Charlotte Hornets have to make a trade. The case for and against their realistic options
Winds of change are already gusting throughout the NBA.
As Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, moves are no longer being contemplated, they’re happening. With Indiana reportedly sending Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and New Orleans acquiring C.J. McCollum from Portland, the frenzy is on and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before the activity hits its peak.
Many teams are within striking distance of each other and the jockeying for playoff positioning is slowly intensifying since there are fewer than 30 games remaining in the regular season. The Hornets are no different.
In the midst of a five-game losing streak heading into Wednesday’s matchup with Chicago, the Hornets are heading in the wrong direction and could be in need of an infusion of energy. It’s all up to general Mitch Kupchak to decide which direction is best, and when the dust clears Thursday afternoon it should be clear if he feels any of the deals were worth parting with their assets.
“Obviously, the landscape of the league can change within these next two days,” Hornets coach James Borrego said Tuesday. “Somebody is probably going to make some moves to get better. Where we land in that, I’m not sure. We’ll figure it out. Mitch, he’s working and I trust him. And he’s going to inform me and let me know what I need to know.”
Expect rumors to fly in the meantime. That’s how it goes leading up to the deadline.
“I think it’s very anxious for players and you’ve got to be sensitive to that,” Borrego said. “But the best way to do that is just focusing on your job. Just focus on what you control right now. The reality is all of the trades people talk about, 99.5 percent of those don’t happen. A small percentage actually do.
“So I don’t want our guys to overthink it. We don’t sit there and talk about it a whole lot. It’s really just about focus on what you can control right now.”
It’s no secret the Hornets could use a big man badly for a variety of reasons. Here are some realistic targets they should look at:
MYLES TURNER, INDIANA
Case for: The Hornets have lacked an intimidator on the interior and he can immediately alter that thanks to his league-leading 2.8 blocks per game. He’s a solid rebounder, collecting 7.1 per game, and is adequate enough from 3-point range, knocking them down at a 33-percent clip. The 6-foot-11, sixth-year pro turns 26 next month and would assimilate seamlessly into their crop of twentysomethings, giving them a pogo stick-like piece to dramatically improve the league’s 24th-ranked defense.
Case against: He’s injured after suffering a stress reaction in his left foot, which is expected to keep him sidelined through the deadline. There is no certainty about his availability and how healthy and effective he would be over the upcoming weeks and months. He’s also seemingly been on the market forever and could have been acquired previously for the right price, so why wasn’t he already snatched up?
RICHAUN HOLMES, SACRAMENTO
Case for: Those who watched his performance against the Hornets know full well what kind of game the seventh-year pro has and how he operates. He posted 23 points and snatched a career-high 20 rebounds against the Hornets’ win against the Kings. With Domantas Sabonis on his way to Sacramento following Tuesday’s reported massive deal with Indiana getting Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings may be willing to part with Holmes. The Hornets should be among the first in line making calls to pry him away.
Case against: With contract security, knowing he’s signed through 2024-25, will he be motivated to consistently bring it nightly? He also reportedly has a 15-percent trade bonus, so he wouldn’t necessarily come cheap.
JUSUF NURKIC, PORTLAND
Case for: His knack for putting the ball in the basket can provide yet another scoring weapon for a team that’s already had eight players top at least 20 points in a game this season. Since he is an unrestricted free agent, plucking him off a struggling roster might be easier in part because his contract status makes it difficult for the Trail Blazers to command a whole lot for his services. He’s also a great passer and could coincide well with LaMelo Ball.
Case against: Defense is the Hornets’ Achilles heel and he does little to improve things for them in that area. The last thing they need to do is to add someone who averages 0.6 blocks per game from the center spot. Plus, the uncertainty surrounding his free agency status and whether he’d want to hang around and re-sign with Charlotte would loom over the franchise until the summer.
MITCHELL ROBINSON, NEW YORK
Case for: His skill set is exactly what the Hornets are seeking. He’s long and athletic and at his age (23) he can be incorporated into their youthful core. Finishing around the rim isn’t a problem for him, as his field goal percentage of 78.1 indicates, and he ranks eighth in the league in blocks per game.
Case against: Since he will be an unrestricted free agent, there is a good chance the fourth-year pro could want to test the open market and see what he can command. Giving up too much for him without knowing for sure if he may want to stick around would be costly in the long run. And free-throw shooting (51.4 percent) is a concern.
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CHRISTIAN WOOD, HOUSTON
Case for: Even though most of the decision-makers are gone from his 2016-17 stint with the franchise, there is still a little bit of familiarity with him. He’s averaging a double-double (17.7 points, 10.3 rebounds) and it comes after his noteworthy output a season ago when he tossed in 21 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He’s athletic, is a solid finisher around the rim and is a career 37.2 percent shooter beyond the 3-point arc.
Case against: This is new territory for the 26-year-old and he’s not overly fond of being included in the rumor mill. He called Houston and said it remains where he wants to be. Going to a new situation and starting over may not be something he would be extremely enthused about.
MONTREZL HARRELL, WASHINGTON
Case for: In his two games against the Hornets this season, he’s been a force, totaling 39 points and 27 rebounds. Just ask Nick Richards. The Hornets’ second-year center got a full taste of Harrell’s production and had trouble containing him. Harrell’s grit and grind-it-out mentality are positives and bringing the Tarboro, N.C., native closer to home might further enhance those qualities given he probably would have a few family and friends attending games.
Case against: Although he has the length to be solid defensively, there are occasions when he’s not effective and teams attack him. He’s not a good 3-point shooter, having knocked down 26.7 percent this season, and is an unrestricted free agent. So he can leave this upcoming summer if he doesn’t like the situation.
ROBIN LOPEZ, ORLANDO
Case for: Not exactly one of the “sexier” names out there, but as a cheap, cost-effective big man he’s all about the grunt work and doing the small things like setting picks, cleaning the glass and playing defense. He’s an active body and, at worst, can use his six fouls to shake it up on the inside and help eliminate the layup-line drill that typically happens for the Hornets’ opposition.
Case against: Doesn’t have much range offensively beyond 19 feet so he won’t stretch the defense at all and that might clog up the middle, decreasing the area Ball has to operate and get to the basket. The journeyman can’t stick in one place, having played for eight teams in 14 seasons.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets have to make a trade. The case for and against their realistic options."
