Hornets move on from former top-10 pick just days after acquiring him via trade

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Hornets move on from former top-10 pick just days after acquiring him via trade

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 5:41 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets have a lot of new faces entering the 2026-27 season, but 2024 first-round pick Rob Dillingham won’t be around to meet them.

On Monday, the Hornets decided to waive Dillingham just two years after he was selected in the top-10.

OFFICIAL: @hornets have waived guard Rob Dillingham
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) September 28, 2026

Dillingham was originally selected by the San Annoio Spurs at No. 8 overall, although they traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night. Dillingham was then traded to the Chicago Bulls this past season in the move that sent Ayo Dosunmu to Minnesota.

Then, Dillingham was traded to the Hornets on Saturday in another move that saw Buddy Hield sent elsewhere.

So, it’s been a lot of moving around for Dillingham, and the former Kentucky Wildcats star now enters free agency right before training camps begin across the league.

Kentucky freshman Rob Dillingham has officially entered the NBA Draft.

Where would you draft him if you were a GM? pic.twitter.com/FKAf6AeCaK
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 9, 2024

Dillingham is still only 21 years old, and he showed plenty of flashes during his short NBA career, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get signed by another team.

The Hornets also traded away superstar LaMelo Ball this offseason, so there are a lot of changes in North Carolina right now.

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