Despite the Charlotte Hornets roster being decimated by injury, the franchise continues to send its talented prospects to its G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Honestly, what is the point? Hannes Steinbach tore through his opponents with ease, leaving little room to learn anything about his own skill set. In a time of transition, the Hornets must start handing their rookies meaningful minutes.
Steinbach recorded 29 points and 16 rebounds, shooting 72.2 percent from the floor. 9 of his boards were on the offensive end, and he didn't even break a sweat. Greensboro fielded Steinbach for 45 minutes. Why? Because he made such light work of his opponent, there was no need to sit him on the bench. Some may call this conditioning; I call it a waste of time and energy.
During this dominant performance, Steinbach became the first player in franchise history to record at least 25 points and 15 rebounds in a Swarm debut. This is a phenomenal achievement, but in the grand scheme of things, it means little for his long-term development and should probably be expected of a player with his talent.
Nobody should disrespect the G League. It boasts players on the fringes of the best basketball league in the world. Nevertheless, when Charlotte has injury problems and lacks consistency, why send talented rookies to an affiliate team?
The Hornets must start taking development seriously
Charlotte is stuck in an abyss of uncertainty. The front office is failing to show a consistent vision for the future. They sanctioned the departure of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges just to accept Naz Reid and Grayson Allen in return, with little draft capital attached to the deals. If this is a rebuild, it feels very underwhelming.
Some may argue that Reid's trade value will significantly increase as a starter for the Hornets and that he can be flipped for more picks later down the line. While that is a fair point, the franchise shouldn't put all its eggs in that particular basket. They must also consider their younger prospects' development.
In one G League game, Steinbach proved he has too much quality for that level. That performance should be enough to put him in Charles Lee's plans for upcoming fixtures. Even if the Washington alum makes several mistakes in NBA games, the Hornets must remain patient and give him a fair opportunity at the highest level.
Steinbach was selected 14th overall by the Hornets in the 2026 draft, but has only made 5 appearances, clocking up 12.6 minutes per contest. The 20-year-old has been averaging just 2.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game during this stretch. However, having attempted only 16 shots across his sporadic minutes, he has hardly had the opportunity to build confidence or find his rhythm.
This shouldn't be seen as an assault on the G League, just the Hornets' decision-making. If the organisation truly values the development of its younger players, it should give them meaningful minutes during an injury crisis rather than sending them to the Swarm.
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