Grant Williams is back — what does this mean for the Charlotte Hornets' rotation?

Charles Lee now has more depth in the frontcourt to work with.

Jan 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) and Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (2) celebrate in the final seconds of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

It's been over a year since Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams suited up for an NBA game, but tonight, that drought will come to an end. Earlier this afternoon, the team officially announced that he has been upgraded from probable to available, where he will almost certainly come off the bench in a limited role.

What should we expect from Williams?

Rust, and a lot of it. It's obvious, but it needs to be stated. Even if a guy misses four or five games, there could be some signs of rust. Being unable to compete in a competitive game for over a year? Yeah, it's going to be a work in progress.

Head coach Charles Lee has not discussed what his role will be like out of the gates, but one can assume there will be some sort of minutes restriction and perhaps one that lasts through the end of the season.

While he's trying to find his footing and get back into a routine, he can still be the gritty, hard-nosed, max effort player he's always been — diving on the floor, playing scrappy defense, creating plays for his teammates, and all of the things that may not show up in the box score.

How does this impact the rotation?

Tidjane Salaün has proved he's deserving of not just minutes but the backup role to Miles Bridges. I don't expect Lee to pull back on Salaün's role all that much, to be honest. If anything, it could mean less floor time for Josh Green at the three. With Williams' versatility, they'll also be able to go to a small-ball lineup with him playing the five, so perhaps you'll see some lineup combinations where neither Ryan Kalkbrenner nor Moussa Diabate is on the floor.

My updated depth chart projection

PG: LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, Tre Mann

SG: Kon Knueppel, Sion James, Josh Green

SF: Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Grant Williams

PF: Miles Bridges, Tidjane Salaün, Grant Williams

C: Moussa Diabate, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Grant Williams

Williams and the Hornets will begin their five-game West Coast road trip tonight in Utah.

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