Less than a month away from the trade deadline, the Charlotte Hornets rank as one of the worst teams in the league. Despite many having moderate expectations for them given the hiring of Charles Lee and the return of LaMelo Ball, the Hornets only have eight wins on the year so far. Additionally, they have lost 18 of their last 20 games. Despite being in an inferior Eastern Conference, the Hornets are unlikely to make a postseason appearance this season. Naturally, they could be active at the trade deadline. However, per reports, it would be as sellers, not buyers.
According to Forbes’ Evan Sidery, there are six teams pursuing Hornets big man Nick Richards. Those teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, and Milwaukee Bucks. According to Sidery, Charlotte is “open to moving some of their veterans” in exchange for draft capital.
Richards is in the second year of his three-year, $15 million extension. This contract makes him an intriguing acquisition for any team interested in another big man.
6 Teams Pursuing Trade for Charlotte Hornets Center
Nick Richards Is Having a Solid Season
Now in his fifth season in the league, the 27-year-old is putting together a solid campaign. Through 20 games, Richards is averaging 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks. He has also recorded 12 or more rebounds in five games this season as well. Richards is a solid big man who can make his presence felt in every aspect of the game. Especially for contending teams, he can provide a lot of value.
From Charlotte’s perspective, trading Richards could make sense. He has multiple suitors, and he is unlikely to have a bigger role than he has in Charlotte. This is especially true considering that Mark Williams has played some great basketball since his return in December.
It is unclear how interested the Hornets are in trading Richards (though Sidery said in a separate post that Williams was among the most likely centers to be traded). However, it would make sense for the team to at least listen to offers for him.
The Last Word On the Charlotte Hornets
As a team, there is not a lot going well in Charlotte right now. They rank as the second-worst offensive team in the league and are a bottom-half defensive team (though they have the best defensive rating since Christmas). However, there is still a lot to like with the team nonetheless. Ball is in the midst of a career year, averaging 29.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.4 steals. Furthermore, the Hornets are getting some good performances from players like Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges.
While they are not likely to make the postseason this year, the Hornets are a fun team with a lot of potential. They have not made the playoffs since 2016. However, there are reasons to have optimism about their current core. Regardless, it seems possible that the Hornets will make a trade or two ahead of next month’s deadline. Whether Richards becomes a part of a potential trade away from Charlotte is something to monitor.
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