Which Three Charlotte Hornets Face the Toughest Fight for Rotation Minutes?

There are just 18 players under contract for the Charlotte Hornets. About nine to ten of those players will actually see the floor regularly for the team, and seven to eight will actually see the floor if the team make the postseason.

That means that some players, who have received minutes consistently for their entire lives, will have to sit at the end of the bench. At the moment, only a few players on the roster are guaranteed to be there: Pat Connaughton, Mouhamadou Gueye, and (likely) Dorian Finney-Smith.

That means that there will be several players fighting over the coming months to receive those heavily desired NBA minutes. So, who are the three most notable players that fit that bill?

Liam McNeeley

After a fanastic stint with the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA's G-League, Liam McNeeley already seemed to be pushing for a rotation spot during the 2026-27 season. The 29th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft only furthered that push with a stellar Summer League performance, where in his first three games he has averaged 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and shot 63.2% from three.

He's shown clear growth in his game during this year's trip to Las Vegas, and could be the top bench scorer for the Hornets now that Coby White has been elevated to the starting lineup. That being said, there is still a tough path for minutes.

At 6/7, McNeeley has the ability to play the 2-4 on the court. While that versatility is a skill, the Hornets have given themselves a haul of wing depth this offseason, to a point where it seems to be an uphill battle for their young players trying to get into the rotation.

Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Grant Williams, Sion James, and Dorian Finney-Smith all had roles with their respective teams this past season, though Finney-Smith is likely the odd man out of the group. For McNeeley to be part of the rotation, he will need to be at minimum the third best of this group, a task much easier said than done.

Still, his recent performances in the G-League and Summer League give hope that he could be what the Hornets believed he would when they traded Mark Williams for his draft rights. It remains to be seen whether or not he turns into that.

Tidjane Salaün

Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) shoots a three point basket over Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda (93) during the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Tidjane Salaün's career has been... disappointing.

When looking at the players selected after him, such as Portland's Donovan Clingan, Memphis' Zach Edey, Chicago's Matas Buzelis, or even the fact that the player selected two picks before him played a pivotal role in an NBA Finals run (Stephon Castle), it's hard to look at Salaün's production and feel positive.

It's even harder knowing that in his first two seasons as a pro, Salaün has barely cracked the rotation.

In his first year with the squad, he played around 20 minutes a night over the course of 60 games due to an abundance of injuries that hit Charlotte's roster. In year two, he played about just 15 minutes a night over 37 games, in a year that saw him spend more time in Greensboro.

While Tidjane played a pivotal role in two championship runs himself, it's still a large question mark as to whether or not he can play a role fora team fighting for an NBA playoff spot.

He's one of two top ten picks from the 2024 class that are playing in the Summer League for the third time, and he's averaging just 9.3 points while shooting 42.9% from the field and 27.3% from deep. While it's extremely difficult to judge a player off of their Summer League performance, it's difficult to deny that Salaün's struggles as one of the few players with real NBA experience is alarming.

It comes into further question when the Hornets added multiple players this offseason (Naz Reid, Hannes Steinbach, Royce O'Neale) who can play Tidjane's position at the four. Although McNeeley has an uphill battle to see minutes, his is much lighter compared to that of Salaün's.

It may be a make or break year for the former sixth overall pick.

Tre Mann

This time last year, the return of Tre Mann was an exciting time after he missed nearly the entirety of the 2024-25 season. Mann's return, along with the additions of Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie, gave the Hornets a signficiant amount of guard depth behind the injury-prone LaMelo Ball.

Goes to show how much can change in a year.

Mann is now the only player left of the four, but he's no rotation lock. Mann was removed from the Hornets rotation in late December, right before Charlotte went on their dominant run that saw them fall just one game short of the playoffs.

He's slated to make $16 million over the next two seasons, but the Hornets hold a team option for the second year that, at this point, seems certain to not be exercised.

Unlike McNeeley and Salaün, there is no abundance of ball-handlers that Mann has to beat out. Coby White, Christian Anderson, and Sion James are currently the only rostered players who fit that role, and Mann could crack the rotation early if Anderson shows he may need some time in the G-League.

Still, Anderson could show he's NBA ready, and Mann is back to sitting at the end of the bench.

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