The next time the Charlotte Hornets get on the court, it will mean something. The 2026-27 regular season is, for better or worse, one of the most hotly anticipated seasons in Hornets history. There are some scorching-hot burning questions hanging over it as a result.
Can Brandon Miller level up?
Brandon Miller was a highly competent and perhaps somewhat overqualified Robin to LaMelo Ball's Batman. Now, though, Miller is his own Caped Crusader. Can he level up? He has been a good player throughout his career, but good isn't enough to be the face of a desperate franchise.
Can he elevate his production without sacrificing too much efficiency? Can he be the number one option every night and take on the opponent's best defender? That is perhaps the biggest burning question this year.
Will depth outweigh injury struggles?
The Hornets are already banged up. It is highly unlikely Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, or Coby White will play for at least the first week or two. That won't be the end of it, though. The Hornets went out and scooped up a ton of depth in free agency, trades, and the draft.
So, does all that depth mean they can survive the injuries? Can Grayson Allen keep things rolling if Knueppel misses 20 games this year? Will reserves be able to replace Miller if he gets hurt, which he has before? How long can White be out without the Hornets suffering greatly?
How does Charles Lee run an offense this year?
Charles Lee implemented a brilliant, efficient, and hard-to-guard offense last year, and it took the NBA by storm. By some metrics, the Hornets were the NBA's best offense last season, but they simply cannot run the same offense anymore.
Without LaMelo Ball, that system just won't work as well. They will have to try something new to accommodate the lack of playmaking and the surplus of shooting. So, what does Lee have up his sleeve this season?
Was it all for nothing?
The LaMelo Ball trade was about the future, but we need to see the seeds of the fruits of that pivot sooner rather than later. Can Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel be the 1A and 1B instead of the 2A and 2B on a good team, or was the trade for nothing?
If those two can't effectively be the superstars the Hornets need, then the Hornets may have to consider another pivot, which would be a total disaster. We need to see that this team has the pieces for future contention now rather than only the draft assets to possibly get those pieces later.
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