The Charlotte Hornets have made an early roster move ahead of training camp, signing guard Marcus Garrett and waiving forward Brandon Slater.
Garrett, 26, brings defensive versatility to Charlotte’s backcourt. After a brief stint with the Miami Heat in 2021–22, he re-emerged this past season, appearing in four games for the Hornets where he averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes.
The former Kansas standout spent most of 2024–25 with the Greensboro Swarm in the G League. Across 27 games, he posted 9.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 44.1 percent from the field.
Charlotte is banking on Garrett’s defensive presence to complement a guard rotation led by LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, and Nick Smith Jr. His addition also provides depth behind Josh Green and Spencer Dinwiddie, giving head coach Charles Lee more flexibility.
The corresponding move was the release of Brandon Slater, just one day after the team signed him. The 26-year-old Villanova product has had professional stops in the G League and Greece since going undrafted in 2023. He recently averaged 7.4 points per game for Lavrio Megabolt, showing promise as a 3-and-D forward.
Slater’s exit trims competition on the wing, where the Hornets already feature Miles Bridges, Liam McNeeley, and Moussa Diabaté. With rookies Kon Knueppel and Sion James also in the mix, the franchise opted for backcourt reinforcement instead.
