The Charlotte Hornets are 3-6 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak. Far from the 3-1 start that had fans intrigued, Charlotte is looking the part of a potential lottery team rather than the postseason hopeful that they at least appeared to be on paper.
For as concerning as that may be, it's far too soon for the Hornets to panic when one considers the context of their situation at large.
For one, the Hornets haven't even played 10 games yet and are only three games below .500. In other words: If Charlotte wins its next three games, they'll be back at .500 and any potential panicking will have been wasted on a sample size of nine games. A sample size, mind you, that includes an 0-5 stretch, yes, but also has a 3-1 record across just one fewer outing.
Despite that fact, many have entered panic mode, including NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor in a post that accrued more than 4,000 likes in roughly 12 hours.
It's panic time in Charlotte.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) November 5, 2026
Worst offensive rating in the NBA by far. They take over half their shots from 3 even though they're shooting below 30%. Sion James cannot hit the side of the backboard, yet Charles Lee keeps empowering him to launch bricks.
Brandon Miller is not… pic.twitter.com/q239uZLHuU
The Hornets absolutely have issues that they need to resolve, but the idea that a team that's a mere three-game winning streak away from .500 needs to panic is premature, at best.
Hornets have significant flaws, but it's way too early to panic
Charlotte's five-game losing streak has been ugly to watch. They scored 89 points against the Detroit Pistons, 79 against the Washington Wizards, and 91 in a rematch with the Pistons, and lost by 10 to the Brooklyn Nets. They played competitive games against Brooklyn, Detroit, and the Philadelphia 76ers, but it's been a brutal display of offensive inefficiency and inadequacy.
The context that seems to be casually glossed over, however, is that the Hornets have had their starting backcourt for 40 combined minutes this season.
Kon Knueppel played six minutes during his season debut before ultimately leaving with an aggravated injury. Coby White has appeared in the Hornets' past two games, but has played 16 and 18 minutes due to his minutes restriction.
Considering Knueppel and White combined to average 35.9 points and 7.4 assists per game in 2025-26, their eventual return to full-time roles should instantly resolve some of Charlotte's offensive issues.
The Hornets haven't completed a single game at full strength yet
Yes, Knueppel's health is a question mark that needs to be resolved. The same technically goes for White until he's able to play the 30 or so minutes per game that he's expected to. Evaluating a new-look Hornets team through nine games without their starting guards thus feels incomplete.
There may be reason to panic if the Hornets are still having these issues roughly 10 games from now, but a cold stretch with a new featured player and two pivotal pieces missing was close to inevitable.
Naz Reid replaced LaMelo Ball in the starting lineup. That alone creates a learning curve, as Reid is on a new team and plays a completely different position and style from Ball. As such, he must learn his new environment and his teammates must adapt, as well. Furthermore, Brandon Miller is the offensive focal point without the players who may end up being the Hornets' second and third-leading scorers.
Hit the panic button if the Hornets sustain these woes deep into November, but less than 10 games in, it's way too soon to allow chaos to reign.
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