Scalabrine Floats Steph Curry to Hornets Idea

Former NBA player Brian Scalabrine wonders if Curry joining the Hornets would make them title contenders.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Former NBA player Brian Scalabrine posed a hypothetical question on Twitter about what would happen if Stephen Curry joined the Charlotte Hornets. Curry has one more year left on his contract with the Golden State Warriors, but Scalabrine wondered if the Hornets could become immediate title contenders by adding Curry to their young core of LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller.

Why it matters

The Hornets have built an exciting young team that could be on the verge of contending, and adding a superstar like Curry would instantly vault them into the NBA title conversation. However, the logistics of acquiring Curry would be extremely difficult, as the Warriors are unlikely to trade him and matching salaries would require the Hornets to give up key pieces of their roster.

The details

Curry is set to make over $62 million in the final year of his contract with the Warriors. The Hornets would likely need to trade away multiple starters and key rotation players like Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and Grant Williams to make the salaries work, which would significantly weaken their depth. While Curry's addition would make the Hornets an instant title threat, the cost of acquiring him could be too high for Charlotte to realistically pursue.

  • Curry has one more year left on his contract with the Warriors, set to make over $62 million in the 2026-27 season.

The players

Stephen Curry

A superstar guard for the Golden State Warriors who is considered one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.

LaMelo Ball

The young star point guard for the Charlotte Hornets who was the 3rd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Kon Knueppel

A key young player for the Hornets who has emerged as a valuable two-way wing.

Brandon Miller

The Hornets' most recent first-round draft pick, a highly touted rookie forward.

Miles Bridges

A starting forward for the Hornets who would likely need to be traded to acquire Curry.

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What they’re saying

“If Steph went to the @hornets next season would the hornets make the conference finals?”

— Brian Scalabrine, Former NBA player (Twitter)

What’s next

There are no clear next steps, as a potential Curry trade to the Hornets remains highly unlikely given the Warriors' commitment to keeping him and the Hornets' reluctance to gut their roster to acquire him.

The takeaway

While the idea of Steph Curry joining the young Hornets core is an enticing one that would instantly make them title contenders, the practical realities of acquiring a superstar of Curry's caliber make it an unrealistic scenario. The Hornets are better off continuing to develop their existing roster and building organically towards contention.