Next steps for the Charlotte Hornets to go from competitive to a winning team

The Charlotte Hornets are clearly a step above where they were last season. Last night's frustrating loss on the road to a top team in the East is evidence of that. When they have Brandon Miller healthy again, I suspect they'll be even more competitive, but I don't think they're a winning team just yet. Fortunately, with an offseason/season of the right moves, they can be.

Trade Miles Bridges for a defense-first player

As solid as Miles Bridges has been this year, he's still probably not long for this roster. After this year, he becomes an expiring contract, and that makes him an easy trade candidate. But to get more value, the Hornets can part with him earlier, giving a team more control of a still fairly young player. But the key here is what the Hornets can get in return.

Picks are nice, but ultimately, the Hornets need someone who can play defense. They would need to think about potential lineup construction, but if they want to start someone else at power forward, then they could go after a perimeter defender. If they want a power forward, then there are some solid defenders at the four that could make

Draft another Kon Knueppel-type prospect

Drafting Kon Knueppel was such a home run that the Hornets need to try to do everything in their power to do it again. He was viewed as a more NBA-ready player with a higher floor and lower ceiling than other prospects in a loaded draft class, and he is paying immediate dividends.

So when the 2026 draft rolls around, the Hornets need to target someone similar. They'll likely be picking in the middle or back half of the lottery, and they should look for someone who can be good now, not someone who could be great later on. Adding an NBA-ready talent at a young age right then would be a great way to cement this core and build a consistent winner for a few years.

Re-sign Collin Sexton

Collin Sexton isn't a game-changing player anymore, but he's exactly what the Hornets need. Even now, with a much better talent base than before, the Hornets are highly dependant on LaMelo Ball being on the court, but he can't and won't be out there 48 minutes a night for 82 games.

The need for someone opposite or in place of him is still apparent. Sexton has provided that this year, but he's an expiring contract. He won't cost what he costs now to re-sign because his value has gone down, but the Hornets need a competitive guard who can playmake for or in place of Ball, so why let the one they've got in the building go?

Cash in for a role player

The Hornets have made some strides, but they haven't yet really gone for it. Jeff Peterson has said before that there will come a time when the accumulated stockpile of draft picks will be dipped into for a big trade. They don't need to snag a superstar, but someone who can elevate this roster and play their role (similar to the Magic snagging Desmond Bane) would be nice.

There are tons of viable candidates: Lauri Markkanen, Jerami Grant, Andrew Wiggins, Anfernee Simons, R.J. Barrett, and Kyle Kuzma are all reported trade candidates and would make sense. They're not superstars anymore, but they would make the Hornets better and give them something useful to do with all those picks.

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