The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, and PJ Hall has been instrumental in their so far unbeaten run and in securing a semifinals berth. Perhaps the question now is whether they should open up a roster spot for the young center, as they don't have the space at the moment to bring him in.
As it stands, Charlotte still has 18 players on the main roster even after having parted ways with Josh Okogie. The team needs to trim it down to 15 in the coming months, and it would probably decide against cutting it down further to 14 just to accommodate Hall.
The Hornets also have all three of their two-way slots used up, with KJ Simpson and Damion Baugh having strengthened their case for the squad to stick with them beyond this offseason with impressive showings in Summer League. Recent signee Drew Peterson, who had been an all-around stud for the Boston Celtics' G League crew, the Maine Celtics, in the previous two campaigns, currently holds the third spot.
So, should Charlotte just let go of Hall sometime this summer? That would be easier said than done, considering the production he has displayed in this past week.
PJ Hall is making a case to join the 2025-26 Hornets
Interestingly, Hall has even outplayed Ryan Kalkbrenner, whom the Hornets are likely to give a chance to earn a place in the starting lineup for the opening of the 2025-26 regular season.
The former Clemson University big man, who went undrafted in 2024, had been on a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets last season. He primarily suited up in the G League, where he put up 19.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 1.4 3-pointers per game in 13 appearances with the Grand Rapids Gold.
He hasn't given up on making it to the NBA, signing with the Hornets earlier this summer. Evidently, he has made the most of the opportunity, particularly in their recent win against the San Antonio Spurs. That matchup saw Hall record 11 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
The remainder of the Las Vegas Summer League could make or break his chances of getting a promotion from the Hornets.
A strong performance from the promising center in the semifinals bout versus the Oklahoma City Thunder and another in a possible Finals battle against either the Toronto Raptors or Sacramento Kings might force the organization to choose between him and any of Simpson, Baugh, or Peterson.
Considering that Simpson fills a position of need (point guard) and Peterson has yet to prove why the Hornets acquired him despite already having too many players on the roster, Baugh, who had some noteworthy performances last season and has played well in Summer League, may unfortunately be the odd man out.