RealGM Basketball Wiretap

07 May 2026

• Charles Lee, Hornets Sign Contract Extension

  Charles Lee and the Charlotte Hornets have signed a contract extension. While the Hornets didn't make it out of the play-in and into the playoffs, they were one of the best teams in the NBA after a slow start to the 2025-26 season.

  The Hornets had a 25-win game improvement in Lee's second season as head coach. The Hornets hired Lee ahead of the 2024-25 season after he had assistant coach stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics.

  "Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a team," said Jeff Peterson. "From day one, Charles and his staff have prioritized player development, creating an environment where each of our players are committed to getting better and continue to improve. He has built a team-first culture rooted in accountability, hard work and professionalism. I'm excited to keep working closely with Charles as we continue to build the Hornets for long-term success."

  "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this team and building on what we've started here in Charlotte," said Lee. "I want to thank Rick, Gabe and Jeff for their support as well as my coaching staff and the players for their tireless work and dedication. I'm excited about the direction we're headed and our team's bright future. Our players have shown a real commitment to growth, and I'm proud of the culture we're establishing together. We're just getting started, and I'm looking forward to the work ahead."

• Brandon Miller Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Out Indefinitely

  Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller underwent surgery to address left shoulder instability, the team announced on Wednesday.

  Miller is out indefinitely, but is expected to make a full recovery.

  Miller averaged 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 65 games this season.

  Miller missed 13 straight games from October to November due to a left shoulder subluxation injury.

• Moussa Diabate Wins 2025-26 NBA Hustle Award

  Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate has won the 2025-26 NBA Hustle Award. The honor recognizes players whose effort-based contributions drive winning but rarely appear in traditional statistical categories.

  Diabate's impact coincided directly with Charlotte's dramatic midseason turnaround. The Hornets went 9-20 through Dec. 22 before posting a 35-18 record the rest of the way, the sixth-best winning percentage in the league during that stretch. Dec. 23 marked Diabate's first game as a full-time starter.

  The award is determined by a statistical formula tracking deflections, loose balls recovered, charges drawn, screen assists, contested shots, and box outs. Among the 124 eligible players, Diabate ranked first in offensive box outs per minute and fourth in screen assists per minute.

  Diabate posted career-best numbers across the board in his fourth NBA season, averaging 7.9 points on 63.1 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 steals in 26.0 minutes per game. His 20 double-doubles nearly tripled his previous career total.

  Dyson Daniels, Draymond Green, Cedric Coward and Josh Hart rounded out the top-5.

• Cooper Flagg Beats Out Kon Knueppel To Win 2025-26 NBA Rookie Of The Year

  Cooper Flagg has been named the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year, beating out former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel. Flagg received 56 first place votes compared to 44 for Knueppel

  Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes over 70 games for the Dallas Mavericks. Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft out of Duke.

  "This is a truly great honor," said Flagg. "I'm grateful to receive this award and thankful to everyone in the Dallas Mavericks organization who believed in me from day one. None of this happens without my teammates, coaches and the people around me pushing me every day. I came here to compete and help this team win. This is just one step forward in what we're building."

  Knueppel appeared in 81 games for the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Knueppel shot 42.5 percent on 642 three-point attempts, making a rookie record 273 three-pointers.

  VJ Edgecombe finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

• Hornets Hope To Re-Sign Coby White This Summer

  When the Charlotte Hornets traded for Coby White, GM Jeff Peterson said he envisioned it being a long-term move. Peterson restated those desires at his end-of-season media availability on Monday.

  "Like I said when we traded for Coby, we envisioned him as somebody who's going to be with the Hornets for a long time," Peterson said about re-signing White. "He embodies what we're about in terms of just of course on the court he's a really, really good player. But the human being, his approach, his professionalism... I'm just happy for him what he's been able to accomplish in this short amount of time.

  "I'm excited to see what this offseason looks like. He gets a full off season with us and then going into next season as well."

  White is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Hornets traded Collin Sexton and three second-round picks to acquire White at the trade deadline. That was later amended to two second-round picks, as Charlotte discovered the veteran combo guard was dealing with a left calf injury.

  In 21 games with the Hornets, White averaged 15.6 points in 19.4 minutes per game off the bench. The seventh-year guard shot 46.1% from the field, including 39.1% on 5.2 three-point attempts per game.

• Jeff Peterson Won't Take Shortcuts To Push Hornets Forward

  Charlotte Hornets GM Jeff Peterson is proud of the progress his team made, but won't take shortcuts to push his team into the playoffs next season. The Hornets fell to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament's game for the eighth seed.

  "We can't skip steps," Peterson said. "Again, I've seen it too many times and it ends up not going the way that you think it goes, in terms of trying to speed things up. Look, we've made a ton of progress this season internally, and I'm excited because I know that's going to continue to happen. But we'll continue to be strategic and when the opportunity presents itself, I know we'll be ready because of the flexibility that we have."

  Charlotte has two picks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. After selecting four rotation players a year ago, the Hornets have another opportunity to deepen their roster this year.

  "I'm very excited about this draft," Peterson said. "It's if not the deepest, one of the deepest that I've ever been a part of. A lot of good players all over the draft, of course. But again, where we are from an asset standpoint, it's going to allow us to be flexible. So whether that means we bring two players in, consolidate, we'll have different options that we'll continue to explore and look at.

  "But I'm excited for whoever we bring in because I know that it's going to be someone who is a Hornet, and about what we're about and at some point will contribute to what we are building here."

• NBA Announces Finalists For MVP, Rookie Of The Year, Coach Of The Year, Other Awards

  The NBA announced the finalists for several different awards on Sunday night. They league also said that they'll begin revealing winners of these awards this coming week. The finalists for each award are listed below:

  Most Valuable Player

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Nikola Jokic
  • Victor Wembanyama

  Rookie of the Year

  • V.J. Edgecombe
  • Cooper Flagg
  • Kon Knueppel

  Coach of the Year

  • J.B. Bickerstaff
  • Mitch Johnson
  • Joe Mazzulla

  Defensive Player of the Year

  • Chet Holmgren
  • Ausar Thompson
  • Victor Wembanyama

  Sixth Man of the Year

  • Tim Hardaway Jr.
  • Jaime Jaquez Jr.
  • Keldon Johnson

  Most Improved Player

  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker
  • Deni Avdija
  • Jalen Duren

  Clutch Player of the Year

  • Anthony Edwards
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Jamal Murray
• NBA Scheduled To Hold 2026 Draft Pick Tiebreakers On Monday

  The NBA is set to hold tiebreakers for selections in the 2026 NBA Draft on Monday, April 20. If the tie is between lottery teams, these tiebreakers set the order pre-Draft Lottery. The actual lottery odds will be split evenly between the tied teams.

  Non-lottery teams will also have their order decided by the tiebreakers. The second-round draft order will then be the inverse of the first-round.

  The ties to be broken are:

  4/5: Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz

  7/8: Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans*

  16/17/18: Orlando Magic*, Philadelphia 76ers*, Phoenix Suns*

  19/20: Atlanta Hawks* and Toronto Raptors

  22/23: Cleveland Cavaliers* and Houston Rockets*

  24/25: Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks

  *These picks will be conveyed to the following teams:

  New Orleans Pelicans: Atlanta Hawks or Milwaukee Bucks (Atlanta receives the more favorable selection)

  Orlando Magic: Memphis Grizzlies

  Philadelphia 76ers: Oklahoma City Thunder

  Phoenix Suns: Charlotte Hornets

  Atlanta Hawks: San Antonio Spurs

  Cleveland Cavaliers: Atlanta Hawks

  Houston Rockets: Philadelphia 76ers

• How To Watch Magic vs. Hornets Play-In Game: Live Stream, TV Channel, Predictions

  The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament reaches its thrilling conclusion this Friday, April 17, with a "win-or-go-home" finale for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Charlotte Hornets host the Orlando Magic at Spectrum Center. The Hornets (44-38) are looking to bounce back after a tough loss to the Heat, while the Magic (45-37) enter with momentum following an emotional victory over the 76ers. The winner officially claims the #8 seed and a first-round date with the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. Catch the drama live on Prime Video.

  This do-or-die showdown features two of the East's most exciting young cores. Orlando is led by Paolo Banchero and trade-deadline star Desmond Bane, who have combined for nearly 45 points per game in April. Charlotte counters with the dynamic duo of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. After falling short in their first Play-In game, the Hornets must find a way to break through Orlando's length and defensive intensity. You can witness this winner-take-all battle streaming live on Prime.

  The interior matchup between Wendell Carter Jr. and the Hornets' frontcourt will be critical, as both teams ranked in the top ten in second-chance points this season. With the #8 seed on the line, expect a physical, playoff-caliber game from the opening tip. Prime Video is your exclusive home for the final game of the Eastern Conference Play-In tournament.

  Charlotte's home-court energy at Spectrum Center will be a major factor, but the Magic have proven they can win high-stakes games on the road. Whether it's Franz Wagner's playmaking or Miles Bridges' explosiveness, tonight will be decided by which star handles the elimination pressure best. Fubo is no longer the home for this tournament-stream the Magic and Hornets exclusively on Prime Video.

  How to watch Magic vs. Hornets

  Tonight's Eastern Conference Play-In finale will be broadcast nationally and available for streaming exclusively on Prime Video. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET. Fans can access the game via the Prime Video app on all compatible devices, including smart TVs, tablets, and gaming consoles.

  Category	Details
  Date	Friday, April 17, 2026
  Tip-Off Time	8:00 PM ET
  TV/Streaming	Prime Video
  Venue	Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC

  Magic vs. Hornets Betting Odds & Predictions

  The Hornets enter as narrow home favorites, reflecting their home-court advantage and superior regular-season seeding. However, Orlando's recent form and the addition of Desmond Bane make this a "pick 'em" for many analysts.

  Betting Line	Hornets -1.5
  Over/Under	224.5
  Moneyline	CHA -125 | ORL +105

  Prediction: In a single-game elimination, defense and rebounding usually carry the day. While LaMelo Ball is a nightmare in transition, Orlando's half-court defense and the scoring of Paolo Banchero should pull them through in a nail-biter. Final Score: Magic 110, Hornets 107.

  Individual Matchups: Stars and Playmakers

  The marquee matchup features Orlando's Paolo Banchero against Charlotte's Brandon Miller. This battle of versatile forwards will likely dictate the offensive flow for both teams.

  Magic Key Player Stats	Points	Rebounds	Assists	FG%
  Paolo Banchero (F)	22.2	8.4	5.2	46.5%
  Desmond Bane (G)	20.2	4.1	4.2	47.2%

  Charlotte relies on the electric facilitate-first game of LaMelo Ball and the perimeter scoring of Brandon Miller to fuel their postseason run.

  Hornets Key Player Stats	Points	Rebounds	Assists	FG%
  LaMelo Ball (G)	24.5	5.7	8.8	43.9%
  Brandon Miller (F)	21.4	4.9	2.8	46.2%

  Stream the NBA Play-In on Prime Video

  Prime Video is the new home for exclusive NBA tournament action. Catch the Play-In and select playoff matchups with the most flexible streaming options available. From live stats to X-Ray features, Prime Video ensures you never miss a highlight from the Magic or Hornets.

  Frequently Asked Questions

  What channel is the Magic vs. Hornets Play-In game on?
  The game is streaming exclusively on Prime Video.

  What is at stake tonight?
  This is the final game of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. The winner officially becomes the #8 seed and advances to the first round of the 2026 Playoffs, while the loser is eliminated.

  Who is on the injury report?
  The Hornets are monitoring Miles Bridges (knee), who is listed as probable. The Magic have no major new additions to their injury report heading into the finale.

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• LaMelo Ball Fined $35,000, Assessed Flagrant Foul 2 On Bam Adebayo Play

  LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 and assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 upon league office review for making unnecessary and reckless contact with Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo that created a significant injury risk.

  The incident occurred with 11:13 remaining in the second quarter of the Charlotte Hornets' 127-126 overtime win over the Heat on April 14 in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

  Ball has been fined an additional $25,000 for using profane language during a live postgame television interview.

  Ball will not be suspended for Friday's Play-In game.