Coach Charles Lee told WFAE that preseason games will help him learn which combinations work with his new personnel. Charlotte brought in veterans including Naz Reid, Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale after moving LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, according to the NBA’s Tuesday preview. Kon Knueppel is also sidelined for the preseason, the league reported.
The night includes four games, all exhibitions. Here is the official schedule, with every time Eastern:
| Matchup | Tipoff |
|---|
| Brooklyn at Charlotte | 7 p.m. |
| New Orleans at Oklahoma City | 8 p.m. |
| Denver at Utah | 9 p.m. |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State | 10 p.m. |
Oklahoma City’s opener will be played at BOK Center in Tulsa. Sports Illustrated’s Derek Parker reported that coach Mark Daigneault plans to sit eight players, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Daigneault explained that the team deliberately scheduled preseason back-to-backs and will not use every high-minute player in every game.
The Lakers arrive after Monday’s 127-103 victory over Sacramento, when Luka Dončić scored 21 points in the first half. Golden State began its exhibition schedule with a loss to the Clippers in Honolulu on Sunday.
Tuesday’s results will offer another look at the teams’ new groups, but availability and experimental combinations matter when assessing them. The regular season has not begun, and the scheduled games do not establish final starting lineups or regular-season rotations.
Lee’s search for combinations starts with several Hornets unavailable. Across the night, exhibition minutes will show coaches’ experiments with their available players.
