The 2025–26 Charlotte Hornets season was the 36th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Despite starting the season 4–14 record through late November 2025, the Hornets made a mid-season turnaround. Between January and February 2026, the team recorded a nine-game winning streak, their longest in their current incarnation. During the winning streak, on January 28, 2026, the Hornets improved on their 19–63 record from their previous season with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Hornets also clinched their first winning season since 2021–22 with a win over the Indiana Pacers on April 3. On April 10, they clinched a play-in spot for the first time since 2022. They finished the regular season with a 44–38 record, placing ninth in the East. During the first stage of the tournament, they defeated the Miami Heat in overtime. However, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the 10th consecutive season after a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the play-in tournament.
This would turn out to be the final season for LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges with the Hornets, as they would be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns, respectively, in the following off-season.
Draft
RoundPickPlayerPosition(s)NationalityCollege 1 4 Kon Knueppel Small Forward United States Duke 2 33 Sion James Small Forward United States Duke 2 34 Ryan Kalkbrenner Center United States Creighton The Hornets entered the draft with one first-round pick and two second-round picks, one of which originally belonged to the New Orleans Pelicans. That additional pick landed 34th overall and was acquired via trade with the San Antonio Spurs.
Roster
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Standings Division
Conference
Game log Preseason Due to renovations at Spectrum Center, the Hornets did not play home preseason games at the arena.
| 1 | October 5 | Oklahoma City | | Kon Knueppel (18) | Miles Bridges (8) | Tre Mann (5) | North Charleston Coliseum11,371 | 0–1 |- | 2 | October 9 | @ Oklahoma City | | Tre Mann (18) | Tidjane Salaün (10) | LaMelo Ball (4) | Paycom Center0 | 0–2 |- | 3 | October 11 | @ Dallas | | Ball, Bridges (20) | Miles Bridges (11) | LaMelo Ball (6) | American Airlines Center1,841 | 1–2 |- | 4 | October 15 | Memphis | | Miles Bridges (29) | Moussa Diabaté (13) | LaMelo Ball (8) | First Horizon Coliseum12,559 | 2–2 |- | 5 | October 17 | @ New York | | Collin Sexton (21) | Tidjane Salaün (10) | Collin Sexton (10) | Madison Square Garden19,270 | 2–3
Regular season
| 1 | October 22 | Brooklyn | | Brandon Miller (25) | Bridges, Kalkbrenner (11) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,516 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 25 | @ Philadelphia | | LaMelo Ball (27) | Miles Bridges (10) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Xfinity Mobile Arena19,124 | 1–1 |- | 3 | October 26 | @ Washington | | LaMelo Ball (38) | LaMelo Ball (13) | LaMelo Ball (13) | Capital One Arena16,307 | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 28 | @ Miami | | LaMelo Ball (20) | LaMelo Ball (8) | LaMelo Ball (9) | Kaseya Center19,600 | 2–2 |- | 5 | October 30 | Orlando | | Collin Sexton (19) | Ball, Kalkbrenner (7) | LaMelo Ball (13) | Spectrum Center18,478 | 2–3
| 6 | November 1 | Minnesota | | Miles Bridges (30) | Moussa Diabaté (9) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,444 | 2–4 |- | 7 | November 2 | Utah | | Miles Bridges (29) | Moussa Diabaté (12) | Collin Sexton (12) | Spectrum Center17,123 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 4 | @ New Orleans | | Miles Bridges (22) | Kon Knueppel (12) | Collin Sexton (5) | Smoothie King Center15,555 | 3–5 |- | 9 | November 7 | @ Miami | | Kon Knueppel (30) | Miles Bridges (12) | Bridges, Mann (7) | Kaseya Center19,600 | 3–6 |- | 10 | November 10 | L.A. Lakers | | Miles Bridges (34) | Kon Knueppel (10) | Kon Knueppel (9) | Spectrum Center19,537 | 3–7 |- | 11 | November 12 | Milwaukee | | Miles Bridges (20) | Moussa Diabaté (13) | Collin Sexton (8) | Spectrum Center17,142 | 4–7 |- | 12 | November 14 | @ Milwaukee | | Miles Bridges (32) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | LaMelo Ball (10) | Fiserv Forum17,341 | 4–8 |- | 13 | November 15 | Oklahoma City | | Miles Bridges (15) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | KJ Simpson (5) | Spectrum Center19,469 | 4–9 |- | 14 | November 17 | @ Toronto | | Kon Knueppel (24) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (10) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Scotiabank Arena19,037 | 4–10 |- | 15 | November 19 | @ Indiana | | Kon Knueppel (28) | Moussa Diabaté (12) | LaMelo Ball (9) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse17,003 | 4–11 |- | 16 | November 22 | L.A. Clippers | | Kon Knueppel (26) | Moussa Diabaté (7) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Spectrum Center18,721 | 4–12 |- | 17 | November 23 | @ Atlanta | | Kon Knueppel (28) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | Mason Plumlee (6) | State Farm Arena17,460 | 4–13 |- | 18 | November 26 | New York | | Brandon Miller (18) | Ball, Kalkbrenner (6) | LaMelo Ball (4) | Spectrum Center19,588 | 4–14 |- | 19 | November 28 | Chicago | | Brandon Miller (27) | Bridges, Diabaté (8) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,453 | 5–14 |- | 20 | November 29 | Toronto | | Miles Bridges (35) | Moussa Diabaté (9) | Ball, Sexton (5) | Spectrum Center17,060 | 6–14
| 21 | December 1 | @ Brooklyn | | Kon Knueppel (18) | (6) | LaMelo Ball (14) | Barclays Center16,443 | 6–15 |- | 22 | December 3 | @ New York | | LaMelo Ball (34) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (9) | LaMelo Ball (9) | Madison Square Garden19,812 | 6–16 |- | 23 | December 5 | @ Toronto | | Knueppel, Salaün (21) | Miles Bridges (9) | Kon Knueppel (7) | Scotiabank Arena19,800 | 7–16 |- | 24 | December 7 | Denver | | Miles Bridges (24) | Miles Bridges (9) | Miles Bridges (8) | Spectrum Center18,416 | 7–17 |- | 25 | December 12 | Chicago | | Kon Knueppel (33) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (6) | Kon Knueppel (9) | Spectrum Center16,205 | 7–18 |- | 26 | December 14 | @ Cleveland | | Kon Knueppel (29) | Brandon Miller (13) | Bridges, Miller (6) | Rocket Arena19,432 | 8–18 |- | 27 | December 18 | Atlanta | | Ball, Knueppel (28) | Moussa Diabaté (6) | LaMelo Ball (13) | Spectrum Center16,124 | 9–18 |- | 28 | December 20 | @ Detroit | | Bridges, Knueppel (19) | Kalkbrenner, Knueppel (7) | LaMelo Ball (6) | Little Caesars Arena20,062 | 9–19 |- | 29 | December 22 | @ Cleveland | | LaMelo Ball (23) | Moussa Diabaté (14) | LaMelo Ball (9) | Rocket Arena19,432 | 9–20 |- | 30 | December 23 | Washington | | LaMelo Ball (23) | Moussa Diabaté (18) | Ball, Bridges (9) | Spectrum Center18,679 | 10–20 |- | 31 | December 26 | @ Orlando | | LaMelo Ball (22) | Moussa Diabaté (13) | Ball, Bridges (5) | Kia Center19,397 | 11–20 |- | 32 | December 29 | Milwaukee | | Brandon Miller (31) | Tidjane Salaün (11) | Collin Sexton (8) | Spectrum Center19,562 | 11–21 |- | 33 | December 31 | Golden State | | Brandon Miller (33) | Moussa Diabaté (8) | Knueppel, Sexton (8) | Spectrum Center19,685 | 11–22
| 34 | January 2 | @ Milwaukee | | Kon Knueppel (26) | PJ Hall (8) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Fiserv Forum17,673 | 11–23 |- | 35 | January 3 | @ Chicago | | Miles Bridges (26) | Miles Bridges (14) | LaMelo Ball (7) | United Center21,315 | 12–23 |- | 36 | January 5 | @ Oklahoma City | | Brandon Miller (28) | Moussa Diabaté (12) | Diabaté, Knueppel (5) | Paycom Center18,203 | 13–23 |- | 37 | January 7 | Toronto | | Collin Sexton (22) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Spectrum Center17,337 | 13–24 |- | 38 | January 8 | Indiana | | LaMelo Ball (33) | Kon Knueppel (8) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center17,342 | 13–25 |- | 39 | January 10 | @ Utah | | Tre Mann (20) | Moussa Diabaté (10) | Kon Knueppel (6) | Delta Center18,186 | 14–25 |- | 40 | January 12 | @ L.A. Clippers | | LaMelo Ball (25) | Moussa Diabaté (15) | Ball, Miller (5) | Intuit Dome17,927 | 14–26 |- | 41 | January 15 | @ L.A. Lakers | | LaMelo Ball (30) | Bridges, James (8) | LaMelo Ball (11) | Crypto.com Arena18,997 | 15–26 |- | 42 | January 17 | @ Golden State | | Brandon Miller (28) | Kon Knueppel (11) | Brandon Miller (5) | Chase Center18,064 | 15–27 |- | 43 | January 18 | @ Denver | | Brandon Miller (23) | Tidjane Salaün (11) | LaMelo Ball (6) | Ball Arena19,971 | 16–27 |- | 44 | January 21 | Cleveland | | Brandon Miller (24) | Kon Knueppel (11) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Spectrum Center17,619 | 16–28 |- | 45 | January 22 | @ Orlando | | Brandon Miller (20) | Kon Knueppel (10) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Kia Center19,423 | 17–28 |-;" | 46 | January 24 | Washington | | Brandon Miller (21) | Moussa Diabaté (14) | LaMelo Ball (11) | Spectrum Center15,698 | 18–28 |-;" | 47 | January 26 | Philadelphia | | Brandon Miller (30) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (9) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center16,361 | 19–28 |-;" | 48 | January 28 | @ Memphis | | Brandon Miller (26) | Moussa Diabaté (19) | Kon Knueppel (6) | FedExForum13,301 | 20–28 |-;" | 49 | January 29 | @ Dallas | | Kon Knueppel (34) | Bridges, James (8) | LaMelo Ball (9) | American Airlines Center19,024 | 21–28 |-;" | 50 | January 31 | San Antonio | | Brandon Miller (26) | Moussa Diabaté (10) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,533 | 22–28
|-;" | 51 | February 2 | New Orleans | | LaMelo Ball (24) | (9) | LaMelo Ball (5) | Spectrum Center17,263 | 23–28 |-;" | 52 | February 5 | @ Houston | | Kon Knueppel (24) | Moussa Diabaté (12) | (4) | Toyota Center18,055 | 24–28 |-;" | 53 | February 7 | @ Atlanta | | Miles Bridges (26) | Moussa Diabaté (15) | LaMelo Ball (9) | State Farm Arena17,492 | 25–28 |-;" | 54 | February 9 | Detroit | | Brandon Miller (24) | Moussa Diabaté (6) | Grant Williams (5) | Spectrum Center19,476 | 25–29 |-;" | 55 | February 11 | Atlanta | | Brandon Miller (31) | PJ Hall (10) | LaMelo Ball (6) | Spectrum Center18,710 | 26–29 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Game |-;" | 56 | February 19 | Houston | | Grant Williams (20) | Grant Williams (9) | Ball, Miller (7) | Spectrum Center19,622 | 26–30 |-;" | 57 | February 20 | Cleveland | | Kon Knueppel (33) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (13) | Sion James (7) | Spectrum Center19,691 | 26–31 |-;" | 58 | February 22 | @ Washington | | LaMelo Ball (37) | Ryan Kalkbrenner (9) | LaMelo Ball (7) | Capital One Arena16,443 | 27–31 |-;" | 59 | February 24 | @ Chicago | | Brandon Miller (23) | Bridges, Diabaté (7) | LaMelo Ball (7) | United Center19,145 | 28–31 |-;" | 60 | February 26 | @ Indiana | | Brandon Miller (33) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse17,073 | 29–31 |-;" | 61 | February 28 | Portland | | Brandon Miller (26) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,634 | 30–31
|-;" | 62 | March 3 | Dallas | | Brandon Miller (17) | Diabaté, James (8) | LaMelo Ball (9) | Spectrum Center19,519 | 31–31 |-;" | 63 | March 4 | @ Boston | | Kon Knueppel (20) | Moussa Diabaté (9) | Diabaté, White (6) | TD Garden19,156 | 32–31 |- | 64 | March 6 | Miami | | Kon Knueppel (27) | Moussa Diabaté (14) | Ball, Miller (5) | Spectrum Center19,653 | 32–32 |- | 65 | March 8 | @ Phoenix | | LaMelo Ball (22) | Brandon Miller (9) | LaMelo Ball (6) | Mortgage Matchup Center17,071 | 32–33 |- | 66 | March 10 | @ Portland | | Brandon Miller (23) | Diabaté, Miller (9) | (4) | Moda Center18,133 | 33–33 |-;" | 67 | March 11 | @ Sacramento | | LaMelo Ball (30) | Moussa Diabaté (10) | (5) | Golden 1 Center15,597 | 34–33 |- | 68 | March 14 | @ San Antonio | | Miles Bridges (22) | Knueppel, Miller (6) | (3) | Frost Bank Center18,861 | 34–34 |-;" | 69 | March 17 | Miami | | LaMelo Ball (30) | Moussa Diabaté (13) | LaMelo Ball (13) | Spectrum Center19,478 | 35–34 |- | 70 | March 19 | Orlando | | Coby White (27) | Ball, Knueppel (6) | Brandon Miller (8) | Spectrum Center19,565 | 36–34 |-;" | 71 | March 21 | Memphis | | LaMelo Ball (29) | Moussa Diabaté (14) | Coby White (7) | Spectrum Center19,487 | 37–34 |-;" | 72 | March 24 | Sacramento | | Coby White (27) | Moussa Diabaté (11) | LaMelo Ball (8) | Spectrum Center19,450 | 38–34 |-;" | 73 | March 26 | New York | | Kon Knueppel (26) | Kon Knueppel (11) | Kon Knueppel (8) | Spectrum Center19,625 | 39–34 |-;" | 74 | March 28 | Philadelphia |