What the Hornets are saying about defending summer league championship
Before getting down to the task at hand and hopping into more prep work on Monday afternoon, Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr. had an important matter to tend to.
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The signatures of two of the newest members of the Charlotte Hornets were required, all so they could officially begin their professional journeys. Steinbach and Anderson, selected in the first round of the NBA Draft two weeks ago, signed their respective contracts, locking in their services.
“It was surreal,” Anderson said, standing in front of a backdrop at The Novant Health Training Center. “Just being able to sign, and put pen to paper and kind of stamp and make it official was a really good feeling. It was everything I thought it would be.”
Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Moussa Diabate were among the Hornets in attendance as the team’s new duo changed their lives forever with the flicks of a wrist. Steinbach even showed a rare bit of emotion, smiling briefly as Knueppel, Miller and others applauded.
Finally, the dream is officially realized.
“Yeah, it was kind of surreal,” Steinbach said. “It’s just like putting your pen to paper finally. But yeah, just really enjoyed the moment. It was really cool, just to like finally see it on paper.”
There wasn’t much time to celebrate, though.
With the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League set to tip off on Thursday, Steinbach and Anderson went right to work, practicing with the Hornets’ crew seeking to repeat after last year’s impressive run all the way to capturing the franchise’s first summer league title.
Charlotte begins its quest to repeat at 7:30 p.m. ET when it takes on the Orlando Magic at Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV. The preparations are underway before the team — which also features Tidjane Salaün, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Sion James and Liam McNeeley — heads to the desert on Wednesday and they’ve already discussed expectations.
Blaine Mueller, an assistant under coach Charles Lee, has been tabbed as the Hornets’ summer league head coach and delivered his perspective on where things stand leading into the opener.
“Summer league, some teams or organizations may not view it as something serious, and I think we do,” Mueller said. “We value it. We know it’s a huge opportunity for our guys and obviously we’re defending champions. But we talked about not trying to repeat an outcome, but repeat a process.
“So all those things that we discuss in terms of our daily process, the winning habits that we’re developing, that’s the process that we want to repeat. And that’s going to give us the best opportunity to repeat the outcome.”
That message was received by Anderson.
“Yeah, (being) a champion, winning that is going to be the byproduct of how we get after it in practice,” Anderson said. “It’s going to be how fast we grasp concepts, how good we work together as a team and how fast we’re able to adjust and make decisions when we’re on the court. So, I feel like just getting the best we can at all, if we are really good at it, the byproduct of it is to win a championship.”
Suiting up in the desert is the first step for Steinbach and Anderson to leave their impressions on the staff in game action. The duo is already soaking in as much knowledge as possible, trying to pick up on strategy and master some of the Hornets’ philosophies.
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Sounds like they’re quick learners.
“Really mature offensive games for both guys,” Mueller said. “Really polished. Christian’s ability to create for himself and for others has been very apparent. Hannes as well. He has a great feel, in terms of his playmaking and passing in the post and on the seam for him, and a really good feel in terms of the spacing as well.
“So, both guys are really high IQ players that have picked up the changes that we’ve made quickly.”
Anderson was the final one in the gym, spending nearly a good dozen or so minutes seated next to Hornets assistant coach Ryan Frazier, chatting for a lengthy spell while going over some things. Chalk it up as another part of the acclimation process, which doesn’t seem to be fazing the newest Hornets’ all that much.
In fact, they’re enjoying their transition to living in Charlotte.
“I really like it so far,” Steinbach said. “It’s a little bit hot for me, maybe. But, yeah, no the city makes a good impression. I’m excited to finally really settle into my apartment.”
With the lifting of the NBA’s annual moratorium on Monday, the Hornets announced a flurry of previously-reported transactions that became official.
Besides inking Steinbach and Anderson, the Hornets also signed Coby White to the new deal that kept the North Carolina native from hitting the unrestricted free agent market. White’s pact is for three years, $74 million.
Additionally, Charlotte officially signed forward Michael Ajayi and guard Kylan Boswell to two-way contracts. That means all three two-way slots are filled, with PJ Hall holding the other, and the roster sits at 20 — one below the offseason maximum.
Ajayi averaged 16.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game for Butler last season. Boswell posted 12.3 points, four rebounds and three assists last season for Illinois.
Also, the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith and second-round draft picks in 2027, 2028 and 2033 for cash considerations went through. By adding to its treasure trove, Charlotte now boasts 18 second-round picks over the next seven seasons.
It’s unlikely Finney-Smith will suit up for the Hornets, though, league sources told The Charlotte Observer. He was essentially a salary dump by the Houston Rockets and isn’t viewed as part of the team’s long-term vision, especially with the final two years of his contract beyond 2026-27 non-guaranteed.
As for the blockbuster trade sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks, it hasn’t been finalized but appears to be on track to be completed soon.
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Same goes for the Miles Bridges’ trade to Phoenix.
