Can the Charlotte Hornets turn into contenders with the same core group of players they have now? It's hard to know for sure, as several players have had to spend time on the sidelines, with two, and possibly three, of them sustaining season-ending injuries.
The more common belief is that roster changes are needed for the team to climb out of the league's cellar. Whether the front office shares the sentiment or not remains to be seen.
The thing is, if Jeff Peterson and company think the Hornets' improvement will derive from shaking up or at least tweaking the roster, they might have to make some uncomfortable decisions.
Major roster upgrades for Hornets will depend on trades
First, it's worth noting that the Hornets have never been a desirable destination for most stars, so targeting some of the most prominent names in free agency might be a futile endeavor for the franchise. And even if Charlotte does end up reeling in a big fish, it wouldn't have the resources to sign one without performing some moves.
Most players on the team are still under contract for the 2025-26 campaign. The only exceptions are Tre Mann, who can either agree to a $6.7 million qualifying offer with the organization or become a restricted free agent, Seth Curry, and Taj Gibson. That doesn't count guys on two-way deals, namely KJ Simpson, Damion Baugh, and Wendell Moore Jr.
So, if the Hornets believe the path toward contention requires a major roster upgrade besides bringing in rookies from the 2025 draft, they will have no choice but to ship out at least one of their current pieces.
Mark Williams is possibly the most obvious trade candidate, especially since Peterson had already sent him away before, and he probably would have no problem doing so again if it meant bringing back more assets that could help in the present and the future.
There have also been calls for the Hornets to capitalize on LaMelo Ball's value by trading him and then just build around Brandon Miller. While that proposition does have some merits, not only would it be extremely uncomfortable for Charlotte, but it could also backfire spectacularly because rarely does a player teeming with superstar potential find his way to the Queen City.
Perhaps the likely outcome for the squad this offseason is that its current veterans and relatively young prospects will be sent packing. Of course, that would entail the front office making tough decisions, as some of its potential trade candidates have already grown close to the team and the city.