Who is the Most Important Charlotte Hornet That is Not in the Starting Lineup?

There are two names that could be considered the most important to the team.

Jan 24, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (2) chats with guard Josh Green (10) during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The most important player on an NBA team is typically the best player. We've seen it this season, as the Indiana Pacers, without Tyrese Haliburton, currently have the fourth-highest odds to land the number one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Or there are teams like the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, through fantastic roster building, continue to win games without superstars Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

It's fair to say that the best player on the Charlotte Hornets is LaMelo Ball. Just a year ago, the team went 3-32 with Ball out of the lineup, going 16-31 with him.

This year, the Hornets are 23-22 with LaMelo in the lineup. In the ten games without him, the team has gone 3-7.

It's also fair to say that the Hornets' next four most important players are all part of the lineup that holds the best net rating of any lineup in the NBA today that has played 190 minutes or more (+30.0 in 479 minutes).

Looking at the Hornets roster at the current moment, there are two players who seem like candidates to be the most important players outside of the starting five.

Grant Williams

Jan 17, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (2) takes a three-point shot against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

Just a year ago, the Hornets were 6-10 with Grant Williams in the lineup before he suffered a season-ending injury in the middle of November against the Milwaukee Bucks. They won just 13 more games after that.

Since Williams returned to the lineup in early January against the Utah Jazz, the vibes of this Hornets roster have been different. They are 10-4 with Grant in the lineup, and are 13-4 overall since his return on January 10th.

Not only that, but the Hornets have been 9.6 points per 100 possessions better than their opponent with Williams on versus with him off, which has been in large part due to the team's defensive rating with him on versus off the court (-10.4).

Coby White

Jan 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) brings the ball up court against the Miami Heat during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Hornets' biggest trade deadline acquisition, Coby White, has yet to play a game for the team, but is expected to return after the All-Star break is over.

Similar to Williams, the Chicago Bulls were much better this season when Coby White was on the floor versus when he was off. Most notably, the Bulls' offense has a 5.8 point swing resulting in a +5.2 net-rating in his on/off splits.

The Hornets have needed better backup guard play. While Collin Sexton was a 14.2 point per game scorer on good efficiency for the Hornets, their offensive rating decreased by 5.2 points when he was on the court, and they were 5.8 points per 100 possessions worse than their opponent when he was on versus off.

Though the Hornets were able to continue to win without White in the lineup, his addition may be the one that takes them from the Play-In Tournament to the playoffs.

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