{"id":203987,"date":"2026-07-06T14:10:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=203987"},"modified":"2026-07-06T14:10:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:10:55","slug":"nba-summer-league-5-hornets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/07\/06\/nba-summer-league-5-hornets\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NBA Summer League: 5 Hornets With the Most at Stake"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there’s one thing that Charlotte Hornets fans can hang their hat on, it’s being the reigning champions of the NBA Summer League. Kon Knueppel<\/a> led that summer team to a victory over the Sacramento Kings to secure the title. Now, there are new kids (and old) on the block that are here to showcase their talent and skills ahead of the regular season.<\/p>\n

The shocking LaMelo Ball<\/a> trade<\/a>, along with Miles Bridges<\/a> heading to Phoenix, has made this year of Summer League a little more important than previous years. Ball and Bridges were the most tenured Hornets. Now, the rookies and other younger players have an important void to fill.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are the five Hornets that have the most to prove during the 2026 NBA Summer League.<\/p>\n

2026 NBA Summer League: 5 Hornets With the Most at Stake<\/h2>\n

Christian Anderson Jr.<\/h3>\n

Christian Anderson Jr.<\/a> was taken 18th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. The pressure would really be on if the Hornets didn’t end up re-signing Coby White<\/a> after the Ball trade. Still, there’s a really good chance that Anderson plays a large role in his rookie season.<\/p>\n

The expectation is that he’s the secondary ball handler behind White. Anderson’s strengths are ironically similar to what Ball brought to the team. He’s a threat to pull up from beyond the arc at any time and offers a positive playmaking ability.<\/p>\n

The fact of the matter is, Charlotte needs to see Anderson perform well in Summer League to feel confident they have someone behind White who can initiate the offense and be a table setter. He has to become an immediate contributor, or fans may begin to drown in sorrow again over the blockbuster Ball trade.<\/p>\n

Hannes Steinbach<\/h3>\n

Hannes Steinbach<\/a> was taken 14th overall by the Hornets this year. As a lottery pick, the expectations should be a little higher than Anderson’s — despite their selections only being four picks apart.<\/p>\n

\n

24 PTS & 16 REB \u2614<\/p>\n

Hannes Steinbach records his 17th double-double of the season in @UW_MBB<\/a>'s win over Rutgers\u2014the 2nd most by a @bigten<\/a> freshman in the last 30 seasons \ud83d\ude4c pic.twitter.com\/bjbix3jAi9<\/a><\/p>\n

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 25, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n