Mar 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Mason Plumlee (22) dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

3 Hornets who will not survive the 2026 trade deadline

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 12:25 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets have a plethora of players who are not under contract beyond the upcoming 2025-26 season. Mason Plumlee, Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Pat Connaughton, and KJ Simpson (two-way), according to Spotrac, expire this season. Not all of them can feasibly be traded, but several of them certainly will be.

1. Mason Plumlee

There's virtually no pathway for Mason Plumlee to finish 2025-26 on the Hornets. By the time the deadline rolls around, it will probably be very clear that the future is either Moussa Diabate or Ryan Kalkbrenner (or maybe both) at center. By then, Plumlee's mentor role will be over with for the most part, and center depth is something most teams like to look for at the deadline. Plumlee won't bring back anything but maybe a future second-round pick (like as far into the future as any team can trade), but it's so unlikely that he survives.

2. Pat Connaughton

Pat Connaughton may not survive the final culling of the roster, but if he does, he's not long for Charlotte anyway. He's a wing who can shoot and has plenty of years under his belt. That will be valuable to pretty much any contending team, and his one season of less than $10 million salary is very absorbable, so teams will probably line up to try and get him. The Hornets have a logjam with Connaughton involved, and he might be the most expendable player there.

3. Spencer Dinwiddie

The final option really comes down to either Spencer Dinwiddie or Collin Sexton, and it's a lot harder to see Sexton being traded. He does have more value around the league, but he also has a lot more value to the Hornets. He is the perfect backup point guard for when LaMelo Ball has to sit, and he's young enough that the Hornets could view this as an audition for a longer contract. The same isn't true for Dinwiddie (or the other two on this list). Dinwiddie, as a veteran guard who can play multiple positions, would be a nice depth piece for most contenders, so, like Plumlee, someone will certainly be interested in him for a tiny return.