Depleted Hornets Face a Deeper Grizzlies Group in Memphis

Charlotte's preseason finale in Memphis looks like a tough ask with several key players expected to sit.

CHA @ MEM Oct 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC

Preseason results rarely tell us much, but rotations do, and Charlotte's are the story in Memphis. Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams are not expected to suit up, which strips the Hornets of significant backcourt and wing options. That leaves more responsibility for Dennis Schroder, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid, Moussa Diabate and Liam McNeeley, the group that has carried the production so far.

The Hornets arrive with uneven form. They beat Milwaukee by 15, then took a lopsided loss to Brooklyn. That swing fits a team still reshaping its roster under Charles Lee, with LaMelo Ball traded away and newcomers like Reid being folded in. Without several rotation players, building chemistry on the fly becomes harder, and Charlotte may lean on its top-end players for longer stretches than it would like.

Memphis has a different preseason purpose. The focus has been on the growth of Cameron Boozer, GG Jackson, Cedric Coward and the other young forwards and wings who form the long-term core. That should mean plenty of athletic, developmental minutes at home, and a chance to play through that group against a thinner opponent. The veteran presence and the Zach Edey and Isaiah Stewart frontcourt add size and experience, though that depends on both staying healthy. If they play, Charlotte's undermanned frontcourt rotation will have to handle a lot of physical work.

I expect Charlotte to compete early because Schroder and Miller can create offense, but Memphis should win the depth battle as the game goes on. The Grizzlies' bigger rotation and home setting should help them pull away late.

Prediction: Grizzlies 114, Hornets 105.

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