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Who will be Hornets' top bench player?
Feb 22, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Martin (11) passes the ball away from Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets will have some questions to answer about who will be in the starting lineup this season, mainly around the center position and the shooting guard spot.

After drafting Kon Knueppel with a top-five pick and trading for Collin Sexton, those two players will be battling in training camp for that two-guard spot.

Knueppel is likely going to start because of how he fits with the rest of the roster around him. That leaves Sexton coming off the bench, and he's going to be Charlotte's best guy off the bench.

Why Collin Sexton will be the Hornets' best player

Sexton was an everyday starter for the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading to Utah. That role was not the best for him, and it showed once he started playing for the Jazz.

Playing off the bench allows Sexton to do what he does best: score with the ball in his hands. He's a ball-dominant guard who does the best scoring and creating in control of the ball.

LaMelo Ball is already a ball-dominant point guard in the starting lineup, so it makes sense for Sexton to do his thing off the bench. It also allows him not to have to change his game much in a new setting.

The Hornets have to get better play from their bench if they are going to be able to make a leap to the playoffs next season, which is something they would like to do. They are done competing for the top pick in the draft every year.

Collin Sexton will be the best contributor for the Hornets off the bench because of his efficient scoring

Not only is Sexton a good scorer in general, but he does so efficiently. He has shot it better than 39 percent from 3 in each of the last three seasons. That shooting is desperately missing among other bench members.

Adding Sexton gives the Hornets flexibility for how they finish games. There are going to be times that Sexton finishes games in order to give Charlotte a secondary ball-handler next to Ball.

Sexton is going to be a valuable member of this team as long as he can stay healthy.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

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One word to describe the expectations of the Hornets 2025-26 season


This article first appeared on Charlotte Hornets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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