The Charlotte Hornets are hardly having a season to remember, yet Hannes Steinbach has been confined to a limited bench role. Charles Lee and his team are posting the NBA's worst offensive rating. Their immature shot-making has raised concerns in Charlotte, and something has to change. Steinbach's college reputation is built on good decision-making; he deserves a chance to shine.
It has been a mixed start to the season for Charlotte. They currently sit 10th overall in the Eastern Conference with a 3-6 record, but given their five-game losing streak, it won't be long before they slip out of the Play-In spots.
Their regular-season inconsistencies should benefit the franchise from the NBA's Draft Lottery change, but that doesn't mean the team should accept poor offensive play. If Lee is building a sustainable culture, players must know that poor performances will affect their role in the rotation, while mature, efficient showings will be rewarded with more minutes.
However, Steinbach hasn't even been allowed to state his case. For the sake of the player and the team's future, this has to change.
A baptism of fire will benefit Steinbach
Maybe Charlotte's head coach isn't willing to throw his rookie prospects into a losing team, or maybe he doesn't believe in their ability -- who knows. One thing is for sure: when a team is performing at such an abysmal level, something has to give. Is there a better way to inject life into a floundering team than unleashing an energetic rookie?
The Hornets selected Steinbach with the 14th overall pick of the 2026 draft. In any other year, the 20-year-old would have been a top-10 pick, but this class was supremely talented, and that fact shouldn't be weaponised against him.
Steinbach is capable of making a positive contribution, even at the highest level, but has made just three appearances from the bench this year, averaging 7.7 minutes per game. Protecting a younger player is admirable; however, a coach risks hindering a player's development if there isn't a legitimate reason for limiting his minutes.
During his college career, Steinbach established a reputation as a two-way, highly efficient forward who can make an impact in the paint. The Washington Huskies alum averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 57.7 percent from the floor. If the numbers are anything to go by, Steinbach's physicality shouldn't be an issue.
Naz Reid is Steinbach's biggest problem. From a competitive standpoint, fielding an experienced veteran at power forward makes far more sense. Even if this is the case, the rookie forward deserves more time in the rotation, especially when his teammates are so inconsistent. Lee could deploy him at small forward while Kon Knueppel recovers from his lingering ailment, or even experiment with a small-ball lineup by moving Steinbach to center.
The Hornets simply aren't good enough right now, but that was probably expected. Nevertheless, if the franchise is in transition, it makes more sense to give younger prospects like Steinbach some serious minutes in the rotation. Frankly, he couldn't make Charlotte any worse.
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