James could see more playing time to begin the season if Kon Knueppel (hamstring) isn't ready for Opening Night.
If Knueppel is out for the start of the season, the Hornets have James, Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale as the most likely candidates to enter the first unit. James was more of a defensive stopper for Charlotte in his rookie campaign, having averaged just 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 29.0 minutes per contest across 19 games as a starter in 2025-26.