The Charlotte Hornets earned their first victory of the 2026-27 season Wednesday night, defeating the Brooklyn Nets on the road. Grayson Allen was the star man off the bench, scoring 21 points to lead the team. Another trade acquisition, Naz Reid, showed his strengths, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Moussa Diabate showed his defensive prowess once more, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and five steals.

As for Brooklyn, it was a two-man show, with Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. doing the heavy lifting. Randle finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one block. As for Porter Jr., he scored 26 to go along with seven rebounds, one assist and three steals.

Prior to Charlotte's home opener against the Atlanta Hawks Friday, here are three things from their first victory of the year.

3. Naz Reid as a passer

Coming into Wednesday's game, Naz Reid's career high in assists was seven, which he accomplished twice in 483 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Already, Reid reached that total in Charlotte's win against Brooklyn, showcasing his underrated ability as a passer, especially when he draws attention in the low post. If Reid can consistently attract extra defenders inside, his assist numbers will only improve.

2. Charlotte's rotation is deeper than you think

Despite finishing with four starters in double-figures, it was the Hornets' bench that was the most efficient. Of the five reserves used by head coach Charles Lee, four of them finished with a positive plus-minus, including Ryan Kalkbrenner, who finished his night plus-22. Recent acquisitions from the Phoenix Suns, Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, combined to finish plus-35. The fact that Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams and Hannes Steinbach have yet to feature in Charlotte's rotation showcases their exceptional depth when healthy.

1. Grayson Allen as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate

While Sixth Man of the Year Award winners tend to come from some of the league's best teams, Grayson Allen still has a fighting chance to take home the award with the Hornets. Averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game with the Suns a season ago, Allen is the perfect sixth-man to lead Charlotte off the bench. In the absence of White and Knueppel, he played this role quite well, knocking down six of his nine attempts in his team debut.