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Hornets waive veteran Pat Connaughton

The Hornets wanted to keep Pat Connaughton around. In the end, they couldn’t find room. Charlotte announced Friday that it waived the veteran wing, resolving a roster squeeze before the start of the regular season.

Published: Friday, 16 October 2026 at 9:36 PM
Hornets waive veteran Pat Connaughton
Key Things to Know
  • The Charlotte Hornets have officially waived veteran wing Pat Connaughton ahead of the regular season.
  • Charlotte had 16 players on standard contracts and needed to cut down to the 15-player limit.
  • Connaughton was the only player on the Hornets' roster who held a non-guaranteed contract.
The Story in 60 Seconds

The Charlotte Hornets announced Friday that they have waived veteran wing Pat Connaughton. The decision resolves a preseason roster crunch, as the team carried 16 standard contracts and needed to trim the squad down to the regular-season limit of 15 players. Connaughton was the only player on Charlotte's roster holding a non-guaranteed salary.

Although Charlotte valued Connaughton's locker room presence for their young core, keeping him would have required parting with other players such as recent first-round picks Tidjane Salaun or Liam McNeeley. The 33-year-old former NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks now heads to waivers after averaging 7.1 minutes across 42 appearances last season.

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