Do the Charlotte Hornets Have Enough Playmaking?

The glass-half-full view is that Charlotte does return 11 players from last season's offense, and looking up and down the roster, the Hornets' rotation is filled with high-IQ, high-feel connective players who can keep the gears moving on that end of the floor.

This is something Lee also spoke to during media day: the idea of Charlotte having to operate with a "by committee" approach in multiple facets to get back to its winning ways. That directly applies to the playmaking question.

While there is undoubtedly a drop-off in terms of creating the initial advantage, generating shots for teammates, and being the engine of a high-level offense with Charlotte's current lead ball handlers in Coby White and Dennis Schröder, the Hornets have plenty of capable advantage maintainers and players who can be sharp decision-makers with the ball. 

That will allow the Hornets to keep a clean flow throughout their offensive possessions, moving smoothly from one action or set to the next. 

Charlotte also has to lean heavily on its drive-and-kick game, with one of White and Schröder's biggest strengths being their ability to get downhill and generate touches in the paint. Playing off that rim pressure and finding Charlotte's movement shooters should be a pillar of this new-look 2026-27 offense.

In turn, that incredibly well-spaced floor will give the guards ample space to operate and clean lanes to attack gaps. 

Easing the burden on the lead guards

Lee and his staff notably have the luxury of a frontcourt filled with players who can pass and process the game well, which will help in this playmaking equation. Moussa Diabaté is an underrated decision-maker who is comfortable playing in the dribble-handoff game and does a nice job finding relocating shooters after his offensive rebounds, another area Charlotte plans to emphasize as a source of offense.

Newly acquired Naz Reid is a highly skilled big who can shoot, pass, and handle the ball, making him incredibly easy to play off of. Ryan Kalkbrenner entered the league with questions about his overall offensive feel but showed some growth as a playmaker throughout his rookie season. Then there are Grant Williams and Hannes Steinbach, who are both plus passers for their positions.

None of these players are likely to be true offensive hubs or be heavily featured as creators, but again, having lineups consistently filled with fours and fives who are additive to the offensive process is a significant advantage.

The last important piece in making this post-LaMelo offense work is Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller expanding their individual games. Both already provide plenty away from the ball with their off-screen usage and gravity, but becoming more effective ball handlers in high pick-and-rolls would add another layer to Charlotte's attack.

Having tighter handles, committing fewer turnovers, and providing more of a three-level scoring and creation threat would alleviate some of the burden on White in terms of his ball-screen reps and bring a little more balance to the offense, which would benefit all parties.

Ultimately, it is going to take a village to make up for losing one of the league's top-tier playmakers, but Charlotte may have enough bodies and connective passers in the mix to make this collective approach work and get back to the efficient, prolific offensive production from the back half of the 2025-26 season.