Buzz Beat: A Charlotte Hornets Pod

Blue Wire

Buzz Beat is a Charlotte Hornets podcast hosted by Richie Randall, Brian Geisinger, Darian Thomas, Matt Alquiza, and James Plowright. The show provides in-depth analysis, covering Xs and Os, coaching strategies, and team trends.

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20 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes20

Newest first

Tuesday · 1 hr 7 min
Did the Hornets Get the Offseason Right?
The Hornets made franchise-altering decisions this offseason, reshaping the organization's future. We open by looking at the bigger picture: where does Charlotte stand as a franchise, what direction are they heading, and how should fans evaluate the monumental decisions made this summer?
July 21 · 59 min
Post-Summer League Roster Crunch
Richie, Brian, and Matt put a bow on Summer League by sharing their final evaluations of the players, specifically Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr. The three also explore ongoing roster management and trade possibilities before the season starts to improve the point guard position.
July 14 · 56 min
Peterson's Presser & Summer League
James takes a look at Jeff Peterson’s latest press conference about LaMelo Ball’s trade and some of the interesting things said. He also checks out the prominent players and how they’ve been playing in the Summer League so far.
July 7 · 1 hr
Transaction Reaction
Richie, Brian, and James return to discuss the chain reactions from all the recent Hornets moves.
July 6 · 25 min
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward joins Richie to discuss his recruitment to Butler, the Jazz matching Charlotte’s offer sheet in 2014, rehabbing major injuries, his career with the Charlotte Hornets (2020-2024), and shares his thoughts on Kon Knueppel’s potential.
June 29 · 14 min
Gordon Hayward: Family & Faith
Gordon Hayward joins Richie for a two-part interview. In Part 1, Hayward shares about his upbringing, his parents’ influence on his success as a student and athlete, the importance of his relationship with Joe Mazzulla, and his conversion to the Catholic church.
June 28 · 30 min
Miles Bridges Traded
Richie, Matt, and James analyze the trade that sent Miles Bridges to Phoenix. The three look at the on-court ramifications, the unprotected 2033 first-round pick returning to Charlotte, and how the roster is taking shape.
June 25 · 55 min
Coby White Re-Signs
Richie and James return to break down the re-signing of Coby White and put a bow on the trading of LaMelo Ball. The two look at these interconnected transactions and how they will affect the Hornets' future dealings as we head into free agency.
June 25 · 30 min
LaMelo Ball Traded
LaMelo Ball is traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Richie, Matt, and James break down the trade and the pros and cons of the return. The three also look at how this affects the team moving forward.
June 24 · 34 min
Hornets Draft Steinbach & Anderson
The crew analyzes the selection of Hannes Steinbach from the University of Washington and Christian Anderson Jr. from Texas Tech University.
June 23 · 22 min
Krysten Peek
NBA.com and Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek joins the show to discuss the Hornets’ draft outlook, including Charlotte’s evolving reputation across the league, the age debate in prospect evaluation, potential trade-up scenarios, and which top prospect could fall to No. 14.
June 16 · 1 hr 21 min
2026 Mock Offseason
Brian and Matt step into the Hornets’ front office, while James takes on the roles of the league’s other 29 teams and player agents throughout the negotiation process. T
June 11 · 1 hr 14 min
Profile: Cenac, Steinbach, Quaintance, Mara, Johnson
Brian and Darian break down five NBA prospects at the center position. The two discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and team fit, while also revealing how strongly they’d covet each prospect. The players discussed on this episode are Chris Cenac, Hannes Steinbach, Jayden Quaintance, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson.
June 9 · 1 hr 1 min
Around the Horn(ets)
Richie moderates a debate between Brian, Matt, and James on some polarizing topics concerning the Hornets’ upcoming draft. The three share their thoughts on consolidating picks, avoiding guards in the draft, Morez Johnson Jr., and much more.
June 2 · 56 min
Profile: Philon, Okorie, Stirtz
James and Darian break down Labaron Philon Jr., Ebuka Okorie, and Bennett Stirtz.
May 28 · 44 min
Report Card: Miller, Salaün
Richie and Brian return to grade Brandon Miller and Tidjane Salaün’s seasons. They look at their strengths on both ends of the court, their drawbacks, and hand out a letter grade.
May 26 · 58 min
Profile: Burries, Swain, Carr
Matt and James break down four NBA prospects at the wing position. The two discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and team fit, while also revealing how strongly they’d covet each prospect. The players discussed on this episode are Brayden Burries, Dailyn Swain, and Cameron Carr.
May 22 · 1 hr 21 min
Profile: Lendeborg, Ament, López, Peat
Brian and James break down Yaxel Lendeborg, Nate Ament, Karim López, and Koa Peat.
May 19 · 1 hr 8 min
This vs. That Prospect
Matt and James recap the NBA Combine with their final thoughts on some of the prospects in Charlotte’s range, including Koa Peat, Cam Carr, and Morez Johnson. The two talk about how much sway the results of these workouts have on their overall big board. Finally, they pit two prospects against each other and debate their preferred selection.
May 12 · 54 min
Combine Notes & Mock Draft
Brian and James recap the NBA Lottery and how the results could affect the Hornets. The two also review the NBA Combine measurements, both positive and negative. To wrap up, James participates in a mock draft leading up to the Hornets’ 14th pick.