Dec 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) defends in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

What is the Charlotte Hornets' ceiling and floor for the 2025-26 NBA season?

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 8:41 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets have remade their roster this offseason with several trades. Adding veteran players to the young guys they have drafted over the years is the reason they think they can make the playoffs.

Collin Sexton, Mason Plumlee, and Spencer Dinwiddie are all expected to be part of the rotation next year and are expected to have a major leadership role on a young team.

Still, this team will go as far as LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller will take them. They are the straw that stirs this Hornets drink. What is the ceiling of this group when it comes to their record?

The Hornets' ceiling: 42-40

Ball and Miller will return healthy next season, and staying that way would be the only chance that they have of hitting this record. Ball hasn't played more than 75 games in his career.

Miller has all of the tools of a great player. His size allows him to affect opposing players on the defensive end of the court, as well as create his own shots.

If Miller can take a leap next season, scoring 20+ points per game, Charlotte should be able to sneak into the playoffs with a record above .500. That is the goal they have for next year.

The Hornets can also hit this mark if Kon Knueppel is the knockdown shooter that he was in college, straight out of the gate. He can stretch a defense in a way that Sexton cannot at the shooting guard spot.

The Hornets' floor: 30-52

The Hornets do have a brutal schedule. February has a particularly tough stretch of games. In that month, they have to take on Houston twice, Atlanta twice, Detroit, Cleveland, and Indiana.

That stretch of games is before and after the All-Star break, and that's around the time that Ball normally gets hurt. In this scenario, Ball once again falls victim to some sort of injury.

Quite frankly, Ball has not earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his ability to stay healthy. At this point in his career, it's something the Hornets have to plan for.

Until he can prove that he can stay healthy, this is the more likely of the two scenarios.