After a disappointing 2022-23 season, the Charlotte Hornets have a lot of decisions to make between now October. A team that seemed to be on the brink of becoming a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference suddenly regressed back to a lottery team due to a multitude of factors, and changes are bound to be made.
Of course, the front office will be looking at player contracts, free agents and draft prospects to decide who is best fit to help them succeed going forward. In doing so, they will also be evaluating who from the current roster should stay around in the long-term and who should be shown the door.
There were certainly multiple players that proved themselves as worthy candidates to remain with the Hornets for the long haul over the course of this past season. But on the flip side, a few players made it clear that they will likely not be in Charlotte past this summer.
Here are 4 Charlotte Hornets who may not be back next season:
1. Dennis Smith Jr.
Signing with the Hornets in September 2022, Dennis Smith Jr. was a late addition to Charlotte’s roster before the season began. While many thought the team would re-sign Isaiah Thomas to act as backup point guard in 2022-23, the Hornets surprised everyone by bringing on Dennis Smith.
Before the season DSJ was looked at as something of a reclamation project. He had not played over 20 minutes per game since the 2018-19 season, and his deal with the Hornets seemed to represent a last chance of sorts.
While Dennis was far from spectacular, he exceeded expectations in the eyes of many. With LaMelo Ball missing 46 games last season, Smith was given a larger role than expected and played 25 minutes per contest over 54 games with Charlotte.
With his one-year contract expiring this summer, it is unlikely the Hornets will choose to re-sign Dennis Smith to a new deal. He may be a local favorite after playing in college at nearby NC State, but there are better options for a backup point guard for management to consider.