The Hornets have filled the open spot on their 21-man preseason roster by signing rookie forward Eric Dixon, the team announced today (Twitter link).
Among this year’s draft-eligible players who went unselected in June, Dixon was the top prospect on ESPN’s big board, having been ranked 44th overall prior to the draft. The 6’8″ lefty led all Division I players in scoring in 2024/25, putting up 23.3 points per game on .451/.407/.813 shooting splits in 35 appearances for Villanova (34.8 MPG). He also chipped in 5.1 rebounds per contest en route to third-team All-American honors.
Dixon reportedly agreed to a two-way contract with the Lakers after going undrafted, but when he officially joined the team a month later, it was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal. Health concerns were believed to be a factor there — Dixon wasn’t able to participate in Summer League due to a foot injury, and his contract with the Lakers included injury language related to his foot.
Still, after he was waived by the Lakers last month, it seemed like the plan would be for Dixon to join the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. Whether that plan fell through or he got an offer from Charlotte that he liked more, the 24-year-old now seems more likely to end up with the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League team, as an affiliate player.
Assuming Dixon got an Exhibit 10 contract from Charlotte, he could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his base G League salary if he’s waived by the Hornets and then spends at least 60 days with the Swarm. An Exhibit 10 deal could also be converted to a two-way contract prior to the start of the regular season, though all three of the Hornets’ two-way slots are currently filled.