Who Will Lead the Charlotte Hornets in Scoring This Season?

There will be plenty of points to go around in Charlotte next season.

After trading LaMelo Ball (20.1 points per game) and Miles Bridges (17.2 points per game) this summer, the Hornets will need to replace 37.2 points a night in their starting lineup. Who will wind up leading the team in scoring next season? Our staff at Charlotte Hornets On SI took a look into their crystal ball to come up with an answer.

Zachary Roberts: Brandon Miller

Is it as simple as Brandon Miller led the team in scoring last season? Kind of. Miller is the only one who eclipsed 20 points per game, and that was while recovering from a shoulder injury and playing second fiddle to shot-hungry LaMelo Ball.

Simply put, there will be more shots for him.

Kon Knueppel was right behind Miller, but I suspect his efficiency will dip without Ball, and I don't know if he'll get more volume than Miller. Coby White's a wild card, but he seems firmly the third option behind Miller (first option) and Knueppel (second). Sometimes, it is as simple as the top guy scoring the most points.

Evan Campos: Brandon Miller

With Charlotte's egalitarian, quick decision-making offensive style of basketball not going anywhere, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White should all land somewhere in that 18-to-22-point-per-game range and be relatively close in the scoring-leader equation.

However, Miller's 16.1 field goal attempts, 20.1 points per game, and general usage from last season should all notch up. With LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges no longer in the mix, Miller should be taking the most shots for Charlotte on a night-to-night basis and, subsequently, should once again be the Hornets' leading scorer.

Schuyler Callihan: Kon Knueppel

I'll be different and go with the sharpshooter. Miller is the obvious choice, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the guy, but something tells me Knueppel will handle the pressure on the perimeter better than Miller and has the physicality to be able to finish amongst the trees. If Knueppel ends up becoming a consistent three-level scorer, he will be the guy the Hornets build this thing around. Also, I like the consistency Kon brings to the table. Miller has the tendency to go through some real hot and cold stretches.

Matt Alquiza: Coby White

I've been pretty clear about my expectations for Coby White heading into 2026-27.

He won't be a like-for-like LaMelo Ball replacement, White is nowhere near the same level of playmaker as his predecessor, but the veteran guard can score in bunches. The Hornets' play an all-for-one, one-for-all offensive style, making it likely that a number of players will contend to be the leading scorer, but my money is on White. He's averaged 20+ points per game in the past, he'll have the ball in his hands a ton, and there will be plenty of shooting talent surrounding him to create driving lanes that he will attack.

Charlotte clearly believes that Coby White is a pillar worth building around, and he'll prove the franchise right with a career year in 2026-27.

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