The Hornets have a roster math problem. After a heavy offseason of additions, Charlotte is carrying 16 guaranteed contracts, which NBA insider Sam Vecenie noted is above the league limit. That means three players have to go.
Charlotte brought in Christian Anderson Jr., Hannes Steinbach, Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, Naz Reid and Dorian Finney-Smith this summer while losing only Miles Bridges, Josh Green and LaMelo Ball. Vecenie said he’d “imagine that this roster isn’t done yet,” expecting Jeff Peterson to work out some kind of deal to even things out. Waiving players is the simplest route, but that hasn’t been Peterson’s approach; he’s found value in unlikely spots since taking the GM job. Three straight trades to clean this up is a stretch, though three moves of some kind look necessary.
Buy out Dorian Finney-Smith
Finney-Smith has just one guaranteed year left, which makes a buyout possible even if it means eating the money. His contract isn’t easy to move; Houston paid three second-round picks just to offload it. His defense has value, and he could rebuild his shooting numbers in Charles Lee’s system, but Charlotte can’t afford to wait around for that. The move has to happen now, and this is the cleanest one.
Trade Tre Mann
Mann’s deal isn’t a burden, and he’s young enough that a team might take a chance on him for a cheap return. Charlotte could flip him for future second-round picks, possibly even some of its own. This is addition by subtraction as much as anything. Mann was close to unplayable last season, so those minutes are better spent on almost anyone else, and moving him clears a roster spot toward compliance.
Flip Royce O’Neale
Vecenie floated moving Grayson Allen if Charlotte trusts Liam McNeeley to fill that role, and McNeeley probably can. Still, the Hornets appear to value Allen’s shooting too much to give it up, and keeping both him and McNeeley has its appeal. That points to O’Neale as the more likely piece to move. He’s a capable shooter, though not at Allen’s level, and he carries a bit more trade value because his salary sits roughly $8 million below Allen’s. That makes his contract easier to move and potentially a better return.
