Charlotte Hornets Second-Half Storylines to Watch: Brandon Miller's Rise, Coby White's Availability, and More

After a week-long break that felt like it lasted a month, the Charlotte Hornets return to the hardwood on Thursday night to tip off the second half of their season.

Through 55 games played, the Hornets have ran their record to a respectable 26-29, good for ninth in the Eastern Conference. The underlying numbers, though, say that Charlotte's ledger should be even better than that.

According to Cleaning the Glass, Charlotte boasts a +1.9 net rating (13th in the NBA) making thier expected win/loss record to this point 30-25, which would have them sitting just below the Philadelphia 76ers for the last guaranteed playoff spot in the East.

With 27 games to go for the Purple and Teal, the sky is the limit. If Charlotte continues their torrid pace, there is a world in which they can skip the Play-In Tournament altogether and lock in the franchise's first playoff berth in a decade.

There's all to play for in Charlotte. Let's break down the biggest storylines coming in the second half.

Oh Coby, Where Art Thou?

Landing Coby White at the NBA trade deadline was the latest shrewd move in a string of them by lead decision-maker Jeff Peterson.

The only problem with the trade is that White has yet to don a Hornets uniform. Head coach Charles Lee preached patience after a Wednesday afternoon practice, saying that 'there is no real timeline right now,' in terms of a return date for Coby White, but that 'the All-Star break was very beneficial for him.'

It will really benefit Charlotte if White can heal up quickly.

The Hornets' offense craters when LaMelo Ball rides the pine. While White won't bring production that matches LaMelo's otherworldly output, he'll definitely close the gap and make sure that the Hornets can keep pace when their star guard is resting.

Tre Mann of the Hour

While White is sidelined with his calf injury, the back-up back court belongs to Tre Mann.

In the Hornets' last game before All-Star Weekend, Mann began to look a little bit more like the game-changing sixth man who took Charlotte by storm in 2024. His underrated ability to impact the game on both ends shined in the win against the Hawks, punctuated by his two fourth quarter steals that Charlotte needed to close out the game.

For the Hornets to tread water, especially in these next three games without Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges, some strong play by Mann will be more than necessary. His chance to rebuild his league-wide reputation after getting benched for nearly two months is nigh, and it will be mutually beneficial for his career and Charlotte's 2025-26 prospects if he comes out guns blazing starting on Thursday against Houston.

Rookie Revelations

How long can Kon Knueppel, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner keep this up?

The Duke Blue Devils played 35 games last season on their way to the Final Four. James and Knueppel have already played at least 19 more than that in their rookie seasons, and if Charlotte continues to play into the postseason, they'll more than double that number before they get a break for the summer.

Charlotte is as reliant on rookies as any playoff-worthy team in recent NBA history, and it will be fascinating to see if those three can flourish down the stretch, or if they'll falter when the lights get bright and their legs get heavy.

Brandon Miller's Superstar Potential

It took him some time to find his form after recovering from wrist and shoulder injuries, but Miller really turned a corner once the calendar flipped to 2026.

In Charlotte's 21 games in 2026, Miller has been the type of high-usage, high-efficiency two-way star that thrives in the meat grinder that is the NBA playoffs. Take a look at these numbers:


Usage Rate	28.2%	97th Percentile
Points/100 Shot Attempts	119.3	66th Percentile
Assist Percentage	17.2%	83rd Percentile
Three-Point Percentage	40%	75th Percentile
Block Percentage	1.2%	81st Percentile
Steal Percentage	1.6%	57th Percentile

There are still parts of Miller's game to quibble with. He doesn't get to the rim enough, and when he does get there, he doesn't finish at a 'superstar' level. Also, Miller's lack of strength and elite burst hinders his ability to truly become a mismatch nightmare against switches.

Again, those are just slight quibbles. Miller is blossoming into a star right in front of our eyes, and Charlotte's playoff hopes are resting squarely on his shoulders.

We know who LaMelo Ball is at this point: an elite offensive engine who impacts the game in ways that a simple box score just can't seem to quantify.

We know who Kon Knueppel is at this point: a steady offensive weapon who has been fully maximized by Charles Lee's elite offensive system.

Miller is the biggest wild card. If he can go up another level in the next two months, the Hornets become a live underdog in a round one series with potential to make a serious run in April and May.

- MORE STORIES FROM CHARLOTTE HORNETS ON SI -

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Is Coby White Playing on Thursday? Charlotte Hornets Release Injury Report Ahead of Clash With Rockets

Can the Charlotte Hornets Make a Run? Predicting Their Rest-of-Season Record