Buzz Beat: A Charlotte Hornets Pod

Richie joins Kyle Bailey of WFNZ to chat about Charlotte’s offseason. The two discuss the draft, free agent options, and what the Hornets do with Tre Mann.

Richie goes LIVE on Substack to discuss free agency and review the acquisition of Collin Sexton. He talks about the cap sheet, free agency priorities, and breaks down Sexton’s offensive and defensive game.

Brian, Matt, and Darian share their analysis of Kon Knueppel, the 4th overall pick for the Charlotte Hornets. This was originally released on May 27, but the information remains relevant as they discuss both offensive and defensive aspects and some of his underrated skills.

James, Matt, Brian and Darian react to Charlotte's selections of Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrennar in the early second round. The group also discuss Charlotte's shift in draft philosophy and share their overall grades for the Hornets' 2025 draft class.

BONUS SNIPPET | Richie invites Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron to prepare Hornets fans for free agency, beginning June 30. The two highlight some of the salary cap minutiae, chat about Tre Mann’s free agency, and mention potential moves Charlotte can make this offseason.

Brian, Darian, and James recap Charlotte’s first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The three evaluate Kon Knueppel’s game and whether his ceiling warrants the 4th overall pick. After acquiring the 29th pick in a trade involving Mark Williams, they get a chance to break down Liam McNeeley’s game.

Darian, Matt, and Brian help forecast the top six picks of the NBA Draft. With the team-specific selections from Drew Johnson (Dallas), Adam Aaronson (Philadelphia), and Noah Magaro-George (San Antonio), they were able to weigh their options at the fourth overall pick. To end the episode, the three put together a pie chart with all the possibilities for Charlotte’s pick.

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Brian, James, and Matt discuss some of the lesser-discussed prospects. While they aren’t projected to go fourth overall, the crew discusses Collin Murray-Boyles of South Carolina, Jeremiah Fears of Oklahoma, and Duke's Khaman Maluach.

BONUS SNIPPET | James, Brian, Darian, and Matt use a random wheel to begin their discussion on prospects. When it landed on a specific number, the co-hosts were required to use their personal “Big Board” to talk about that player ranked at that position. The numbers generated for this exercise were 10, 12, 14, 20, 21, 25, 27, and 33.

Brian, James, and Darian try to separate fact from fiction with the latest draft pick intel. A lot hinges on what Philadelphia will do with the third selection. We analyze the scenarios and how each has a ripple effect on the Hornets. We share our current thoughts on the top prospects expected to be available with the fourth pick.

Richie joins Mac and T-Bone on WFNZ to share his thoughts on the Hornets’ offseason. They discuss several prospects available with the 4th overall pick and the road to success as a small-market team.

Tate Frazier of The Ringer joins James for an all-encompassing conversation about the Charlotte Hornets. The two chat about Tate’s fandom, dissect the choices for the number 4 overall pick, and look at Bridges and Ball’s future in Charlotte.

Richie and Matt are joined by Jeremy Grandison to discuss how the NBA Playoffs can shape the Hornets’ future. The three talk about double-big lineups, versatile players, and how there are multiple ways to build a competitive roster.

Brian, Darian, and Matt analyze two prospects projected as options for the Hornets with the No. 4 overall pick. They examine the offensive and defensive play of V.J. Edgecombe (Baylor) and Kon Knueppel (Duke).

Brian, Matt, and James recap the NBA Combine and share their thoughts on Tre Johnson. The three share the most noteworthy takeaways from the tests and interviews out in Chicago, while also diving deep into the talented shooter from Texas.

Spencer, James, Brian, and Darian react to the news that the Hornets secured the 4th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The crew expresses their disappointment and discusses how this will influence the team’s future.

Matt and James return to chat about two prospects from the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. The two discuss Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both projected to go in the top five of the NBA Draft. They look at their strengths, weaknesses, and potential fit in Charlotte.

Brian, James, and Darian break down Cooper Flagg’s game. There is much to highlight with the consensus first overall pick, but very little to nitpick. Listen to the crew's analysis and what he could bring to the Hornets if they land the top overall selection.

Matt, Brian, Darian, and James reveal their top 7 prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft. They discuss the biggest discrepancies and what went into the evaluation process in creating their “Big Boards.”

Richie goes solo to briefly recap the Heat-Bulls game and explain why the results matter to Charlotte. He also details the incoming draft picks for Charlotte and how they will manage them moving forward.

Following the Hornets’ end-of-season media availability, we react to the notable talking points from the day. We dissect quotes from Jeff Peterson, Charles Lee, and the players.

Brian and Darian select five players from the Sweet 16 to create a balanced team. They discuss their drafting strategies and how their players enhance one another's performance on the basketball court. Additionally, they choose a coach from the remaining 16 teams.

Brian and Darian assess players competing in the upcoming NCAA men’s tournament. The following prospects are reviewed (in order):

Jase Richardson, Kam Jones, Danny Wolf, VJ Edgecombe, Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, Walter Clayton Jr., Derik Queen, Nique Clifford, Kasparas Jakučionis, Chaz Lanier, Tre Johnson.

Richie brings on Matt Alquiza to discuss the intel from Michael Scotto’s recent piece about a potential LaMelo Ball move. The two discuss the package type required to send Ball to another team. The final segment puts percentages on the likelihood of Ball, Bridges, Green, Okogie, and Williams returning to Charlotte in 2025-26.

Richie and Brian react to Adam Silver’s recent comments and answer a listener's question about the future of the Hornets. The two discuss Mark Williams and if anything can be done to fix future trade failures in the NBA. They also set priorities for a multi-year plan for the Hornets to become a playoff winner by 2028.

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🚨 | Richie discusses the failed trade of Mark Williams and all the implications of his return to Charlotte. He chats about the reputation of Jeff Peterson, the re-insertion of Mark Williams into the rotation, and maneuvering the awkward situation with the center rotation.

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Brian, Darian, Spencer, and Div recap the busy day for the Hornets as they made multiple trades. The four break down the Mark Williams deal that landed Charlotte Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick. They discuss how this affects the offseason and future outlook of the team. They finish by evaluating the transaction with Phoenix that sent Cody Martin and Vasilije Micić out the door for Jusuf Nurkić and a 2026 first-round pick.

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Richie answers a listener's question about retaining a handful of Hornets. He ranks Cody Martin, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Josh Okogie, Tre Mann, and Moussa Diabaté in terms of his preference for keeping players heading into next season.

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Brian and Darian evaluate Nick Smith Jr. and Tidjane Salaün midway through the 2024-25 season. The two highlight Smith’s recent play and Salaün’s assignment to Greensboro. The two also discuss the promising signs and concerns for both of these young players as they progress through their rookie contracts.

The episode also has discussions on Brandon Miller’s injury to begin the episode and the implications of that moving forward.

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🚨 | Richie returns to the microphone to detail the trade of Nick Richards and Josh Okogie. He discusses the implications on the court, in the cap sheet, and within the roster as the Hornets move forward to the second half of the season.

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Brian and Darian return to chat about Charles Lee’s first season as head coach for the Charlotte Hornets. The two discuss promising and worrisome aspects of his 7-25 start to the season. How much blame can be placed on Lee?

🎥 Video Version

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Brian and Darian return to discuss Brandon Miller’s ankle injury and Mark Williams's recent play. The two discuss the depressing stat that Ball, Miller, and Williams have played just over 150 minutes in their tenure together and the outlook for the remainder of the season.

🎄The duo finishes with two Christmas-related segments: (1) Comparing a Christmas movie character to a Hornets player and (2) Handing out gifts to all those involved in the Charlotte Hornets.

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🚨 EMERGENCY POD | Brian and Darian chat about the injury to Grant Williams and how the Hornets could make use of the (DPE) Designated Player Exception and the pieces already on the roster to fill the void.

Video Version: YouTube

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Brian and Darian return to chat about LaMelo’s All-Star case and Moussa Diabaté making the most of his opportunities. The two also talk about Brandon Miller’s disappointing start to the season.

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Brian and Spencer discuss some of the good and bad aspects of the season's first three games. The two highlight LaMelo Ball’s fast start, Nick Richards's underrated play, and Charles Lee's defensive intricacies.

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Brian, Darian, and Spencer return to discuss the results and observations of the Hornets’ first two preseason games. The three talk about LaMelo’s performances, the outlook for Tidjane Salaün, and the overall positivity surrounding Charles Lee.

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Richie gives a life update on the Buzz Beat podcast. 

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Brian and Darian field listener questions as we slowly approach the opening of the NBA season. The two answer questions about closing lineups, the center depth, and the toughest part of Charlotte’s schedule.

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Richie, Brian, and Darian take all the rostered players on the Hornets and tier them into 6 different categories. The three also answer a listener’s question about the most likely outcome after 20 games.

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Richie invites Will Eudy and Gil McGregor to partake in a draft of Hornets players from different eras. The three also discuss the offseason moves and the new “DNA” that exists within the organization.

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