The Hornets‘ trades sending longtime starters LaMelo Ball to Minnesota and Miles Bridges to Phoenix aren’t yet official, so president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson didn’t specifically address those moves when he spoke to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday about the team’s offseason.
However, asked in more general terms about the front office’s approach to the summer – which has involved revamping a roster that closed out the 2025/26 regular season on a 28-10 run – Peterson offered a message to fans in Charlotte who may be confused about the team’s direction.
“The goal has never been to get to the playoffs one time and be out for seven, eight years and try to get back,” he said, per Boone. “I think the roster that we have will give us the best chance moving forward. Again, I like all the pieces. We are going to continue to build it the right way.
“We are not going to take shortcuts. We are going to be methodical and figure out how to put the best product on the floor and fans to be happy and excited about. And at the same time, how can we continue that sustainability that we talk about?”
We have more from around the East:
One of the Hornets‘ biggest offseason moves was re-signing guard Coby White, who said he “loved every minute” of playing for his hometown team after being traded from Chicago to Charlotte in February, Boone writes. White also expressed his enthusiasm about the club’s other offseason roster moves. “I think we’ve got a really, really, really, really great team,” White said. “We obviously got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things and play a lot of different positions. So, I’m excited. I’m looking forward to getting on the court with these guys. I really like our roster. Continue to build and continue to build a culture of winning.”
At an event promoting his new children’s book on Tuesday, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum spoke publicly for the first time about the trade that sent his longtime co-star Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, according to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog. Tatum said the news made him “appreciate the moments and time” that he and Brown had together. “To be honest, weird. It’s weird,” the Celtics star said. “You play on a team with a guy for nine years. I was fortunate enough to go to the (NBA) Finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.”
Pacers assistant Johnny Carpenter, who had been on track to coach Indiana’s Summer League team in Las Vegas, has accepted a position with the Bucks as an assistant coach and head of player development, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star details. Bryce Taylor, the new head coach of Indiana’s G League affiliate (the Noblesville Boom), will take over as the Pacers’ Summer League head coach, Dopirak adds.