Five things to watch in Hornets’ second training camp under Charles Lee
Weeks of anticipation and preparation have dwindled to mere hours, signaling the start is near.
After reconstructing the roster over the past four months, with tweaks still ongoing, the Charlotte Hornets are ready for the next chapter.
Training camp begins at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. on Tuesday leading into Sunday’s preseason opener against Oklahoma City, and there will be several things to keep tabs on.
Here are five of the biggest questions surrounding the Hornets as they get set to tip off the 2025-26 season:
Can LaMelo Ball stay healthy?
As usual, it starts with the health of LaMelo Ball’s ankles. Simply put, if he’s not on the court — as has been the case the last couple seasons — the Hornets’ chances of winning diminish greatly. It’s part of the reason they added so much depth at guard in the offseason.
Ball’s talents are unquestioned. He’s a creative facilitator, sets the tempo, is essentially a walking triple-double on most nights, and has range on a jumper he’s refined since his rookie season in 2020-21.
Still, it all comes back to his availability and being able to stay on the court. And if that happens, the Hornets will have a decent opportunity to finally end a playoff drought nearing a decade.
Who rounds out the projected starting lineup?
Three spots are written in ink.
When it comes to the projected starting five, the obvious ones are Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges. So, that leaves two positions, and there’s a good chance they’ll be filled by offseason acquisitions.
Given the possibilities that could come with having two playmakers in the backcourt together, and how they seem to have already built a rapport according to coach Charles Lee, Collin Sexton could be the person sliding into the shooting guard spot.
Sexton has rapidly morphed into one of the team’s veteran leaders in the few months he’s been around, and starting him would allow Lee to slide Sexton over to point guard when he’s ready to give Ball a break in the opening quarter.
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At center, things could shift depending on how Lee feels about certain matchups, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see veteran Mason Plumlee start and be backed up by Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Although he has only a one-year deal, the Hornets didn’t bring Plumlee in to sit the bench.
He’ll get playing time, and it’s going to be up to Diabate and Kalkbrenner to push the group collectively to see who should truly start — and finish — the games.
Can Tre Mann return to form?
In a way, Tre Mann’s health is probably as important as that of Ball and Miller.
All it takes is a look at what Mann produced off the bench last season prior to getting hurt and missing nearly 70 games with a nerve issue in his back. He was as good as any sixth man on, being a force by pumping in 14.1 points per game in his 13 appearances.
Mann hasn’t spoken much about it since, and his first extensive comments won’t come until Monday when the team holds media day. But from everything gathered, it appears he’s good to go.
And that should be music to the ears of Hornets’ brass, knowing the kind of production Mann can give them in a pinch.
How will the rookies be utilized?
Although summer league action is not a great barometer to gauge how a player will fare playing against elite talent, there’s reason for optimism following the championship run in Las Vegas.
Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner each have their respective strengths, and incorporating them into their individual roles is something that will take time.
From initial impressions, they all seem to have solid basketball IQ and are just genuine hoopers who want to play. Knueppel brings more than shooting, but his penchant for knocking down shots beyond the arc could really unlock the Hornets’ offense because he’ll help spread the floor.
McNeeley is a grinder and someone Hornets fans will take a liking to quickly. James is a physical specimen and could possibly be a Lou Dort or sorts. Kalkbrenner is someone Lee hopes evolves into a mini Brook Lopez.
Collectively, they’ll provide depth the Hornets have lacked for a while, and it’ll be interesting to follow how Lee dispatches them each.
What’s the status of Josh Green and Grant Williams?
Two of the key players expected to be part of the rotation are working their way back from injuries, and it’s unclear exactly when they’ll be available.
Josh Green is coming off June shoulder surgery, and the Hornets never gave a timetable as to when he will be back doing full-blown basketball activities. At least one positive sign: Green was able to show off his painting skills during a community event last week.
But that’s a lot different than dribbling a basketball and colliding with some of the most rugged players in the sport during game action. Either way it appears it’s gonna take him a while to get wrapped back up so that’s something to keep an eye on.
Grant Williams is in a similar situation as he navigates rehabbing a torn right ACL. He’s around 10 months into the recovery period and appears to be getting closer to regaining his full movement, judging by recent videos shared on social media along with some comments Ball made to Lee a few weeks ago.
Williams is a vocal leader on and off the court, and the Charlotte native is as driven as any to deliver wins. He’s also underrated in various aspects such as helping space the floor and assisting on the glass.
Having him in the mix sooner than later would be a significant boost.
This story was originally published September 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Five things to watch in Hornets’ second training camp under Charles Lee."
