Hornets rotation: Charlotte sports new-look roster after NBA Trade Deadline

Here's what the new Hornets rotation will look like.

Jan 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets were busy leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline. They added several picks, including two future first-round picks, and several rotational players. Of course, it cost them, too. Mark Williams, Nick Richards, Cody Martin, and Vasilije Micic are all gone now.

It leaves the rotation in a totally different shape moving forward. With injuries, the new starting lineup is likely to be: Nick Smith Jr., Dalton Knecht, Josh Green, Miles Bridges, and Jusuf Nurkic. The backups and key rotational players will likely be in this order: Moussa Diabate, Cam Reddish, KJ Simpson, Seth Curry, Daquan Jeffries, Taj Gibson, and Isaiah Wong.

When they're healthy, it will look very different. Knecht will probably still start at the two-guard since Brandon Miller is not coming back this year at all. So the full-strength lineup will be LaMelo Ball, Knecht, Green, Bridges, and Nurkic.

Jan 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (20) reacts after being called on a foul during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

That leaves Smith Jr., Josh Okogie, Diabate, Simpson, Reddish, Curry, Gibson, Jeffries, and Wong coming off the bench. Of course, it may be a while before this team gets to full strength. In 2025-26, when Miller comes back, he will push either Knecht or Green to the bench and join the starting lineup.

The Hornets had struggled even when fully healthy this year, so the front office decided that a shakeup needed to happen. That of course meant the blockbuster deal sending Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers, but it also meant moving on from several rotational players and bringing in new faces.

It's very similar to what the Hornets did last year. They changed out a ton of rotational players and acquired a few future picks in the process. After two straight years of doing this, the Hornets have quietly accrued quite a bit of draft capital to build on.

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