The Charlotte Hornets Just Became A Problem | HHT 74

On the 74th episode of Hot Hand Theory, XJ and Geoff break down LaMelo ball, Kon Knueppel, and the Charlotte Hornets’ emergence as one of the NBA’s most dangerous offensive teams—and reveal why their Big 3 of LaMelo, Kneueppel, and Brandon Miller might be the league’s most unguardable trio that nobody’s talking about.

Fresh off a statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder that shocked the entire NBA, XJ and Geoff exposes the Hornets’ offensive secret weapon: elite spacing. The Big 3 shoots 39% combined on step-backs and pull-ups, all three rank 90th+ percentile in deep three-point shooting talent, and they combine for nearly 30 three-point attempts per 75 possessions. This creates so much space that the Hornets lead the NBA in points per possession on rolls—despite having role players like Ryan Kalkbrenner, Moussa Diabate, and PJ Hall as their primary screeners. When defenses have to respect shooters 30 feet from the basket, even average to slightly above average rollers become elite finishers.

The duo explore swhy LaMelo Ball is one of the most misunderstood superstars in basketball. Despite shooting just 55% true shooting this season, LaMelo has a near identical offensive impact to Jaylen Brown (who’s getting MVP buzz) according to top-down metrics. How? Every single Hornets player except their centers is significantly more efficient when LaMelo is on the court. He’s trading his personal efficiency for team-wide efficiency gains through elite passing, deep shooting gravity, and defensive collapse creation. Combined with Knueppel (already one of the top shooters in the league as a rookie) and Miller’s two-way upside, this is a Big 3 that only gets scarier as they build chemistry. When this 24-23-20-year-old trio plays together, they score nearly 130 points per 100 possessions.

The only thing stopping them? Health. If they stay on the court, they’re shocking the Eastern Conference.

We cover:
🔹 Why Hornets lead NBA in roll man efficiency despite average screeners
🔹 LaMelo Ball’s offensive impact = Jaylen Brown despite lower efficiency
🔹 Big 3 shooting 39% on step-backs and pull-ups combined
🔹 Kon Knueppel already one of the NBA’s elite shooters as a rookie
🔹 Ghost screens and spacing creating unguardable offense
🔹 Smart 2025 draft: Kalkbrenner’s value, Sion James’ defense
🔹 Why health is the only thing holding this team back
🔹 How LaMelo makes everyone better despite lower personal efficiency

💬 Let us know in the comments: If the Hornets stay healthy, how far can they go in the East?

If you value strategic analysis over hot takes and want NBA breakdown that explains WHY young teams are more dangerous than anyone realizes, subscribe and catch every episode.

#CharlotteHornets #Hornets #LaMeloBall #KonKnueppel #BrandonMiller #HotHandTheory #NBAPodcast #NBAAnalysis #HornetsBasketball #EasternConference #NBA #LaMelo #BuzzCity #HornetsPride #NBAPlayoffs #BasketballAnalysis #HornetsNation #TijonSalon #RyanKalkbrenner #MilesBridges

_______

Timestamps:
0:00 | Preview: The Charlotte Hornets
0:56 | Intro: the future is bright in Charlotte
4:40 | Analyzing the Hornets’ lethal pick and roll
7:00 | LaMelo Ball’s unique gravity
11:45 | Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller’s malleability makes teambuilding easier
16:35 | Charlotte’s Front Office is UNDERRATED
19:30 | Kon Knueppel looking like a STEAL
22:10 | How Charles Lee weaponizes ghost screens
25:08 | Can the Hornets sustain health long term?
28:15 | How LaMelo maintains elite impact with inconsistent efficiency
33:20 | Like, comment, and subscribe!

_______

Subscribe to Hot Hand Theory: https://www.youtube.com/@hothandtheory?sub_confirmation=1

_______

Subscribe to the Hot Hand Theory Clips channel! https://www.youtube.com/@HotHandClips?sub_confirmation=1

_______

Follow Hot Hand Theory

Website 🏀 https://www.hothandtheory.com/
Twitter 🏀 https://x.com/HotHandTheory
Instagram 🏀 https://www.instagram.com/hothandtheory/
TikTok 🏀 https://www.tiktok.com/@hothandtheory

5 comments

  1. No…just no. Love you guys but just no… Like Consuela from family guy no no no Mr XJ and Mr Geoff no.

    😂. Keep up the great work fellas. Love the pod. This and Jeremy KFS cap pods are the goat.

  2. Yo guys! When healthy, where does the Hornets Big 3 (Ball, Knueppel, Miller) rank in the East?
    A) Elite tier (e.g., Brunson/Towns/OG)
    B) Second tier (e.g., Garland/Mitchell/Mobley)
    C) Third tier (e.g., Barnes/Ingram/Quickley)
    D) Still developing (need more time to prove it)

  3. To me, the discussion needs to focus more on the Kon Knueppel effect. His efficiency and the way he creates his offense are clearly influencing how the rest of the team chooses their shots. Last year, this team would have forced far more attempts. Now, Kon is showing how to play at a pace that can still produce 20+ points per game.
    It’s about ball movement, moving without the ball, and understanding how to position yourself on defense. He’s showing players who are more athletic how to play effectively on both ends of the floor. Even when he’s hurt, he’s modeling how to approach the game while injured — understanding probable vs. questionable, and when not playing for weeks or months is the smarter move.
    I’ve always believed many injuries happen because players force the game and their bodies can’t keep up. Kon, on the other hand, picks his spots in the most efficient and controlled way possible, letting the game dictate his actions instead of trying to overpower it.

Leave a Reply