It appears that the Charlotte Hornets once attempted to make a big blockbuster trade last year, but fell short.

The Hornets have struggled this year due to injuries, and their draft picks in recent years haven't panned out. They once had hope to get better, but that hope seems all but lost, per Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Lowe writes that the Hornets had serious interest in acquiring a prominent player who was once a member of the Chicago Bulls.

The Hornets don't have that now. They know it on some level. They made initial inquiries with Chicago about Jimmy Butler last spring, but found the Bulls had no interest in anything they had, according to several league sources.

But Butler famously chose to reunite with Tom Thibodeau, who now coaches the Minnesota Timberwolves. And with that, the Hornets missed an opportunity.

Adding Butler would have been huge for the trajectory of that team. A bona fide star with the players they have could have made them forces in the Eastern Conference.

But things don't always pan out like you expect, especially in the NBA. Now that the Hornets lost out on one free agent, they have build with that they have.

The only problem is, what they have isn't all that good. Maybe the Hornets can find a way to turn it around this season before it's too late.