The Charlotte Hornets are expected to waive Ryan Nembhard following their latest roster moves, according to Marc Stein.
Stein reported Saturday, September 26, that Charlotte is “finally waiving Ryan Nembhard as expected” after completing the trade that sent Buddy Hield to the Chicago Bulls for Rob Dillingham.
Nembhard will become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET if he clears waivers. Multiple teams are expected to have interest in signing him to a two-way contract, with the Denver Nuggets among the teams viewed as a potential destination.
The 23-year-old guard joined Charlotte earlier this week as part of the trade that sent Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hornets received Hield, Nembhard and cash considerations from Atlanta in that deal.
Nembhard was originally acquired by Atlanta from the Dallas Mavericks in July as part of the trade involving Zaccharie Risacher.
He spent his rookie season with Dallas in 2025-26, averaging 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 60 games. He shot 41.5% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range.
Nembhard showed considerably more offensive production in the G League with the Texas Legends, averaging 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 10.2 assists in six games while playing 36.3 minutes per contest.
His playmaking ability was already well established before entering the NBA. After beginning his college career at Creighton, Nembhard transferred to Gonzaga and averaged 9.6 assists per game as a senior during the 2024-25 season.
He also had several notable performances during his rookie campaign. Nembhard scored 28 points and dished out 10 assists in a game against the Nuggets in Denver, while he later recorded 23 assists against the Chicago Bulls in Dallas’ season finale.
Denver is therefore one of the teams to monitor if Nembhard reaches free agency. The Nuggets finished 54-28 last season before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the first round of the playoffs.
Charlotte’s decision is primarily a product of its roster situation. The Hornets have added several players during the offseason and now have 18 players on standard contracts, meaning they must reduce the roster to 15 before the regular season.
