After a long offseason, the Charlotte Hornets took the floor at Spectrum Center for the first time after their electrifying Play-In Tournament victory against the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, they had to do so with many key contributors absent. Grant Williams, Kon Knueppel and Coby White had previously been ruled out prior to Tuesday's matchup, while Brandon Miller and rookie point guard Christian Anderson Jr. were ruled out hours before tip-off. That said, Charlotte's depleted rotation provided opportunities for other players, including Exhibit 10 signee Jarkel Joiner. Following Charlotte's 124-90 defeat, here are three things to take note of as the 2026-27 season approaches.
3. 3-point shooting will continue to drive Charlotte's offense
Despite making significant roster moves throughout the summer, it's
not a surprise that Charlotte will continue to rely heavily on the three-ball. Last season, the Hornets found success doing exactly that, finishing first in 3-pointers made per game, second in 3-pointers attempted and third in 3-point percentage. Entering the 2026-27 campaign, Charlotte has four players rostered who averaged 2.5 made 3-pointers or more a season ago, more than any other team in the league besides the Boston Celtics. During Tuesday's game, Charlotte shot 44% from deep, with Grayson Allen, Liam McNeeley and Sion James shooting 50% or better.
2. Aggression and efficiency from Sion James
Although five-year collegiate (Tulane and Duke) guard Sion James provided great defense for Charlotte's rotation as a rookie, his shooting efficiency left a bit to be desired, as the Georgia native converted on just 37.1% of his field goal attempts. However, during Tuesday's matchup, James' offensive game looked much more polished, as the sophomore guard was both aggressive and efficient. All in all, James played steady as a backup point guard in place of the injured Coby White and Christian Anderson Jr., scoring eight points on 3-for-7 shooting, including 2-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc.
1. The Hornets' rotation matches up better defensively than a season ago
Throughout the offseason, Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson worked hard to bring more depth and size to Charlotte's rotation ahead of the 2026-27 season. During the 2025-26 season, the Hornets were thin at the center position, relying on Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner to log minutes, with two-way big man PJ Hall occasionally filling in. Not only that, but Charlotte was also undersized at the power forward position, with two 6'7" forwards, Grant Williams and Miles Bridges. Now with the addition of Hannes Steinbach (6'11"), Naz Reid (6'9") and Michael Ajayi (6'7") to go along with depth at the small forward position in the form of Royce O'Neale (6'6"), Charlotte's personnel is much more defensive-minded than a season ago. Having ranked 29th in steals and 21st in blocks last year, the Hornets' added strength and length should help force opponents into more mistakes. These factors were on display against Brooklyn, as Royce O'Neale and Moussa Diabate combined for seven of the team's steals and blocks.
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This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 3 things from Charlotte's preseason opener against Brooklyn
