5 Charlotte Hornets Make NBA Top 100: Who's Ranked Too High or Low?

The Charlotte Hornets are peaking right now, and the NBA world is taking notice. For a very long time, Charlotte was considered one of the most talent-poor teams in the sport, but things have changed dramatically.

Roughly a year of smart moves has revamped this roster, and there are now five (no, that's not a typo) Hornets ranked on the Ringer's NBA Top 100. After the trade deadline, the Hornets had just four. Here's who made the cut.

Moussa Diabaté, 92: Too High

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabaté (14) chases after the ball during the second half | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

We all love Moussa Diabaté, and he is maybe one of the most important players to this team's success. But 92nd-best in the entire sport? That feels like a bit much for a player averaging 8.2 points and 8.8 rebounds as a starting center.

Diabaté does deserve a ton of love for what he does well, which is offensive rebound. Even when he doesn't, he's a menace on the glass. Just ask the Orlando Magic, who kept fouling him to stop offensive rebounds last time they played.

"Diabaté might be the most versatile big man defender in the entire league. As an undersized center, he can bang with opposing bigs while also stepping out on the perimeter to keep guards at bay," the Ringer staff wrote.

Coby White, 90: Too Low

At the trade deadline, Coby White was ranked 79th. Admittedly, White got off to a bit of a slow start as he recovered and acclimated. But lately, he's been exceptional. He's averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in his last five games while playing 21.4 minutes.

That's an unreal scoring mark, putting him with more points than minutes off the bench. He's proven to be one of the best pickups in the sport as he's transformed Charlotte's bench. A slide was likely, but all the way to 90? Harsh.

"White exists in a modern phylum of combo guards whose paths toward on-ball playmaking duties are less a function of classic point guard instincts and more a result of their ability to manipulate the defense as versatile shooters," Danny Chau wrote.

Brandon Miller, 56: Too Low

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) handles the ball | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Post-deadline, Brandon Miller was ranked 58th, so he's seen a rise, but it's not big enough. Miller has been arguably the Hornets' best scorer while they've had the best offense in the NBA for a few months now.

He still has some nights where his shot is not falling, but he's still been the Hornets' best scorer this year. He's the lone 20-point scorer on a team full of good scoring players (the Hornets have five players averaging 15 points or more).

LaMelo Ball, 41: Too Low

This is not a bad ranking for LaMelo Ball, but he should be the top-ranked Hornet and he should be in the top 40 of the entire NBA. He is excellent, and he's honestly having a career year if you look beyond the averages, which are down due to having better teammates and a low minutes total.

Ball has one of the 10 best offensive ratings among NBA players who consistently play, and he has one of the best on/off splits among NBA players. He is a gifted offensive player who makes this engine run.

"For the first time since he arrived in Charlotte six seasons ago, the Hornets have a clear identity and a road map to winning basketball—and LaMelo looks like a core element of both," the staff wrote of Ball.

Kon Knueppel, 34: Too High

Kon Knueppel is fantastic, but I'm hesitant to place him this high already. And as I said, Ball should be the highest-ranked Hornet. Nevertheless, it's good to see genuine praise for Knueppel at this level. If you're wondering, he outpaces Cooper Flagg (47th) by a wide margin here.

Knueppel is already one of the best shooters in the entire NBA, but he's far from a one-trick pony. He can do it all on the offensive end, and he's not a bad defender, either. He has been a transformative addition.

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