{"id":124520,"date":"2025-09-06T15:22:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T15:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/124520\/"},"modified":"2025-09-06T15:22:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T15:22:06","slug":"can-liam-mcneeley-avoid-becoming-a-career-backup-for-charlotte-hornets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/124520\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Liam McNeeley avoid becoming a career backup for Charlotte Hornets?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Charlotte Hornets<\/a> are heading into the upcoming season with more buzz than they\u2019ve had in years. President of Basketball Operations Jeff Pederson <\/a>wasted no time shaking things up, putting together one of the most intriguing offseasons in recent memory.<\/p>\n

He brought in Collin Sexton and Pat Connaughton through trades, dealt big man Mark Williams for two future first-round picks, and added four rookies in the draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two of those rookies \u2014 Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley \u2014 were first-rounders, and both are expected to take on meaningful roles right away. The young core is clearly in place, but the next challenge is figuring out how all the pieces fit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Knueppel, a top-five pick, may open the season as a sixth man, but his shooting and feel for the game should get him into the starting lineup sooner rather than later.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McNeeley\u2019s role is a little harder to pin down. The former UConn standout has the size and skill to eventually be compared to someone like Franz Wagner, but he\u2019s still raw and will need time to adjust.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His length and versatility give the Hornets plenty of options \u2014 whether as a defensive wing, a secondary playmaker, or a floor spacer \u2014 but how quickly he adapts to the NBA\u2019s speed and physicality will determine his trajectory.<\/p>\n

With Sexton\u2019s energy, Knueppel\u2019s polish, and McNeeley\u2019s upside, Charlotte finally<\/a> has the foundation of a roster that balances present competitiveness with long-term potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s less about talent acquisition and more about turning all that promise into production \u2014 and proving this new era of Hornets basketball is ready to take flight.<\/p>\n

\"Mandatory<\/p>\n

May 14, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Liam McNeeley talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images \/ David Banks-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Right now, the answer isn\u2019t so clear \u2014 and part of that has less to do with McNeeley\u2019s talent and more to do with roster logistics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With Brandon Miller firmly in the starting lineup<\/a>, it will be tough for McNeeley to claim a regular starting role immediately. That doesn\u2019t mean he can\u2019t be a difference-maker.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Could he become one of the league\u2019s most valuable sixth men? Absolutely.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Timberwolves have used this approach for years with players like Naz Reid, who fit perfectly into their young core without logging consistent starter minutes. If the Hornets <\/a>hit on their young core and stars, head coach Charles Lee could follow a similar path.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the long-term possibility that the Hornets decide not to extend Miller or move him in a trade. That would open the door for McNeeley to step into a larger role down the line.<\/p>\n

Whether McNeeley settles in as a top-notch sixth man or works his way into the starting lineup, he\u2019s got the tools to be a key piece for the Hornets. With his size, skill, and versatility, Charlotte has a lot of options to plug him in around their young stars.<\/p>\n

If everything clicks, McNeeley could grow into a player the team leans on for years \u2014 the kind of guy a young franchise can really build around.<\/p>\n

Charlotte Hornets given virtually no shot at NBA title after offseason<\/a><\/p>\n

Grading every Charlotte Hornets trade under GM Jeff Peterson<\/a><\/p>\n

What the Hornets have to do to attract big-name free agents<\/a><\/p>\n

What a LaMelo Ball blockbuster trade package could look like at the 2026 deadline<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Charlotte Hornets are heading into the upcoming season with more buzz than they\u2019ve had in years. President…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":124521,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,459,82],"class_list":["post-124520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124520"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124520\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}