🗞️ The Culling Begins: Hornets Shed Players, Load Picks in Franchise Shakeup

By Morris Johnson Sr. | The Charlotte Post Sports Desk

CHARLOTTE — It’s official: Buzz City is being rebuilt brick by brick.

The Charlotte Hornets made a series of blockbuster trades early June that saw veterans Josh Green and Josh Okogie shipped out, while their 2025 first-round pick was moved to Memphis in exchange for Scottie Pippen Jr. and future assets.

These moves mark a cultural shift — and a sobering reality. The Hornets are tearing down what little foundation they had in hopes of building something stronger.

The front office, led by GM Jeff Peterson and new assistant coach Leon Rose, is clearly following the OKC model: invest in draft capital, develop internally, and position for a star.

Charlotteans are divided. “I don’t even know half these dudes we just got,” said long-time fan Malik R., “but I’d rather rebuild the right way than stay stuck in 30-win hell.”

Whether this plan leads to playoff glory or another decade of purgatory remains to be seen — but for the first time in a long time, there’s intentionality in Charlotte’s chaos. The Draft will come and go and the Hornets will not have any rookie to hang their hopes on. What does this really mean for the organization?