Official waiver in Charlotte
The Charlotte Hornets have waived guard Kyle Mangas with immediate effect, leaving him without an NBA team after just one day on their preseason roster. The move confirms his exit from the franchise and opens the door to a G League destination.
The transaction, reported by NBA.com oficial and Hoops Rumors, comes on the same day Charlotte signed guard Jarkel Joiner to fill the final spot on their 21-man offseason roster. It fits the pattern the Hornets have repeated this week: rotating players through that slot ahead of training camp.
Mangas profile
Mangas joined Charlotte on September 2 on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, following the same sequence Trey Townsend and Josiah Allick had experienced. The 6-foot-4 guard, who went undrafted out of Indiana Wesleyan in 2021, has built an international and G League resume without yet appearing in a regular-season NBA game.
Last season he spent a brief stint on the San Antonio Spurs roster as a two-way player and logged 35 games with the Austin Spurs, averaging 16.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 31.3 minutes. He also played for the Boston Celtics in Summer League and has added stops in Europe and Canada since turning pro.
What the waiver means
Once off the Hornets roster, Mangas must clear waivers before his next step is finalized. The most likely path leads to the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte's G League affiliate, which acquired his returning-player rights last month.
If he lands with the Swarm and spends at least 60 days in the G League, he could earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $91,000, a common incentive for players who accept that preseason pathway.
Roster context
Mangas waiver comes one day after his signing and confirms Charlotte's back-end roster strategy: sign development players on Exhibit 10 deals, waive them before the regular season and secure their pathway to Greensboro. With Joiner now signed, the Hornets are keeping that rotation active on their final preseason roster spot.
For Mangas, the waiver does not shut the door on Charlotte's project; it places him on the pathway the franchise typically uses for Exhibit 10 players.
