Hawks Send Ryan Nembhard to Hornets Amid Buddy Hield Swap

The Atlanta Hawks traded former Gonzaga point guard Ryan Nembhard along with Buddy Hield and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith in a three-player deal. The transaction occurred on Tuesday, creating trade exceptions of $4.5 million for Charlotte heading into the 2026-27 season and $2.1 million for Atlanta.

Nembhard enters his second NBA season after joining the Hawks from Dallas via a previous multi-team swap in July. During his rookie campaign with the Mavericks, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 turnovers per game while shooting 41.5% from the field.

In Charlotte, Nembhard will compete for playing time against Coby White, who is expected to start alongside Dennis Schroeder and rookie Christian Anderson as LaMelo Ball's departure creates an opening.