The Charlotte Hornets are gearing up for a new era, with Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller emerging as the team's new stars. After trading away LaMelo Ball, the Hornets are focused on building around their young talent, with Knueppel and Miller at the forefront. The team's head coach, Charles Lee, is confident that his team will be ready to compete at a high level in the 2026-27 season. However, the Hornets face a challenging road ahead, with the Eastern Conference having undergone significant changes in the 2026 offseason. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joining the Philadelphia 76ers, and Giannis Antetokounmpo playing for the Miami Heat, will undoubtedly make it tough for the Hornets to secure a playoff spot. But Knueppel is undeterred, stating that the team's goal is to make the playoffs and play significant games at the end of the season. The Hornets will be looking to build on their strong second half of the 2025-26 season, where they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing in the Play-In Tournament. Recent form (last 3): 2W-0D-1L (WLW, most recent first). Last result: New York Knicks 96-110 Charlotte Hornets (2026-04-12).