The Charlotte Hornets have a lot of work to do this summer, but one of the first tasks they have to do is lock up Tre Mann with an extension. The question is how much they should shell out to keep him. John Hollinger of The Athletic (subscription required) thinks a two-year minimum deal with a player option for the 2026-27 season is the likely route for them. Some might argue it wouldn't be commensurate with Mann's value. In some ways, that is true.
After a lackluster start to his career in which he struggled to establish what his niche is in the NBA, a trade in the middle of the 2023-24 campaign to Charlotte was a godsend for the former Oklahoma City Thunder guard.
In his first 28 games in a Hornets jersey, which he started all off due to injuries to his teammates, he put up 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per contest. Mann then assumed his expected reserve role to begin this year, and it didn't take long for him to put a Sixth Man of the Year candidacy on display.
Unfortunately, a back injury sidelined him after just 13 games, in which he averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per match. Those numbers are a bit similar to what Payton Pritchard, this year's recipient of the top bench player award, logged for the Boston Celtics.
Tre Mann deserves another chance with Hornets
It would be easy to say that Charlotte should just cut its losses and let Mann go. An argument for that is that it could find a different potential microwave scorer off the bench this offseason — one that isn't an undersized guard who could be a defensive liability. In addition, the 24-year-old is actually about to be a restricted free agent. So, another team might try to steal him using an offer he can't refuse.
What the Hornets have going for them is that Mann reaffirmed his commitment to the squad two months ago, stating that they will soon return to the postseason stage.
postseason hoops back in CLT soon 🤞🏽🩵
— Tre Mann (@tre2mann3) April 19, 2025
Also, other organizations might balk at shelling out a fat contract to a guy with a somewhat mysterious back condition.
As some fans might remember, Mann wasn't expected to be gone for long when he missed Charlotte's meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks in late November. Fast forward weeks later, there had been no reports of his return, fueling speculation that his back injury was worse than anticipated. It didn't help that the reason for his absence was eventually changed from "disc irritation" to "disc herniation." The regular season ended without the team announcing that he was out for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.
Mann appears to be recovering well, based on his social media updates, which should be an excellent sign for the Hornets. Of course, that doesn't mean other franchises are going to line up to pry him away from Buzz City.
If things progress in favor of Charlotte, it could retain Mann at a discount. That should give the front office better financial flexibility to either upgrade the roster this summer or serve as a trade facilitator again for bigger deals involving cap space-strapped squads.
The said scenario could also benefit the Florida native, as it would afford him the opportunity to audition for a bigger contract next year with the Hornets, who would hold his bird rights, or different suitors around the league.