Can the New-Look Hornets Somehow Top Last Year's 44-Win Total?

Jeff Peterson hit the reset button this offseason instead of building on what the Charlotte Hornets were able to do this past season, reaching 44 wins, and making the Play-In Tournament. It's difficult to imagine Charlotte shipping out LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges and improving the very next year, but is it possible?

Our staff weighs in, listing a % chance the Hornets top their 44-win mark from the 2025-26 season.

Schuyler Callihan: 45%

As crazy as it may seem, we might be overlooking this roster just a tad. I know. Coby White is not LaMelo Ball. But at the same time, White is more durable, reliable, and takes much better care of the basketball, which was a huge issue for the Hornets last season.

If the Hornets had someone who could facilitate, I'd probably have this north of 50%. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel may suffer to some degree not having LaMelo setting them up for shots, but they are poised to take a big step, and creating their own shot is a part of that. Naz Reid is an upgrade over Miles Bridges, and Charlotte has better depth at the two, three, and five spots than they've had in years past.

I think they flirt with an identical record, if healthy, and under the assumption that Miller and Knueppel level up.

Owen O'Connor: 25%

The loss of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges points clearly to the idea that Jeff Peterson and the Hornets are content with sitting around the 10th seed, playing semi-competitive ball, and going after the first pick.

That being said, it seems like this past season they were trying to be in the Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer race.

With Charles Lee around, and continued development for Brandon Miller/Kon Knueppel, who knows? Perhaps the Hornets go out and outright make the playoffs this year behind the leap from their young stars. Or, more likely, they end up in contention for the top pick in the draft.

It seems unlikely they win 40 games again this year, but who knows.

Zach Roberts: 40%

By my estimation, this roster is worse than the 2025-26 roster. But they will probably avoid the injury bug early on, and they won't need weeks to determine the best starting five like they did last season. So ultimately, I expect a very similar but slightly worse record in 2026-27, winning about 42 games. Random chance could get them a few extra wins; it might also give them more. But because the team is worse now and has no playmaking, I put the percentage lower than 50%.

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