Three things that are near guarantees to happen in 2025-26 for the Charlotte Hornets

We're still a couple of months away from the start of the 2025-26 season, but it's never too early to start looking ahead at what may happen in year two for the Charlotte Hornets under Charles Lee.

I've got three things that are very likely to happen.

Another lottery ticket punched

Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee directs his team against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images | Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

The Hornets have made a ton of progress, but they're still far from being a true player in the East. I mean, we can't even begin to place play-in expectations on this group until they prove they can stay on the court. It can be a bit monotonous to talk about, but we can't ignore it. The depth is better, but not good enough to climb out of the bottom half of the league. They may not be among the teams with the best odds to win the lottery, but they'll have their fair share of ping-pong balls.

A busy trade deadline

Jeff Peterson has hinted at the Hornets making a big move at some point in the near future, but in order to do that, they need to continue building a war chest of picks and other valuable assets. Several of the veterans who are well outside of the Hornets' timeline to win will likely get moved, i.e., Mason Plumlee, Spencer Dinwiddie, Pat Connaughton, and so on. I may be getting ahead of myself on predicting when they go all-in, but it could happen next summer.

Kon Knueppel becomes a staple in the Hornets' core

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) dribbles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

I know, this one is rather bold, isn't it? The fourth overall pick becoming a key piece of the future — such a stunner. That said, there's no such thing as guarantees in this league, especially when it comes to the draft. How many top-five picks have been major busts over the years? Way too many to count. Knueppel will not be among them. He enters a great situation where he's not going to be pressured with carrying the load, like some of his draftmates at other places. He'll slide between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, which should allow him to step right in and make a major impact, even at 20 years old.

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