The Biggest Question Facing the Charlotte Hornets This Offseason

In years past, the Charlotte Hornets had all sorts of issues. They couldn't stay healthy, didn't have the necessary pieces to compete on a nightly basis, and were put in a bad spot due to poor drafting and bad contracts.

Now, the Hornets have new problems to deal with, except that they are the type that every GM dreams of having — the good kind.

They have three legit all-star caliber players in LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller. They have a ton of draft picks, including five first-rounders over the next two drafts, and have roughly $10.8M of space before reaching the first apron.

Do they send a package of picks to land a proven star talent to accelerate the rebuild? Do they make a move up the draft board to add to the young core? Or are they making a sneaky good move in free agency?

There are a million questions surrounding the Hornets and their path forward, but the one I keep coming back to is how they can reach their ceiling while keeping Moussa Diabaté in the starting lineup?

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) handles the ball during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Because of the backcourt trio, there are only two spots where Jeff Peterson can reasonably look to upgrade, that being power forward and center. Upgrading over Miles Bridges isn't as easy as it seems, either. Finding an athletic four who can run the floor, shoot the three with consistency, and have the athleticism to switch 1-4 is not easy to find.

But if you ask me, it's the only way they can truly take the next step with this group.

Yes, Diabaté's undersized. And yes, he lacks physicality and can get pushed around, as we saw multiple times this season — not just Orlando — but man, he brings so much value to this club. His energy and relentlessness are what make him so special. It often leads to several offensive rebounds, keeping possessions alive, and for a team that has so many weapons on the perimeter, having someone like Moussa is crucial. It's part of what allows Charlotte to shoot as many threes as they do. I mean, if we're being real here, he is essentially the modern-day Dennis Rodman.

I've kicked the idea around of moving Moussa to the four to open up a spot for a bigger, more physical center, but the problem is, he doesn't fit as a four in this system. He's not going to space the floor as Bridges or an ideal power forward in this offense would. And he doesn't have a mid-range jumper that can at least pull him away from the basket to give another big room to operate.

In our staff group chat, we've been texting some ideas around, and somehow, we always land on Lauri Markkanen. As far as veteran options are concerned, that might be the best way to become a top-six team in the East without completely disrupting the progress of this core.

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