Evaluating how things went during an initial taste of action in the NBA\u2019s Las Vegas Summer League, Hannes Steinbach was rather pleased.<\/p>\n
Read more Popular Plaza Midwood bar closes + why is there only one Midtown Sundries left?<\/a><\/p>\n After all, the Charlotte Hornets<\/u><\/a>\u2019 big man didn\u2019t know quite what to expect.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it did pretty good,\u201d Steinbach said in a chat with The Charlotte Observer. \u201cThe beginning was rough, just adjusting to everything. I think it\u2019s pretty normal. And then just kind of found my rhythm. Kind of found it in the game, then just had a pretty good performance.\u201d<\/p>\n Steinbach\u2019s play during the Hornets\u2019 summer league run \u2014 which concluded with Friday night\u2019s 92-90 loss to Sacramento at Cox Pavilion \u2014 was among the bright spots for Charlotte over the past nine days.<\/p>\n Selected four picks behind fellow first-rounder Christian Anderson,<\/u><\/a> who had his moments in Las Vegas as well, Steinbach showed ruggedness and a penchant for playing through contact. That checks off a couple boxes the Hornets need to address this offseason and he\u2019s perfectly fine with being an enforcer.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I just love playing physical, love to make contact,\u201d Steinbach said. \u201cSo, I think it\u2019s just bringing that to every game, every time I play.\u201d<\/p>\n Steinbach is essentially a walking double-double and should only improve with more confidence and experience. He was even part of an interesting strategic wrinkle, sometimes being teamed alongside center Ryan Kalkbrenner.<\/p>\n Having Steinbach and his 6-foot-11, 248-pound frame on the floor with the 7-1 Kalkbrenner makes for a very unique pairing.<\/p>\n \u201cI think just Ryan\u2019s rim protection helps me a lot,\u201d Steinbach said. \u201cJust like being able to be more aggressive in pick-and-rolls or one-on-one defense as well. I have someone behind me who can make their shot very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n With Charlotte\u2019s run at the Las Vegas Summer League run in the books, meaning the Hornets won\u2019t be repeating as champions<\/a>, here are some of the key takeaways:<\/p>\n Although much of the focus typically centers around those drafted in June, the development of second-year players is extremely important at this juncture of the offseason.<\/p>\n The Hornets\u2019 2025 NBA Draft class received plenty of playing time over the past week-plus, logging extensive minutes. Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Kalkbrenner had certain areas the coaching staff wanted them to refine in order to become significant contributors to the 2026-27 campaign.<\/p>\n McNeeley had the ball in his hands a lot, and that was by design.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously he\u2019s been our primary creator and his ability to score the ball at all three levels has done a great job on that end of the floor,\u201d Hornets summer-league coach Blaine Mueller said. \u201cBut I\u2019d highlight, too, his defensive effort, particularly against New Orleans.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had some incredible one-on-one possessions in terms of understanding guys\u2019 driving tendencies and what he needs to do from a technique standpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n James was also utilized as a facilitator and had his share of struggles running the offense smoothly. Charlotte needs someone to step up in the backup point-guard role behind Coby White and is attempting to see where James fits into that puzzle.<\/p>\n \u201cReally for him, it\u2019s going to come down to him being able to initiate offense,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cWhen you actually watch the film, he\u2019s not a guy that\u2019s necessarily coming off pick-and-rolls and playmaking, but his ability to get the ball over half court, get the ball to the spot that we need to in order to initiate a play, I\u2019ve been pleased with that space.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s kind of been a mixed bag in terms of his shot. Shot it better and finished better against Boston than he did in the first two games. And then obviously, what he\u2019s getting defensively in terms of him being a little bit more disruptive, like using his IQ and brain to anticipate stuff and make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n Kalkbrenner was featured in a playmaking role out of the post at times and at the split position on offense. On the opposite side of the ball, he could be heard barking orders out during pick-and-roll situations, loudly letting teammates know where the ball-handler was headed.<\/p>\n Read more Durham-based baseball league to field team at refurbished Mooresville stadium<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAnother guy who\u2019s protecting the rim, adjusting between coverages pretty, pretty frequently,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cObviously, want to see him around the rim with more force. I think we\u2019ve seen that, too. Had a couple finishes in traffic and-ones.<\/p>\n \u201cStuff where he\u2019s a little bit more physical, a little bit more on balance, understanding what he needs to do around the rim when he\u2019s in traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n Tidjane Salaun<\/u><\/a> continues to stay under the microscope, given he\u2019s headed into his third season and few picks taken No. 6 overall participate in summer league at that juncture of their career.<\/p>\n Salaun isn\u2019t going to be judged fully by his production over the last week-plus numbers-wise, including his 18 points against Sacramento in the finale. Instead, it\u2019s more about cementing in the habits the staff has in mind to help him elevate his game in a variety of areas.<\/p>\n \u201cExecuting his role defensively,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cI think he\u2019s made great strides with his one-on-one defense. Continuing to look for him to improve in terms of his coverage execution and understanding what we\u2019re in and whether he\u2019s on the ball or on the screener.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then offensively, keep it. Keep it simple. Closeout reads, after actions, being quicker into those when he doesn\u2019t have shot, drive, or pass against closeouts.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the buzz words in the Hornets\u2019 vernacular this offseason: physicality.<\/p>\n Charlotte didn\u2019t handle teams that push and use force to intimidate the opposition well this past season, often falling short in that department. And there\u2019s been a real intent to shore up things physically.<\/p>\n So, what does that look like?<\/p>\n \u201cIt certainly starts in the weight room,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cAnd as a young team, you see it when we\u2019re out there against teams with grown men. Yes, even these guys are obviously mature for their ages, there\u2019s a pretty significant difference just in terms of frame, body weight. Because a lot of the physicality that you see is not, it\u2019s not holding, it\u2019s not grabbing, it\u2019s not shoving. It\u2019s just displacing.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that comes down to just pure mass and strength and leverage. So that\u2019s a big piece of it, is the weight room, is the nutrition, is the sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n In a sense, this part of the Hornets\u2019 journey is only beginning.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the course of the offseason, obviously you\u2019re trying to do a little bit more maintenance,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cIn season, when you\u2019re playing so many games and traveling so much, so that\u2019s a big piece of it. And then for us, it\u2019s a little bit of technique in terms of when you aren\u2019t as strong, you\u2019re going to tend to shove.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s usually someone who sticks out and catches the eye of the coaches, leading to staff-wide virtual high-fives. In the Hornets\u2019 case, that appears to be Michael Ajayi<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n Undrafted out of Butler, the Hornets inked the 23-year-old to a two-way contract.<\/p>\n Ajayi, who hovers at 6-foot-7 and weighs 228-pounds, is a massive specimen who can defend multiple positions.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Mike has done a great job in terms of accepting his role offensively,\u201d Mueller said, \u201cand then really mastering his role defensively in terms of being so versatile.\u201d<\/p>\n McNeeley also got a nod from Mueller.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited for Liam,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cHe\u2019s shown a ton of growth on the offensive end in terms of his assertiveness, his shooting, his playmaking, scoring at all three levels. So, I think those two guys on each end of the floor have been really fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n