The Charlotte Hornets entered the 2025 NBA offseason with one clear goal — to turn the page. After years of mediocrity, mismanagement, and mounting losses, the Hornets needed a spark. That spark may have arrived in the form of Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who just capped off a sensational Summer League campaign by leading the Hornets to their first-ever championship of any kind, a title run that ended with a thrilling 83-78 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas.
Despite the optimism, however, the Hornets must proceed with caution.