Grading Every Major Member of the Charlotte Hornets' Rotation in 2025-26 Season

The Charlotte Hornets' season came to an underwhelming and, quite frankly, shocking end last week in the Play-In Tournament. The Orlando Magic blew them out and sent them back to the lottery for the 10th straight year.

But despite that, it was a very good season, especially on the player front. The team learned a ton about its stars, and they now have a pretty good sense of who everyone is and what they can be. Here's how they graded out.

LaMelo Ball: A

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

LaMelo Ball's efficiency didn't jump as we anticipated, but he was still excellent. By advanced metrics, this was by far his best year. He was one of the best offensive players in the entire sport (despite shooting around 40%) and had one of the best on/off ratings in the NBA.

Kon Knueppel: A+

The should-be Rookie of the Year gets a pass for a rough final few games, including the Play-Ins. That's what happens in your first 82-game season with tons of important games in which Kon Knueppel traveled the sixth-most on the court of any player. He was insanely impactful, and he earned an A+.

Brandon Miller: B

Brandon Miller is the key to the Hornets, and he was really good this year. He only struggled in two main areas, but they are big ones. He was not terribly consistent, as his shooting numbers would rise and fall. Miller also shot below 40% from the field against the best defenses in the NBA, and we need better from him in that regard.

Miles Bridges: C+

Miles Bridges was solid, honestly better than expected, this year. But he was still the weak link of this lineup. The Hornets were better with him off the court (-5.9 points, or -13 wins), and he was sometimes not the veteran leader this team needed him to be (see: punching Desmond Bane in Play-In and fighting Pistons).

Moussa Diabaté: A-

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) handles the ball during the second half | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Moussa Diabaté was an absolute revelation this year. The center rotation wasn't a problem because he ended up being one of the most important bigs in the NBA. His offensive rebounding was always excellent, and his defensive intensity was crucial. He just wasn't able to hang with the big bruisers down low, so that's the only major knock against him.

Sion James: B

Sion James is way better than he had any right to be. However, and this isn't entirely his fault, but when he had to run the offense or play the point guard position, he was way out of his depth. He also looked scared to even try to score sometimes, though his defense remained a key weapon for Charles Lee.

Ryan Kalkbrenner: B-

Ryan Kalkbrenner was also better than his draft spot. He shot such a high percentage and he blocked a lot of shots. He was not great for the team, though. They were 8.5 points worse with him on the floor, so he was pretty thoroughly outplayed by Diabaté. Still, for a second-round backup center, Kalkbrenner is not bad.

Coby White: A

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) in action against the New York Knicks | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

If Coby White never plays another minute for the Hornets, it was still a great trade. His heroics in the win over the Miami Heat made him a team legend. He was one of the best deadline pickups and best bench guards in the entire NBA this year, although his shot did disappear a few more times than we'd like.

Josh Green: B+

Josh Green's advanced numbers (second-best net rating on the team excluding Antonio Reeves) and his on/off (+10.7) metrics are excellent. He became a really good bench weapon. The only thing holding him back is a lack of minutes. He was impactful, but it happened in less than 16 minutes a game.

Grant Williams: A

The same logic applies to Grant Williams. The forward was excellent on both ends, having the best opponent field-goal percentage as a defender in the NBA. He also had the sixth-best offensive rating, and the Hornets were 10.2 points better with him on the floor. He did it in almost 20 minutes a game, so he gets the slight bump over Green.

Charles Lee: A+++++

Not a player, but Charles Lee was unbelievable this year. He deserves a ton of credit for finding the right lineup to play with and for leading the team to 44 wins and a near playoff berth when everyone wrote him off after one season. His play designs were incredible, and he clearly has the love and respect of the locker room.

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