Rodney Knuppel Thu, October 22, 2026 at 11:08 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hornets get surprising answer after LaMelo Ball trade in season-opening win over Nets originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Charlotte Hornets made one of the NBA's boldest offseason decisions when they traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves . Wednesday night offered an early glimpse of what the organization hopes to accomplish without its former franchise point guard.
Charlotte defeated the Brooklyn Nets 110-103 in its season opener, receiving impressive contributions from two newcomers who could play important roles throughout the 2026-27 campaign.
Naz Reid, acquired in the Ball trade, finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Grayson Allen, another offseason addition, contributed 21 points off the bench while connecting on five 3-pointers.
Their performances helped Charlotte overcome a strong debut from Brooklyn forward Julius Randle. The victory was an encouraging start for a Hornets team attempting to establish a new identity.
Reid arrived in Charlotte after spending the previous seven seasons with Minnesota. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year provides the Hornets with a versatile offensive player capable of scoring around the basket and stretching opposing defenses.
Reid connected on four 3-pointers and helped Charlotte generate 20 second-chance points. He also distributed seven assists, showing the passing ability that could become important in Charlotte's offense.
The Hornets are attempting to replace Ball's playmaking through a more balanced approach rather than relying on one player to control every possession.
Reid's performance suggested that strategy has potential.
Allen provided another important contribution. The veteran guard made six of his nine field-goal attempts and finished with a plus-minus rating of plus-20 during his 29 minutes.
Charlotte also received 19 points and six assists from Dennis Schroder, who was making his debut with his 12th NBA franchise.
Brandon Miller added 18 points, while Moussa Diabate finished with 17. Five players reached double figures, demonstrating the balanced scoring Charlotte hopes to maintain.
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The Nets received 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Randle. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 26 points and seven rebounds.
However, no other Brooklyn player reached double figures.
That lack of secondary scoring became a significant difference between the teams. Brooklyn briefly moved ahead during the third quarter, but Charlotte responded with timely 3-pointers from Allen and Reid.
Schroder then scored eight consecutive points during a fourth-quarter stretch that helped put the game out of reach. The result does not establish Charlotte as an Eastern Conference contender.
However, it offers an encouraging early indication that the Hornets have enough offensive options to compete without Ball.
Reid and Allen were acquired to help reshape the roster. Their first regular-season performance provided exactly the kind of contribution Charlotte needed.
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Source: Sports
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