Charlotte Hornets 2026/27 Season Preview

The Charlotte Hornets reset their future by trading LaMelo Ball and banking on Coby White to lead a revamped offence. Can White’s rim pressure and shooting, alongside Naz Reid’s floor spacing and Brandon Miller’s growth, keep Charlotte in playoff contention, or does this signal a rebuilding year? Josh Lloyd and Walker Mehl break down the Hornets’ new identity with added sharpshooters like Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, plus rookie Hannes Steinbach’s rebounding potential. The duo debates the impact of post-LaMelo playmaking, Moussa Diabate’s role at center, and Jeff Peterson’s high-pressure front office decisions. Will Charles Lee’s system maximize this overhauled roster, or does the Eastern Conference just get tougher around them? Catch all the insights on Charlotte’s evolving strategy and season outlook.   Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! OdooGreat organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.  IndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast BetterhelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA.   FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMto play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.