After trading for him on Sunday, the Hornets have waived former lottery pick Rob Dillingham, the team announced on Monday (Twitter link).

The eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, Dillingham began his NBA career with the Timberwolves, who were hoping he’d emerge as a regular rotation player on a team-friendly rookie scale contract. However, the former Kentucky standout played a limited role as a rookie, averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 assists in 10.5 minutes per game with a shooting line of .441/.338/.533 in 49 outings.

Dillingham was traded from Minnesota to Chicago midway through his second season as part of the deal that sent Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves. In 65 total appearances for the two teams in 2025/26, he registered 6.3 PPG and 2.2 APG in 14.9 MPG as his shooting percentages dipped to 39.6% from the floor and 31.6% on three-pointers.

The Bulls subsequently flipped Dillingham to Charlotte over the weekend in exchange for Buddy Hield and cash, but it appears that move was just about cap savings for the Hornets, who were carrying 17 players on standard contracts even after recently cutting another young guard, Ryan Nembhard, as well.

Having waived Dillingham, Charlotte is now down to 16 players on standard contracts, including 15 with guaranteed salaries — Pat Connaughton has a non-guaranteed deal.

As for Dillingham, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, assuming he goes unclaimed. That will leave the Hornets on the hook for the 21-year-old’s $6.89MM salary for 2026/27, though his $8.76MM team option for ’27/28 will be officially declined once he clears waivers.

Dillingham will be eligible to sign with any team except the Bulls as a free agent. Because he has accumulated just two years of NBA service, he remains eligible to receive a two-way contract.