RADIO
Kon Knueppel to Miss Preseason with Hamstring Injury
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (hamstring) will miss the preseason after suffering a left hamstring injury during offseason on-court activity, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The Hornets will re-evaluate him during the first week of the regular season, putting his early-season availability in question. Knueppel missed just one game as a rookie while averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 threes in 31.5 minutes. He also set an NBA rookie record with a league-leading 273 three-pointers. With LaMelo Ball gone, Knueppel is positioned for a larger offensive role once healthy, but the hamstring adds some early-season risk.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Dorian Finney-Smith Heads to Atlanta
The Charlotte Hornets are trading forward Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks for guard/forward Buddy Hield, guard Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Finney-Smith gives Atlanta another veteran frontcourt option while Mouhamed Gueye (foot) continues working back from July surgery. The 33-year-old struggled after returning from left ankle surgery last season, averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes across 37 games with Houston while shooting just 27.0 percent from three. He'll need to regain his outside shot and carve out steady minutes before becoming much of a fantasy option.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Buddy Hield Traded to Hornets
The Atlanta Hawks are trading guard/forward Buddy Hield, guard Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Hield appeared in only seven games for Atlanta after arriving from Golden State at the trade deadline and averaged a career-low 7.6 points across 51 games last season. Charlotte already has plenty of perimeter options, including Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Coby White, Grayson Allen, and Dennis Schroder, so consistent minutes could be tough to find. Hield's main fantasy appeal remains his ability to provide three-point shooting when given enough run.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Dorian Finney-Smith Could be Headed to Atlanta
Charlotte Hornets forward Dorian Finney-Smith has surfaced in trade talks with Atlanta, with Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reporting that discussions have included a deal involving Buddy Hield. Finney-Smith joined Charlotte from Houston in July after averaging 3.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 37 games while shooting 27.0 percent from three last season. His $13.3 million salary for 2027-28 is non-guaranteed, giving Atlanta added flexibility if a deal comes together. Still, a move to Atlanta would drop Finney-Smith into a crowded perimeter rotation featuring Dyson Daniels, Luguentz Dort, and Aaron Wiggins, limiting his chances of carving out a meaningful fantasy role.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Kobe Stewart Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets signed guard/forward Kobe Stewart to an Exhibit 10 contract, filling the roster spot created by Jarkel Joiner's waiver. Stewart went undrafted out of Presbyterian in 2025 and spent his first professional season bouncing between the Austin Spurs, Memphis Hustle, and Wisconsin Herd. The 24-year-old averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 20.0 minutes across 46 G-League games, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three. He also played for Milwaukee in Summer League, averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds over six games. Charlotte is expected to waive Stewart before the season and steer him toward Greensboro, leaving him off fantasy radars unless his jumper makes a real leap.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Trey Townsend Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets signed forward Trey Townsend to an Exhibit 10 contract after waiving Josiah Allick, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Townsend went undrafted out of Arizona in 2025 and split last season between the Texas Legends and Salt Lake City Stars, averaging 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.8 minutes across 24 G-League games. Greensboro acquired his returning rights in a six-team trade in August, so the likely endgame is a Swarm assignment and a bonus worth up to $91,000 if he sticks there for 60 days. This is back-end roster work, not a move with fantasy impact.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Kobe Stewart Joins Hornets on Exhibit 10 Deal
Free-agent guard/forward Kobe Stewart has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Stewart went undrafted out of Presbyterian in 2025 and spent last season in the G-League, where he averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 34 games while suiting up mostly for the Wisconsin Herd. He also had earlier stops with Austin and Memphis, so this looks more like a Greensboro Swarm path than a real push for Charlotte minutes. Stewart is off fantasy radars unless he turns the camp look into something more firm.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Hornets See Brandon Miller as Core Piece
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller and the team have discussed a potential rookie-scale extension, with president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson saying the Hornets want him around "for a very long time," via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. The former No. 2 pick looks central to the Hornets' reset after the franchise traded LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges this offseason, though Peterson has avoided putting the face-of-the-franchise label on any one player. Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 38.3 percent from three across 65 games last season. His usage could climb with Coby White handling more point-guard work, but the shoulder recovery keeps some risk attached. If healthy, Miller's scoring and three-point volume should keep trending up.
Source: Brett Siegel
Source: Brett Siegel
Hornets Could Waive Pat Connaughton
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Pat Connaughton is a waiver candidate as the team works through a crowded roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Connaughton, 33, had his $3.8 million team option picked up in June, but his salary does not become fully guaranteed until Jan. 31, 2027, giving Charlotte flexibility if it needs to trim down before opening night. The 11-year veteran and 2021 NBA champion has seen his role fade, averaging 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.1 minutes across 42 games last season. His contract and locker-room presence may be more useful than his on-court production, but he has no fantasy relevance.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Josh Green Traded to the Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired guard/forward Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets as part of the trade involving LaMelo Ball and Naz Reid, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Green had a limited offensive role in Charlotte last season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. He will not be a high-usage fantasy target with Ball and Anthony Edwards now in the same backcourt, but he gives Minnesota another defensive wing who can run in transition and space the floor in bench-heavy units. Green's value would likely need injuries or a larger-than-expected rotation role to move beyond a watch-list profile.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
