton (bad contract sweetener), to be moved for picks.</p><h2><b>Fan morale shift</b></h2><p>This prediction is more intangible: for the first time in years, Charlotte fans may feel genuine optimism. Not because of wins, but because the team finally has a direction worth believing in.</p><h2><b>What Charlotte needs to do next</b></h2><p>The Hornets’ future hinges on making one transformative move. They don’t need to rush into it now, but the blueprint is clear: Develop the young core into valuable assets, accumulate enough picks and contracts to swing a major trade, and identify a star-level player who fits the timeline and culture.</p><p>Think of what Minnesota did with Rudy Gobert or what the Knicks pulled off with Jalen Brunson. Charlotte needs their version of that, not yet, but soon.</p><p>The Charlotte Hornets are not contenders yet. They’re not even a playoff team. But for the first time in years, they’re operating with a plan instead of flailing in search of relevance. This season will likely end with a 28-54 record and a 12th-place <a href="https://www.nba.com/standings" rel="noopener">Eastern Conference</a> finish, but fans should not measure success by wins alone.</p><p>Instead, success in 2025-26 should be defined by: Developing young talent. Building trade flexibility and keeping the front office’s long-term vision intact.</p><p>The schedule will be brutal, the losses will still come, but the Hornets’ new trajectory offers something more valuable than a few meaningless wins: hope for the future.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sneakers/kobe-bryant-x-nike-dunk-low-draft-day-coming-summer-2026');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kobe Bryant x Nike Dunk Low ‘Draft Day’ coming Summer 2026');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kobe-Bryant-x-Nike-Dunk-Low-Draft-Day-coming-Summer-2026.jpg"></figure><h1>Kobe Bryant x Nike Dunk Low ‘Draft Day’ coming Summer 2026</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-31T19:34:39-07:00">August 31st, 7:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-31T19:35:55-07:00">August 31st, 7:35pm</time><address><a>Dominik Zawartko</a>Dominik Zawartko is a Michigan State graduate with a degree in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominik's hobbies include painting, cooking food, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always having a laugh. His main focus areas are UFC coverage and all things sneakers.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the growing popularity of the Nike Dunk in mainstream culture over the last few years, it has opened the door for Nike to experiment with one of their most reliable and tried models to date. Recently, we saw Lakers’ Kobe Bryant honored with an anticipated <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers/kobe-bryant-x-nike-dunk-low-lower-merion-coming-spring-2026">Lower Merion-themed release</a>. Now, Nike takes things one step further and honors Bryant’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_NBA_draft">1996 Draft</a> to the Charlotte Hornets.</p><p><i><b>Check our <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers">Sneakers news</a> for more upcoming releases and breaking content!</b></i></p><p>Kobe Bryant was selected 13th overall to the Charlotte Hornets, but notoriously traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for future Hall-of-Fame center Vlade Divac. The 1996 Draft Day trade lives in infamy as Bryant went on to have his legendary career all for the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty.</p><p>The Nike Dunk will honor Bryant once again with the purple/teal Charlotte Hornets scheme. While Bryant never rocked the classic Hornets’ uniforms of the 90’s, this colorway is always a fun reminder of what “could have been” if the Black Mamba looked a tad different.</p><h2>Nike Dunk Low “Draft Day”</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kobe Bryant x Nike Dunk Low “Draft Day” Expected Summer 2026 🐍 <a href="https://t.co/WqGCPmStB2">pic.twitter.com/WqGCPmStB2</a></p><p>— House of Heat° (@houseofheat) <a href="https://twitter.com/houseofheat/status/1953525892749172770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>In renderings from various outlets, the Nike Dunk Low will feature an all-leather upper with alternating <em>Fierce Purple </em>and <em>Blue Lagoon </em>panels throughout. The Nike Swoosh appears in purple while the side panels and tongue contrast in the vibrant teal. The shoes are based in a <em>Sail</em> midsole and purple outsole.</p></figure><p>Featuring a stitched teal “NIKE” logo on the back, the shoes also feature a stitched Black Mamba emblem on the side heel, a great tribute to Bryant.</p><p>The Nike Dunk Low “Draft Day” has yet to be confirmed by Nike, but outlets are reporting that the shoes will arrive during the summer months of 2026. They’re expected to come at the standard $135 retail tag and should see a drop on Nike <a href="http://nike.com">SNKRS app</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kobe Bryant x Nike Dunk Low ‘Draft Day’ coming Summer 2026

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-add-former-villanova-hc-kyle-neptune-staff');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets add former Villanova head coach to staff');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hornets-HC-Charles-Lee-speaks-to-his-staff.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets add former Villanova head coach to staff</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-29T13:03:47-07:00">August 29th, 1:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-29T13:04:09-07:00">August 29th, 1:04pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>One of the big reasons why the Charlotte Hornets coveted Charles Lee as a head coaching candidate in 2024 is because he won an NBA championship as an assistant for both the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. He is following a similar philosophy regarding the <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1961497980193644724" rel="noopener">latest addition to his staff</a>. Former Villanova and Fordham head coach Kyle Neptune, who won two national titles with the Wildcats while serving under Jay Wright from 2013-21, has agreed to become the Hornets’ newest assistant, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>Neptune stepped into an unenviable position as the successor to a Nova legend in Wright and produced middling results. He earned a 54-47 record in three years before the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-basketball/villanova-basketball-news-parts-ways-head-coach-challenging-season">program fired him</a> at the end of last season. Charlotte presents Neptune with a golden opportunity to rebuild his coaching stock. If this young and perpetually embattled squad can finally make definitive progress, everyone on Lee’s bench stands to benefit.</p><h2><b>Hornets could use a boost</b></h2><p>Although there are veterans like Miles Bridges, Collin Sexton, Pat Connaughton, Miles Plumlee and Grant Williams on this roster, the Hornets still possess an abundance of youth. It makes sense to bring in a college coach, especially one who helped build a consistent powerhouse.</p><p>Villanova has obviously welcomed in plenty of impactful players like Kyle Lowry, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, but what defined the Wright era most was the program’s reliance on team chemistry rather than individual star power. That on-court rapport is still revealing itself in the form of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-york-knicks/knicks-news-new-york-pulling-miracles-new-pope-villanova">the Nova Knicks</a>.</p><p>Charlotte boasts a former All-Star in LaMelo Ball and potential future ones, but it needs to harness all the talent into a competitive basketball product. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-culture-appears-to-finally-be-in-place">Charles Lee is in The Queen City</a> to try to implement that plan, and he is trusting Kyle Neptune to help him execute it.</p><p>The incoming assistant seeks to help Ball, Miller and incoming rookies Kon Kneuppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner in their ongoing development. Neptune will have a little time before training camp begins to acclimate himself to his new home.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets add former Villanova head coach to staff

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/gaming/charlotte-hornets-nba-2k26-ratings-100-wrong');   ga('set', 'title', 'Charlotte Hornets NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Charlotte-Hornets-NBA-2K26-ratings-that-are-100-wrong.jpg"></figure><h1>Charlotte Hornets NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T10:14:13-07:00">August 27th, 10:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T10:14:13-07:00">August 27th, 10:14am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Charlotte Hornets finally seem to be turning the corner. After years of being stuck in mediocrity, the franchise used the 2025 offseason to inject new life into the team. With a mix of<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/hornets-news-behind-kon-knueppel-charlotte-is-on-the-path-to-establishing-winning-culture"> promising rookies like Kon Knueppel</a>, veteran signings such as Spencer Dinwiddie and Mason Plumlee, and rising stars in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges, Charlotte now looks like a team that can climb the Eastern Conference ladder.</p><p>But if you open up NBA 2K26, you wouldn’t think the Hornets were headed in the right direction at all. The latest player ratings for the Hornets don’t just underrate their stars; they also overvalue a few players in ways that don’t make sense.</p><p>For a team that has made strong, clear roster moves, these Hornets 2K26 ratings are flat-out wrong. Here are five players who are either massively overrated or criminally underrated in 2K26.</p><h2><b>LaMelo Ball: Is still too low at 87 OVR</b></h2><p>Let’s start with the face of the franchise: LaMelo Ball. He’s coming off another strong season as the Hornets’ engine, averaging<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630163" rel="noopener"> over 25 points</a> and seven assists per game. When healthy, he’s among the best playmaking guards in the NBA: a tall, versatile shot creator who can score at all three levels.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">right on dime for nba assist week 🪙 <a href="https://t.co/Bxrf1GpINd">pic.twitter.com/Bxrf1GpINd</a></p><p>— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets/status/1958267605258531252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>And yet, NBA 2K26 still has him sitting at 87 OVR. That number doesn’t reflect his true impact. Guards like Trae Young, Darius Garland, and De’Aaron Fox are consistently rated in the high-80s to low-90s range, but LaMelo’s production and influence on Charlotte’s offense are easily on par with, if not superior to, theirs.</p><p>The disrespect gets worse when you dig into his 75 dunk rating. While LaMelo isn’t exactly Ja Morant when it comes to dunking, he’s clearly more athletic than a “75” suggests. He’s thrown down transition slams and can finish above the rim when needed. This rating feels like 2K developers are stuck on old narratives rather than the current reality.</p><h2><b>Brandon Miller: Deserves more love at 82 OVR</b></h2><p>Brandon Miller had a strong second season and showed flashes of being Charlotte’s next great scorer. By the end of the year, he was consistently dropping 21-point games, attacking closeouts, and even showcasing some clutch shot-making.</p><p>His current 82 OVR in 2K26 is decent, but it doesn’t truly reflect his rise. Players like Miller, versatile wings who can score from deep (79 3PT) and attack the rim (87 dunk), are highly coveted in today’s NBA. If you look around the league, other second-year players who showed less than Miller are rated similarly or higher.</p><p>The 2K developers clearly didn’t factor in his defensive improvement or his consistency in big moments. With the Hornets now building around LaMelo and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-millers-injury-update-will-hype-fans-up-2025-26-nba-season">Miller as their 1-2 punch,</a> Miller should easily be in the mid-80s.</p><h2><b>Collin Sexton: Is overrated at 81 OVR</b></h2><p>Here’s where things swing the other way. Collin Sexton, acquired in a trade, brings toughness and scoring to the Hornets. He’s an efficient guard who can heat up quickly. But his 81 OVR feels inflated.</p><p>Why? Sexton has yet to prove he can be a consistent high-level starter on a winning team. His stats often look better than his actual impact, and defensively, he’s still shaky. Putting him at the same overall rating as Miles Bridges (81 OVR) and just one point below Brandon Miller (82 OVR) is absurd. Sexton is valuable, but he should be in the mid-to-high 70s, not grouped with Charlotte’s core stars.</p><h2><b>Grant Williams: Shouldn’t be stuck at 76 OVR</b></h2><p>Role players often get the short end of the stick in 2K, and Grant Williams is no exception. Slotted at 76 OVR, his rating ignores his defensive versatility, floor spacing, and playoff experience.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-grant-williams-gushes-over-lamelo-ball-offseason-work">Williams has proven he can guard</a> multiple positions, hit big shots in clutch moments, and contribute to winning teams (remember his Celtics playoff run). With Charlotte, his role as a veteran stretch-four is critical. A 76 rating makes him look like just another bench player, but he’s far more valuable than that, especially when compared to someone like Mason Plumlee, who’s rated the same.</p><h2><b>Kon Knueppel: Deserves respect as the No. 4 Pick at 75 OVR</b></h2><p>The most glaring slight goes to Knueppel, Charlotte’s No. 4 overall pick. After a sensational<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-summer-league-championship-win-embarrassing-franchise-curse"> Summer League where he led the Hornets</a> to a title, he came into NBA 2K26 with a 75 OVR and no badges.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und">!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/Kon2Knueppel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kon2Knueppel</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> <a href="https://t.co/MSo99YRxSF">pic.twitter.com/MSo99YRxSF</a></p><p>— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets/status/1947145750548193294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>That’s insulting. Top-five picks usually start in the upper 70s, especially when they show immediate promise. Knueppel is already a polished scorer with a versatile offensive game, and he showed leadership qualities in Vegas. While rookies don’t always translate right away, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-kon-knueppel-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">Knueppel’s skill set should warrant</a> at least a 77-78 OVR starting point.</p><h2><b>2K still doesn’t believe in the Hornets</b></h2><p>Overall, the Charlotte Hornets’ 2K26 ratings don’t align with their real trajectory. LaMelo Ball continues to be underrated, Brandon Miller isn’t getting enough respect, and rookies like Kon Knueppel are being treated like afterthoughts. Meanwhile, Collin Sexton somehow sneaks into the same tier as Charlotte’s core players, which doesn’t add up.</p><p>If the Hornets make noise in the 2025-26 season, and with this revamped roster, they very well could, expect these ratings to shift upward quickly. Until then, though, it’s clear that NBA 2K26 hasn’t caught up to the new-look Hornets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Charlotte Hornets NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/early-charlotte-hornets-trade-candidates-2025-26-season');   ga('set', 'title', '3 way-too-early Charlotte Hornets trade candidates in 2025-26 season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/X-way-too-early-Charlotte-Hornets-trade-candidates-in-2025-26-season.jpg"></figure><h1>3 way-too-early Charlotte Hornets trade candidates in 2025-26 season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-08T07:40:31-07:00">August 8th, 7:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-08T07:40:31-07:00">August 8th, 7:40am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Heading into the 2025 NBA offseason, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-culture-appears-to-finally-be-in-place">Charlotte Hornets had a clear objective</a>: surround their young core with enough talent and stability to finally crawl out of the Eastern Conference’s basement. After years of missed opportunities, injuries, and roster imbalances, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-perfect-move-2025-nba-offseason">front office took decisive action</a>.</p><p>Their biggest move came early, a trade with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-collin-sexton-trade-charlotte">Utah Jazz to acquire Colin Sexton</a>. The high-octane combo guard arrives in Charlotte after averaging 18.4 points and 4.2 assists on 48% shooting. With LaMelo Ball still recovering from an ankle injury, Sexton’s ability to push the pace and create offense was a smart hedge against uncertainty. He’s a proven scorer and underrated playmaker, and his energy should inject life into a previously stagnant offense.</p><p>Alongside Sexton, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">Hornets re-signed Tre Mann</a>, who had quietly been one of their most efficient players before suffering a back injury. His shooting (40% from deep) and secondary ball handling are critical for floor spacing and backcourt flexibility.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-spencer-dinwiddie-joins-charlotte-free-agency">Hornets also brought in Spencer Dinwiddie</a>, a steady veteran presence. While Dinwiddie’s best years are likely behind him, he remains a capable combo guard who can lead the second unit or fill in spot-starting roles.</p><p>However, despite the offseason upgrades, Charlotte remains a team in transition. The Eastern Conference is unforgiving, and a slow start could force the Hornets to consider midseason trades, either to upgrade the roster or to free up space for the future. Here are three way-too-early trade candidates who could be moved before the deadline.</p><h2><b>Seth Curry: The sharpshooter without a guaranteed role</b></h2><p>Seth Curry entered Charlotte as a veteran shooter with a long track record of stretching defenses. On paper, he’s an ideal floor spacer for LaMelo Ball and Colin Sexton, and his 43% career three-point shooting makes him a constant threat off the ball. But with Tre Mann and Brandon Miller also capable of logging minutes at the two-guard spot, Curry’s role could be inconsistent.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Golden State Warriors have serious interest in signing Seth Curry, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a> <a href="https://t.co/mnZYLjlWiX">pic.twitter.com/mnZYLjlWiX</a></p><p>— Shot Coverage (@ShotCoverage) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShotCoverage/status/1948487236032307336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>At 35 years old, Curry’s defensive limitations have become more apparent, especially against bigger, switchable wings. If the Hornets fall out of playoff contention, his veteran presence might be more valuable to a contender in need of reliable shooting for the stretch run.</p><p>Curry’s $<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/13512/seth-curry" rel="noopener">3–4 million salary is easy to move</a>, and multiple playoff-caliber teams could be interested in renting his shooting for a postseason push. For Charlotte, trading him midseason could bring back a second-round pick or a developmental player, while also freeing minutes for younger guards to grow.</p><h2><b>Wendell Moore Jr.: The depth piece in need of opportunity</b></h2><p>Wendell Moore Jr. has had a tough time breaking into regular rotations since entering the league. Originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, he landed in Charlotte with the hope of finding a clearer path to minutes. Unfortunately, the Hornets’ wing depth featuring Brandon Miller, Liam McNeely, and Kon Knueppel makes it difficult for Moore to establish a consistent role.</p><p>Moore’s defensive energy and willingness to do the dirty work are commendable, but his offensive game remains a work in progress. Without a reliable three-point shot, he risks being marginalized in a system that prioritizes spacing around its ball-dominant guards.</p><p>At 23, Moore still has upside, which makes him appealing to rebuilding teams that can afford to be patient with his development. His rookie-scale contract also makes him an attractive salary filler in larger deals. If Charlotte looks to package him with a veteran like Curry to acquire a more impactful rotation player, Moore could be on the move before the deadline.</p><h2><b>Taj Gibson: The veteran mentor on an expiring deal</b></h2><p>Taj Gibson’s value to the Hornets isn’t measured solely in box scores. At 40, Gibson is one of the league’s elder statesmen, bringing leadership, professionalism, and a steady locker room presence. For a young team still learning how to win, his voice carries weight.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Taj Gibson in his 15-year career:</p><p>8.6 PPG<br>5.8 RPG<br>1.0 BPG<br>52/26/71%<br>965 GP (71 Playoff GP)</p><p>Great vet for a young Hornets team. <a href="https://t.co/3JyffOVGzU">pic.twitter.com/3JyffOVGzU</a></p><p>— HornetsHoops (@hornetshoops_) <a href="https://twitter.com/hornetshoops_/status/1812138699674501524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>That said, Gibson’s on-court role is limited. Contenders often covet veterans like him at the deadline, not necessarily for big minutes, but for their mentorship and playoff experience.</p><p>His minimum contract makes him an easy trade piece, and a title-chasing team in need of frontcourt insurance could scoop him up without much hesitation. For Charlotte, moving Gibson would be about doing right by a respected vet while also opening a roster spot for a younger developmental player or a midseason flyer.</p><h2>What should the Hornets do?</h2><p>The Hornets’ 2025–26 season will hinge on whether their offseason additions can gel quickly and keep them competitive in a stacked Eastern Conference. If the early results don’t match expectations, expect the front office to pivot toward moves that preserve flexibility and build for the long term.</p><p>Seth Curry, Wendell Moore Jr., and Taj Gibson represent three different types of trade chips: the proven veteran shooter, the young depth piece, and the experienced mentor. Each could draw interest from different types of teams, and each could help Charlotte address its ongoing need for balanced roster construction.</p><p>For a franchise that’s been stuck in the Eastern Conference basement for too long, making the right in-season moves could be the difference between another lost year and a genuine step forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 way-too-early Charlotte Hornets trade candidates in 2025-26 season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-grant-williams-gushes-over-lamelo-ball-offseason-work');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ Grant Williams gushes over LaMelo Ball’s offseason work');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LaMelo-Ball-of-the-Charlotte-Hornets.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ Grant Williams gushes over LaMelo Ball’s offseason work</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-06T21:50:57-07:00">August 6th, 9:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-06T21:50:57-07:00">August 6th, 9:50pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There’s no doubt about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-culture-appears-to-finally-be-in-place">Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball’s elite-level talent</a>. The question has always been about his durability. But despite his injury-riddled career, Ball has never stopped trying to improve. Just ask Hornets forward Grant Williams.</p><p>Since being traded to Charlotte in 2024, Williams has witnessed Ball’s character and work ethic. The All-Star guard only played 47 games last season due to ankle and wrist injuries. While being constantly sidelined can be deeply frustrating for many, Williams said Ball has <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article311481720.html" rel="noopener">kept his head up</a>.</p><p>“He’s doing a lot of things that bring value. Not only his voice, but just his approach. He’s in there every single day. He’s there and present, and I think (he) is somebody we can look to and see, like, ‘He’s actually putting the work in every single day, not this person who is away from us and claims to be doing the work.’ No, he’s doing it every single day. He’s doing every single workout, he’s being available,” said Williams in a report from The Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone.</p><p>The 23-year-old <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-miller-main-thing-glaring-issue-lamelo-ball">Ball has only played 231 games in five seasons</a>, reaching at least 75 games only once. The Hornets will go as far as he can take them, but he needs to stay on the floor.</p><p>For the 26-year-old Williams, Ball is on the right path, especially in taking on the role of being the team’s cornerstone.</p><p>“Not only just from a like, ‘Hey, let’s go do this.’ If maybe we do a mini-camp, ‘Let’s organize this, I’ll take care of these guys, I’ll do this.’ So, he’s being very, very welcoming in a sense of (being) a leader and understanding that he’s going to have to take it to a more mature step in his role in order for us to be the best team possible,” added Williams, who was limited to just 16 games last season due to multiple knee injuries.</p><p>The Hornets haven’t been to the playoffs for the past nine seasons, the longest active drought in the NBA.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ Grant Williams gushes over LaMelo Ball’s offseason work

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/puma-announces-release-date-lamelo-ball-5th-signature-shoe');   ga('set', 'title', 'Puma announces release date, price of LaMelo Ball’s 5th signature shoe');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Lamelo-Ball-Puma.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Kinser-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Puma announces release date, price of LaMelo Ball’s 5th signature shoe</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-04T13:12:02-07:00">August 4th, 1:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-04T13:12:02-07:00">August 4th, 1:12pm</time><address><a>Jerry Donatien</a>Jerry Donatien has worked for ClutchPoints since 2018. He is currently the company's Charlotte Hornets reporter, and he also does voiceovers on different sports stories. He worked the NBA All-Star weekend in 2019 and 2023, the NCAA woman's tournament, and he interned with Beasley Media group.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>PUMA announced the release of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/lamelo-ball-unveils-newest-signature-shoe-the-puma-mb-05">Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball’s fifth signature shoe</a> with their brand, the MB.05 World Tour. “Inspired by Ball’s rockstar status on and off the court,” PUMA said when announcing the <a href="https://x.com/JerryDonatien/status/1952426108869116226">end-of-August release</a>.</p><p>“Available in fluorescent pink with iridescent detailing throughout, including barbed wire as a nod to his iconic tattoos, this sneaker was made to stand out. Additional design features include a molded skull and a ‘1’ in the outsole, a nod to Ball’s one-of-one status. Finished with NITROFOAM™ cushioning for unwavering court supremacy, this shoe is a slam dunk with more bold colorways coming this fall.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today, PUMA Hoops announces LaMelo Ball's 5th signature shoe, MB.05 World Tour. It's inspired by his rockstar status on and off the court. The detailing throughout the shoe include barbed wire as a nod to his tattoos.</p><p>The MB.05 World Tour hits stores August 29th retailing for… <a href="https://t.co/m61mHXbxOy">pic.twitter.com/m61mHXbxOy</a></p><p>— Jerry Donatien (@JerryDonatien) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryDonatien/status/1952426108869116226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“The MB.05 World Tour hits stores August 29th retailing for $125 at PUMA.com, the PUMA mobile app, the PUMA NYC Flagship store, Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, and other key retailers.”</p><p>This shoe release follows LaMelo Ball’s latest collaboration with PUMA and his own brand, “LaFrance,” which released a lifestyle shoe together. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/puma-lamelo-ball-announce-release-of-the-lafrance-rnr-flare-on-august-1st" rel="noopener">The LaFrancè RNR</a> is a mix of lifestyle running shoes, outdoor vibes, and Ball’s personal style. After a solid season in 2024-25, PUMA now rewards him with another signature shoe.</p><p>Ball is entering his sixth year with the Hornets and looking for a bounce-back season. After having it cut short due to injuries, the sneaker being named “World Tour” could be an auspicious premonition of what’s to come for his team. Ball can launch himself into the spotlight on the floor with his exciting play style, and he’ll be rocking the perfect shoes for it heading into the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Due to an injury, LaMelo Ball only played in 47 games in the 2024-25 season. When healthy, he’s proved he’s an offensive engine. He can score, create for others, and speed up the pace with the ball in his hands. He’s in the perfect position to prove he is capable of playing at an All-Star caliber level.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Puma announces release date, price of LaMelo Ball’s 5th signature shoe

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-culture-appears-to-finally-be-in-place');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ culture appears to finally be in place');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Charlotte-Hornets.jpg"><figcaption>Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ culture appears to finally be in place</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-04T11:58:44-07:00">August 4th, 11:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-04T11:58:44-07:00">August 4th, 11:58am</time><address><a>Jerry Donatien</a>Jerry Donatien has worked for ClutchPoints since 2018. He is currently the company's Charlotte Hornets reporter, and he also does voiceovers on different sports stories. He worked the NBA All-Star weekend in 2019 and 2023, the NCAA woman's tournament, and he interned with Beasley Media group.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After finishing the 2024-25 season with a 19-63 record, the Charlotte Hornets started their offseason with more questions than answers. Questions about LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller’s health moving forward, Mark Williams’ status with the Hornets, and will the team will have an impactful offseason in general.</p><p>A few months later, a Hornets’ <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/2912/eastern-conference-summer-league-notes" rel="noopener">front office executive claimed:</a> “We had the best draft in the league.”</p><p>They added guys that complement their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-2025-nba-draft-grades-every-pick">young stars in Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley</a>, being talented catch-and-shoot players. While Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner landed in the Hornets’ lap in the second round, adding four guys to an already young nucleus is a solid foundation for their head coach to stand on as he enters year two.</p><h2><b>Charles Lee has some wiggle room to work with now</b></h2><p>In his first year, Charles Lee inherited Ball, Miller, and the rest of the core pieces from the season prior, but there were low expectations. Everything ran through their young stars, and Miles Bridges was a standout offensively, but the ball stuck at times, and possessions often ended with the least desirable shot or Bridges bailing them out. With Ball and Miller both being shut down due to injuries, questions about Lee arose around job security and if he were the right hire by fans.</p><p>Lee got dealt a bad hand, but has a better one to start off his sophomore season as a coach. His players seem to respect him and he’s embodied that player’s coach mentality with everyone on the roster. Adding more capable players alongside their young stars and acquiring more veterans via trade and free agency, like Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie, will make Lee’s job easier.</p><h2><b>This could be the most talent the Hornets have seen in decades</b></h2><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-10-greatest-players-in-franchise-history-ranked">Kemba Walker era in Charlotte</a> has been the most successful in their franchise’s history since the 1990s, but the present day Hornets have more talent than Walker’s teams. Still, Walker was the face of the franchise when they last made the playoffs in 2016, so he still has a leg to stand on. Now that he’s an assistant coach on Lee’s staff, he’ll do anything he can to get these guys back to playing meaningful basketball.</p><p>LaMelo Ball already has a few different franchise records and was an All-Star back in 2022. Brandon Miller took a leap in his second season before his injury, posting career-highs across the board. Miles Bridges has been the glue guy for the team, guarding the opposing team’s best players and falling into place as a solid third option. Compile that with the rest of the young pieces and veterans they added and the Hornets are in a better place than they were a season ago.</p><h2><b>The Eastern Conference is open at the top and bottom</b></h2><p>After witnessing the Indiana Pacers pave their way to the NBA Finals, there is optimism in the Eastern Conference. The Atlanta Hawks made a power move by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, while the Milwaukee Bucks were able to pry Myles Turner away from the Pacers, and the Knicks added more firepower to help Jalen Brunson by adding Jordan Clarkson. Those teams could be dangerous come postseason time.</p><p>As for the bottom of the East, it’s open for business for teams like the Hornets. Whether that be through the Play-In Tournament or making it outright, that should be the goal for a young team trying to settle in. With the right culture in place heading into the 2025-26 season, it could be more realistic for them this time around.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ culture appears to finally be in place

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/tre-mann-exclusive-bringing-different-style-reebok');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: Tre Mann on signing with Reebok, ‘bringing swag back’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tre-Mann-on-signing-with-Reebok-bringing-swag-back.jpg"></figure><h1>Exclusive: Tre Mann on signing with Reebok, ‘bringing swag back’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-02T18:45:11-07:00">August 2nd, 6:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-02T18:45:11-07:00">August 2nd, 6:45pm</time><address><a>Kris Pursiainen</a>Kris Pursiainen is an Associate Editor for all sports based in the NJ/NYC area. Kris brings several years of experience reporting on and writing about professional teams to the table. With experience all over the country as a New York Knicks, New York Jets, New York Mets, Super Bowl LVIII, and Big East beat reporter, Kris has been breaking news and reporting on the NBA, NFL, MLB, and college basketball landscapes for years. Kris is a proud graduate of Fordham University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LAS VEGAS – Tre Mann was one of several Charlotte Hornets sitting courtside in July to support <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-summer-league-championship-win-embarrassing-franchise-curse">the team’s Summer League squad</a>. He entered UNLV’s Thomas &amp; Mack Center on Friday night in one of his ‘signature’ looks.</p><p>Mann’s USA Basketball ‘Dream Team’ jersey stands out first. Everything from the mesh itself to Charles Barkley’s last name across the back is golden. A baggy, white, short-sleeved t-shirt that looks fresh out of the pack is underneath it. The 24-year-old guard’s bright blue Marithé &amp; François Girbaud jean shorts, identifiable by the leg bands around the leg openings, cut off below his knees.</p><p>On his feet, Mann has on all-white Reebok Club C 85’s. The gum outsoles complement the gold tones of his outfit, including the 48″ chain hanging low enough to touch the ’14’ on the front of the jersey. His crisp white 3/4 crew socks are fashionably scrunched down. His hair is in twists with black beads that fall over a white terry cloth sweatband.</p><p>Mann, a 2021 first-round pick, is heading into his fifth year in the NBA. He’s found a home in Charlotte. The guard signed a three-year <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-key-lamelo-ball-backup-tre-mann-lands-24-million-contract">contract extension with the Hornets</a> this summer.</p><p>Last year was Mann’s first full season in Charlotte. He was on track for a career year, but his season ended after just 13 games because of a herniated disc in his back. He was averaging 14.1 points and 3.0 assists, while making 40.0% of his 3-pointers, in less than 25 minutes per game.</p><p>Despite the injury, Mann continued showing up to support his teammates, and fans <a href="https://x.com/HoopStyleBr/status/1903177353603219518" rel="noopener">began to take notice of</a> his fashion choices. Mann’s game day outfits consisted of oversized graphic t-shirts, baggy sweatpants or jean shorts, vintage jerseys ranging from players like Michael Jordan to Priest Holmes, and countless other pulls from the days of the late 1990s and early 2000s.</p><h2><b>How teammates, family, and Instagram inspired Mann’s ‘throwback’ style</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tre-Mann-Hornets-Summer-League.jpg"><figcaption>Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas; Hornets players Spencer Dinwiddie, Josh Okogie, Josh Green, Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann courtside at Thomas &amp; Mack Center | Candice Ward-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Mann’s style has drawn comparisons to Allen Iverson’s from his <a href="https://x.com/tre2mann3/status/1844861683950313830" rel="noopener">all-time influential tenure</a> as a Philadelphia 76er. Fan-favorite Instagram account ‘LeagueFits’ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyoCKo6r2h-/" rel="noopener">claimed at the beginning</a> of the 2023-24 season that Mann would “be the best-dressed dude on like half of the league’s teams.” His status as one of the NBA’s best-dressed is seemingly cemented.</p><p>It was back during Mann’s time with the Oklahoma City Thunder that he first wore intentionally oversized team-issued clothing to practice. At some point, it crossed the plane from running bit to a method of self-expression. Mann says that the original catalyst for the bit was seeing certain outfits of NBA past.</p><p>“It really started with the jersey,” Mann told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview at NBA Summer League. “I saw a picture on Instagram of Tracy McGrady, and he had the big shorts on. It just looked dope.”</p><p>The foundation, however, was set decades ago. McGrady’s jersey may have caught Mann’s eye in the first place because he spent his childhood learning about NBA history from the late 1990s and early 2000s.</p><p>“It was really, like, growing up with my dad,” Mann recalled. “Being around my dad all the time, this is what he wore.”</p><p>Mann wasn’t always in love with his father’s style. He, like many children, was embarrassed by his father’s clothing choices before he admired them. Mann says he wasn’t afraid to make those feelings known.</p><p>“I used to make fun of my dad all the time,” Mann struggled to say with a straight face. “The stuff he used to wear… But then, I’m seeing all these posts. And I’m like, ‘damn, that’s what he was wearing!’”</p><h2><b>Hornets guard on ‘different’ style, signing with Reebok</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tre-Mann-Hornets-uniform-style_0a42f4.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Mann has worn mostly Nike sneakers on the court in his career thus far. He wore the Nike ‘Book 1’ in the last 11 games he played in the 2025 season. The ‘old school style’ made the shoe Mann’s ‘favorite’ at the time.</p><p>In the first two games of last year, though, Mann played in the ‘Reebok Answer IV.’ The shoes first released in 2001, the year ‘The Answer’ won MVP and led the 76ers to a Finals berth. Iverson was wearing them for his <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1309240454517370880" rel="noopener">infamous ‘step-over’</a> on Tyronn Lue. The appeal for someone as dedicated to the times as Mann is clear.</p><p>Going into next season, fans can expect to see more of Mann in Iverson’s line. He’ll be wearing Reebok basketball sneakers exclusively on the court.</p><p>Mann isn’t afraid to be different. The 25-year-old relishes opportunities to live life just how he’d like, regardless of what others think. On TikTok, he <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@realtrickytre" rel="noopener">entered his name</a> as “Mr.BringSwagBack.” This is part of who he is. Mann told ClutchPoints that signing with Reebok was another chance to be himself.</p><p>“For me personally, I want to build something,” Mann declared. “Like, Reebok was popping back then,” in reference to the days of Big L and Master P topping charts, “but recently nobody’s really been wearing Reebok as much. So I wanted to do something that everybody else not doing.”</p><p>Mann isn’t the only up-and-coming athlete to have recently signed with the footwear and clothing brand. After Shaquille O’Neal was named the President of Reebok Basketball in 2023, they’ve also signed Angel Reese, DiJonai Carrington, Matas Buzelis, and Dink Pate to sponsorship deals. Mann thinks his contemporaries signed with similar motivations to his own.</p><p>“I feel like Angel, and Dink, everybody else who’s with Reebok wanted to do something different,” he claimed. “To build it back up. So, same with me.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Exclusive: Tre Mann on signing with Reebok, ‘bringing swag back’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/move-charlotte-hornets-shouldve-made-2025-nba-offseason');   ga('set', 'title', '1 move Charlotte Hornets should’ve made in 2025 NBA offseason');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-move-Charlotte-Hornets-shouldve-made-in-2025-NBA-offseason.jpg"></figure><h1>1 move Charlotte Hornets should’ve made in 2025 NBA offseason</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-01T07:14:44-07:00">August 1st, 7:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-01T07:14:44-07:00">August 1st, 7:14am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After years of meandering in the NBA’s no-man’s land, never quite good enough to contend, never bad enough to rebuild fully, the Charlotte <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-perfect-move-2025-nba-offseason">Hornets finally made assertive moves</a> in the 2025 offseason. They addressed the glaring instability in their backcourt. They patched up the center rotation. They even added some veteran leadership.</p><p>However, they missed one move, arguably the most important one. Despite every signal pointing toward it, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/the-move-charlotte-hornets-still-must-make-2025-nba-free-agency">Charlotte failed to sign a versatile two-way wing</a>, the kind of player that’s become the heartbeat of every modern NBA contender. The absence of such a player might not just stall their Play-In hopes, it could also undo much of the progress they’ve made this summer.</p><h2>Move Hornets should’ve made: A 2-way wing</h2><p>Today’s NBA is dominated by 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9 wings who can switch across three or four positions, contest star scorers, knock down corner threes, and occasionally create their own shot. Think Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Aaron Nesmith, or Josh Green. Even non-stars like Naji Marshall or Cam Reddish hold value because of their versatility.</p><p>Charlotte, as currently constructed, has zero of these players outside of Brandon Miller, who is still developing and cannot carry the two-way burden alone.</p><p>This makes Charlotte’s perimeter defense alarmingly porous, especially in the East, where they’ll face elite forwards every other night.</p><h2>Would Jonathan Kuminga have changed that?</h2><p>Yes.</p><p><a href="https://www.nba.com/player/1630228/jonathan-kuminga" rel="noopener">The Hornets should’ve chased Jonathan Kuminga</a>, a 6’8” athletic marvel who is on the verge of leaving the Warriors due to fit and financial constraints. He’s not a polished shooter yet, but he defends across positions, runs the floor like a wing, and attacks closeouts with physicality.</p><p>He fits the Hornets’ timeline at just 22 years old. He would’ve instantly become their second-best wing defender, capable of guarding players like Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero, or Trae Young, matchups the Hornets are woefully unprepared for.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jonathan Kuminga might be the most confident player in the NBA</p><p>Views himself as a Superstar who is being boxed in </p><p>Time will tell </p><p> <a href="https://t.co/9mDrzfhYTU">pic.twitter.com/9mDrzfhYTU</a></p><p>— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopHerald/status/1950744009271328834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>On a team that needs more strength, verticality, and defensive resistance at the 3 and 4 spots, Kuminga could’ve been the answer.</p><h2>What the Hornets did right</h2><p>Let’s give credit where it’s due. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">The Hornets were active</a>:</p><p>This flurry of movement was a dramatic shift from the indecision of past seasons. But in their rush to strengthen the perimeter with guard depth, the Hornets ignored positional balance, and more importantly, they overlooked one of the game’s most valuable archetypes: the switchable wing defender who can shoot and survive in isolation.</p><h2>The roster logjam at guard</h2><p>Instead, Charlotte is now dealing with redundancy in the backcourt:</p><p>That’s five guards (not counting rookies or holdovers) for a rotation that realistically uses three guard slots. If LaMelo returns to form, that leaves Dinwiddie or Mann squeezed, and Sexton’s touches reduced. Even if they go small, you’re putting Connaughton or Sexton in positions where they will struggle defensively against bigger wings.</p><p>This isn’t a case of “too much talent” – it’s positional imbalance.</p><h2>The fallout of this imbalance</h2><p>Instead, they may once again be stuck outside the postseason, blaming injuries and “fit,” when in truth, the foundation was flawed from the start.</p><h2>Eastern Conference Comparisons</h2><p>Look around the conference, and the trend is clear:</p><p>These aren’t all superstars. But they show that modern teams are prioritizing wing depth, while Charlotte continues to operate like it’s 2013, prioritizing guards and bigs without attention to the swingman layer that connects them.</p><h2>Who else could’ve helped?</h2><p>If not Kuminga, the Hornets could’ve reasonably pursued:</p><p>None of these names would break the bank. But all of them could’ve tilted the Hornets’ identity toward something closer to a balanced, modern NBA roster.</p><h2>The window is narrow</h2><p>This isn’t about just one missed signing. It’s about an outdated team-building philosophy. The Hornets had a chance to add a glue piece that could bridge LaMelo Ball’s offense and the frontcourt’s physicality. They didn’t.</p><p>In doing so, they’ve built a high-variance, low-floor roster, fun in spurts, frustrating in playoff races. If Charlotte wants to break the cycle of mediocrity, it needs to stop treating wings as luxury items. They’re necessities now. And until they treat them that way, the Hornets will remain one piece short, no matter how many guards they stack up.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

1 move Charlotte Hornets should’ve made in 2025 NBA offseason

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-miller-main-thing-glaring-issue-lamelo-ball');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ Brandon Miller shares ‘main thing’ amid glaring issue involving LaMelo Ball');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Brandon-Miller-shares-main-thing-amid-glaring-issue-involving-LaMelo-Ball.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ Brandon Miller shares ‘main thing’ amid glaring issue involving LaMelo Ball</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-29T05:48:52-07:00">July 29th, 5:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-29T05:48:52-07:00">July 29th, 5:48am</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The last time the Charlotte Hornets won a series in the playoffs, LaMelo Ball was only a year old, while Brandon Miller wasn’t even born yet. The Hornets beat the Orlando Magic in the first round in 2002 before succumbing to the New Jersey Nets in the conference semifinals.</p><p>Since then, the franchise has only qualified for the playoffs thrice, all ending in the opening round. The Hornets have the longest active drought in the NBA as they have missed the postseason for nine straight seasons.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-millers-injury-update-will-hype-fans-up-2025-26-nba-season">Miller is eager to turn things around in Charlotte</a>. But after an impressive rookie year, he hurt his right wrist last season, limiting him to just 27 games. His backcourt mate, Ball, meanwhile, only played 27 games due to various injuries.</p><p>While they form a talented duo, their inability to stay on the floor together has become a concern. The 22-year-old Miller said he is <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article311476077.html" rel="noopener">aware of the issue</a>.</p><p>“It’s always the main thing, you know, just keeping our bodies together. We know it’s a long season. Having us two on the floor can make a big difference (in having) a winning team,” said Miller in an interview with The Charlotte Observer’s Langston Wertz Jr.</p><p>The second overall pick in 2023, Miller played 74 games in his rookie campaign. Ball, however, only featured in 22 outings following an ankle surgery.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-tattoo-artist-admits-trolling-hot-chee-toes-post">Ball, who recently went viral over a tattoo joke</a>, has yet to regain the consistency that made him an All-Star in just his second year with the Hornets in 2022. It remains unclear if he will be ready before the new season.</p><p>Fortunately for Charlotte, which is coming from a 19-63 record, Miller is on the right track to recovery, saying his right wrist is “around 90-95%” ready.</p><p>“I started contact (drills). I’ll be ready the first day the season starts, and I’m just excited to get back out on the court with my guys,” added the Hornets guard, who averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ Brandon Miller shares ‘main thing’ amid glaring issue involving LaMelo Ball

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-millers-injury-update-will-hype-fans-up-2025-26-nba-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Brandon Miller’s injury update will hype Hornets fans up for 2025-26 NBA season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Brandon-Miller.jpg"><figcaption>© Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Brandon Miller’s injury update will hype Hornets fans up for 2025-26 NBA season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-28T21:35:06-07:00">July 28th, 9:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-28T21:35:06-07:00">July 28th, 9:35pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As much as the Charlotte Hornets struggled for much of the 2024-25 season, finishing with a dreadful 19-63 record, there is reason to be hopeful considering that they at least have the makings of a good, ascending young core. Brandon Miller, in particular, made plenty of strides last season, averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per contest before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-miller-miss-remainder-of-season-wrist-surgery">a wrist injury he sustained back in January</a> cut his sophomore season short.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/hornets-brandon-miller-gives-inside-scoop-on-most-important-part-of-injury-rehab">Miller only played in 27 games last season</a> as a result of not only his season-ending wrist injury that required surgery, but also because of the minor knocks he picked up here and there throughout the season. He’s only 22 years old, but that tendency of his may be a cause for concern for some Hornets fans.</p><p>Regardless, there’s a bit over two months to go before the 2025-26 season begins, and it looks like Miller will be <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article311476077.html" rel="noopener">better than ever</a> in his return for the Hornets if his self-update on his wrist injury is to be believed.</p><p>“[My wrist is] probably around 90-95% now. I started contact (drills). I’ll be ready the first day the season starts and I’m just excited to get back out on the court with my guys,” Miller told Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer.</p><p>That should be music to the ears of Hornets fans who would want nothing more than to see their young core finally play together and stay off the injury bug. Miller, of course, is flanked by LaMelo Ball, the former All-Star, and they are joined by Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley as two bright young prospects looking to turn things around for Charlotte.</p><p>Miller is expected to take another jump in Year 3; his scoring efficiency is something that has to get even better if the Hornets were to make a little bit of noise in the weaker conference.</p><h2><b>Hornets’ Brandon Miller truly might be the second coming of Paul George</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Brandon_Miller_and_Paul_George_facing_off_against_each_other.jpg"><figcaption>Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-miller-flowers-paul-george-nba-cup-76ers">Miller has been nothing but expressive of his love for Paul George</a>, and he seems to have modeled his entire game after his. But unlike George, Miller was a 20-point scorer in Year 2, already flashing more advanced ballhandling and playmaking skills than George did at that point of his career.</p><p>The Hornets’ third-year wing, of course, is not the defender George is. But he has displayed a similar smooth shot-making ability as well as tantalizing athleticism that elicits oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Perhaps in Year 3, Miller blossoms into an All-Star-caliber player.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Charlotte
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CharlotteHornets NEWS

Hornets News: Get the latest Charlotte Hornets news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Hornets News

Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release

Kobe Bryant x Nike Dunk Low ‘Draft Day’ coming Summer 2026

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• Hornets’ culture appears to finally be in place

• Exclusive: Tre Mann on signing with Reebok, ‘bringing swag back’

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Charlotte
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