The Charlotte Hornets are big-time sellers before the NBA trade deadline this time around. As everybody knows by now, Terry Rozier was the first domino to fall after getting dealt to the Miami Heat. It let us know that Charlotte is looking to move on from their assets to go in a different direction, embrace the youth movement, continue to draft and develop young prospects, and put players around them who they've identified as cornerstones moving forward. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are the two pieces that have that face of the franchise potential and are untouchable via trade. But everyone else is available for the right price.
So, which Hornets are going where?
That's still to be determined, but Charlotte has plenty of pieces that could help some contenders take a step up.
First, let's establish who's for sale. Miles Bridges might be the most sought-after piece. He's picking up where he left off two years ago when he was putting up career-highs across the board. PJ Washington is another guy teams are looking to inquire about as well. A solid shooter off of catch-and-shoot situations and solid defensive versatility, Washington could plug holes for teams looking for a small ball four. Maybe even play some center if need be.
Gordon Hayward and Kyle Lowry are a little different
Don't forget about the veteran pieces still on the roster. Both Gordon Hayward and Kyle Lowry could be prime candidates to be faces of the buyout market.
They both have contracts that could financially hurt a team. Hayward is making $31.5 million for the last year of his deal and Lowry is making $29.6 million in the final year of his.
More GMs probably consider these to be bad deals for sure, but they can possibly be throw-ins for potential deals moving forward. Which would be what Charlotte would want to do to receive assets in return. Unfortunately, a buyout situation seems like a more likely scenario for both veterans, which is the worst-case scenario for the Hornets.
Where will Miles Bridges and PJ Washington land?
Miles Bridges has been linked to the Phoenix Suns for the last month or so. The rumor has gained enough steam where it seems like a done deal. The Suns could use another guy who can create his own offense and guard the opposing best perimeter player. He provides a new layer to Phoenix that they could desperately use.
This is a great trade for Phoenix, but not so great for Charlotte. The Suns do not have any first-round picks for the rest of the decade, meaning Charlotte can potentially find a better deal for better compensation.
The two destinations that make sense for PJ Washington are the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings which have been the two rumored teams that could be interested.
The Mavericks are always looking for shooters to pair wit their star, Luka Doncic. Although they do have Grant Williams, Washington could be a more viable option for them moving forward. He averages five more points a game and gets more attempts than Williams a game. Sacramento could use a glue guy at that position as well. Someone who can also soak up minutes at the four or five spot at times.
Don't be surprised if any of the young pieces are shipped off
They may not be at the top of the list, but guys like James Bouknight or Bryce McGowens could be additions to a deal. It could be what sells a team if they are giving up draft compensation. They could bet on a young player along with whatever veteran piece they receive and hope it pans out.
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