Predicting the opening night roster for the Charlotte Hornets

Late September to early October is one of the most stressful times in the life of an NBA player.

With only a few short weeks left before training camp begins, teams are starting to make final moves to their rosters. It means that the many who dreamed of suiting up for a team in a regular season game never get to achieve their goals. At the same time, some who thought they had a slim chance of making an NBA roster do end up making it after a strong camp and preseason.

When looking at the Charlotte Hornets roster, you can mark around 14 players as guaranteed to make the roster. With one open roster spot, it makes roster predictions difficult.

The Hornets roster sits at 17 players under contract.

All 17 players deserve to be on the roster.

It leaves President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson in an interesting spot. He is going to need to cut or trade two players that are well deserving of a roster spot on this Hornets roster. Pat Connaughton, who the team acquired in July from the Milwaukee Bucks, and Nick Smith Jr, a guard entering his third year, have been the two players fans believe are the odd men out when it comes to making the roster this season.

So, what will the Hornets roster be on opening night in mid-October?

Guards:
LaMelo Ball
Collin Sexton
Spencer Dinwiddie
Tre Mann
Sion James
KJ Simpson (Two-Way)
Antonio Reeves (Two-Way)

Cut/Traded:
Nick Smith Jr

Wings:
Brandon Miller
Miles Bridges
Kon Knueppel
Liam McNeeley
Tidjane Salaun
Grant Williams
Josh Green
Drew Peterson (Two-Way)

Cut/Traded:
Pat Connaughton

Centers:
Moussa Diabate
Mason Plumlee
Ryan Kalkbrenner

While it would be fun to see Connaughton on this Hornets roster, his contract, age, and declining talent all point to an easy cut candidate. For NSJ, it's best for both parties to head towards a divorce. There's far too many mouths to feed in the guard room for the former Razorback to develop properly, and Smith will likely want to go somewhere that he can have the ball in his hands.

With training camp only a few short weeks away, Hornets basketball is approaching.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

How bad would it be if Charlotte Hornets' rookie Kon Knueppel was a bust?

Where every Hornets first round pick is at from the last decade

NBA insider guarantees Brandon Miller will make leap to stardom 'at some point'

Should Pat Connaughton make the Hornets opening night roster?