In the NBA, teams typically win with one of two things: star power or depth. The teams with the requisite balance of both are usually the ones playing deep into the postseason. The Charlotte Hornets may lack the former, but the latter is arguably the most bankable asset on their 2026-27 roster.

So, with training camp less than two weeks away, let's power-rank that depth by going through every possible rotation player Head Coach Charles Lee could turn to this season, from worst to best.

No. 16: Dorian Finney-Smith

Finney-Smith is coming off a pretty brutal season with the Houston Rockets, finishing near the bottom of the league among forwards in points per shot attempt and shooting dreadfully at all three levels of the court. The 33-year-old also had a very negative analytical impact on defense, making it the worst season of his career on both ends of the floor.

After undergoing ankle surgery before the 2025-26 season, Finney-Smith never quite looked right physically last year, which makes him the player on this list most likely not to make Charlotte's regular-season roster.

Still, the Hornets can see what they have in Finney-Smith during training camp. If he shows up moving better and looking more like his old self, he could theoretically help Charlotte as a defensive wing stopper. However, at this stage of his career, it may simply be too late for that version of Finney-Smith to return.

No. 15: Tidjane Salaün

All of a sudden, the Frenchman enters his third season in Charlotte and likely with a similar role in the rotation, or lack thereof, as he had during his first two years with a fully healthy team.

Salaün did show some notable improvement as an on-ball defender during Summer League and has added more size to his frame, both positive signs for his individual development going forward. However, he is still not a reliable enough possession-by-possession team defender or consistent enough offensive decision-maker for me to envision him getting many minutes once the regular season comes around.

There are still plenty of reasons to believe Salaün can stick around the NBA for a long time. He shot roughly 43% from three and 70% at the rim last season, and when you combine that with his youth, motor, and competitiveness, there is still an intriguing player to work with. 

Charlotte has an upcoming October deadline to decide whether to pick up Salaün's $10.4 million team option.

No. 14: Christian Anderson

Charlotte's second first-round draft pick back in June is going to spend plenty of time with the Greensboro Swarm this season, and that is for the best. Summer League showed that Anderson needs some seasoning and time to adjust to NBA defenders and the physicality of the league.

Throughout this year, I will be looking for Anderson to continue working on creating separation with his handle and see if he can add more downhill ability to his game than he has shown on tape so far, allowing him to become more of a three-level scorer and threat.

There is also the question of just how quickly Anderson's marksmanship translates to NBA range, which can go a long way toward making him an impactful offensive player immediately. For now, in mid-September, Anderson is Charlotte's third-string point guard.

No. 13: Liam McNeeley

The Richardson, Texas, native was one of Charlotte's standouts during Summer League, earning All-Summer League Second Team honors while showing off some high-level shooting and feel. McNeeley should make more of an impact on Charlotte winning regular-season games than he did as a rookie.

However, as training camp approaches, McNeeley is no lock to be in Charlotte's 10-man rotation, with several players at the two-and-three spots who are more proven contributors to winning at the NBA level. Even if McNeeley is not heavily featured once again in his second season in Charlotte, he would be the Swarm's best player and could help lead a G League championship repeat run.

No. 12: Royce O'Neale

O'Neale is the quintessential NBA 3-and-D role player that every team can use. Even at 33 years old, he remains one of the better three-point shooting wings in the league while being a low-usage, high-efficiency player last season.

He knows his role, has been playing it for a long time, and is about as solid a bench piece as you can ask for, especially within Head Coach Charles Lee's three-point-heavy offensive philosophy. O'Neale has slipped some defensively with age, but he can still hold his own and provide Charlotte with reliable minutes on that end.

No. 11: Ryan Kalkbrenner

While Kalkbrenner's role and minutes could be reduced from last season, his skill set remains additive to Charlotte's rotation. The 24-year-old is a dependable drop-coverage big who screens well and finishes efficiently around the basket.

There is real value in knowing exactly what you are going to get from your backup center on a nightly basis, and Kalkbrenner will provide that once again for Charlotte this year.

No. 10: Sion James

James is Charlotte's best perimeter defender and stopper at the moment and will be tasked with slowing down opposing teams' premier guards and wings. While he can be a negative offensively at times when his shot is not falling, that is a trade-off Charlotte will have to live with, given the lack of perimeter defensive talent elsewhere on the roster.

No. 9: Grant Williams

The 27-year-old veteran was one of Charlotte's most overlooked players during its second-half winning run last season. It was no coincidence that the Hornets took off after Williams returned to the lineup. He was not solely responsible, of course, but his return helped get the gears turning on Charlotte's bench.

Williams is a willing and efficient three-point launcher, a strong post defender, and versatile in how he can be used offensively, including as a pick-and-pop option. He is also an important leader both on and off the court who will be relied on heavily in that role with this new-look team. There are limitations to his game, but Williams rarely tries to operate outside the bandwidth of what he does well, which is what makes him a winning player.

No. 8: Dennis Schröder

Now on his 12th NBA team, the 32-year-old Schröder is going to give Charlotte much of what he has offered throughout his career, including quality rim pressure and playmaking production. He posted a 27.3% assist percentage between his time with Sacramento and Cleveland last season and can be feisty defensively at times.

The flip side is that the German guard can be an inefficient scorer and outside shooter and can be turnover-prone at times, but he gives Charlotte competent backup point guard play.

No. 7: Hannes Steinbach

Charlotte's newest lottery pick is a highly skilled offensive player with a game that should translate quickly. Steinbach's 9-foot standing reach makes him a force on the glass, while his touch around the basket and ability to process the floor as a passer or handoff hub give Charlotte plenty of ways to use him offensively.

Regardless of how Head Coach Charles Lee and his staff deploy Steinbach positionally, he should make a positive impact early. There will likely be some growing pains defensively, particularly if he is asked to serve as the back line of the defense, but Steinbach is an exciting young player whose role will be worth watching early in the season.

No. 6: Grayson Allen

Allen is Charlotte's best player coming off the bench heading into training camp. There is a reason he started so many games and finished third on Phoenix in minutes per game last season, despite having a down shooting year.

Prior to the 2025-26 season, Allen had established himself as one of the NBA's premier three-point snipers over the previous six years. Playing around more spacing and playmaking in Charlotte's offense should create cleaner and more open looks for Allen. Alongside his movement shooting and secondary playmaking chops, he'll be a really nice offensive piece for the Hornets this season.

Defensively, Allen can undoubtedly be attacked, much like many of Charlotte's guards, but overall, the 30-year-old will be one of the primary drivers of the Hornets' bench success.

No. 5: Naz Reid

Reid is one of the more uniquely skilled players in the NBA. There simply are not many bigs with his combination of shooting, passing, and ball-handling ability. As a higher-usage forward who can space the floor, shoot off the catch or off the bounce, and attack closeouts effectively, Reid's skill set is tailor-made for Charlotte's style of basketball.

With Reid sliding into much of the role and the 2,385 minutes Miles Bridges occupied last season, he could quickly become a fan favorite in Charlotte because of just how fun he is to watch on the offensive end.

No. 4: Moussa Diabaté

As I have written before, Diabaté is Charlotte's most important defensive player at the moment. He is the only center on the roster who is both switchable and capable of excelling in multiple defensive coverages, allowing Charlotte to have some much-needed versatility on that end of the floor.

With how he dictates the possession battle on the glass, his underrated connective passing and snappy decision-making with the ball, Diabaté is undoubtedly one of the best players on this team.

No. 3: Coby White

Charlotte's new starting lead guard put together a very impressive offensive analytical profile in his seventh NBA season. Now, given the keys to Charlotte's offense, it will be interesting to see what a scaled-up version of White's game looks like.

With White's aggressive driving of the basketball and his ability to create shots for himself and others by getting paint touches, there is a real chance he has a career year across several offensive categories. Most notably, a career-best assist year should be within reach as he sees an increase in usage and lead guard responsibilities.

Defensively, White is not much of a playmaker, but his size prevents him from being a total negative on that end. He is in the right position more often than not, but lowering his foul rate will be key for him this season.

No. 2: Kon Knueppel

Knueppel is one of the best shooters on the planet and one of the league's most malleable movement shooters. The 21-year-old is a potent offensive weapon for Charlotte, whether he is being used in guard-guard actions or creating additional space for others with his off-ball movement and gravity.

Kon is also an excellent decision-maker with the ball in his hands, consistently making the right reads to maintain an advantage. He is the type of young, winning player every successful NBA organization needs. Knueppel is a pillar for the Hornets and will remain one for the foreseeable future.

No. 1: Brandon Miller

With Charlotte pivoting off LaMelo Ball, it is fair to say Miller is the team's best player and best two-way piece at the moment. He will also likely be Charlotte's leading scorer once again.

What stood out most this past season was Miller's ability to handle a high offensive workload without it noticeably impacting him defensively. He will have to replicate that this season, carrying a significant scoring burden while guarding opposing teams' best wings and bigger guards.

Charlotte's coaching staff is going to ask more of Miller than any player on the roster this season. Because of that, he is the player most critical to the Hornets potentially overachieving.

That said, Miller still has areas of his game that need to improve to make that star leap, including getting to the rim and free-throw line more often, tightening his handle, expanding his table-setting and self-creation, and becoming more comfortable dealing with physicality.

As things stand, though, Miller is the closest thing Charlotte has to a star player. Whether he can take that next step and firmly reach that level will be one of the defining questions of the Hornets' season.

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