The Charlotte Hornets had quite an active 2023 NBA Draft, as they went on to select two top-notch prospects Brandon Miller and Nick Smith Jr. all within the first round of the festivities (2 and 27, respectively). Now, with a full offseason ahead of them, General manager Mitch Kupchak is likely going to look to add even more prominent players to the roster and, in turn, better support franchise cornerstone LaMelo Ball for what they hope will result in their first playoff appearance since 2016.
This summer, there are rumored to be several highly talented individuals who could wind up becoming available, with a number of names already popping up within the league's trade rumor mill.
Should they look to strike a deal this offseason, there are three players, in particular, that tue Charlotte Hornets should target.
Hornets trade target No. 3) DeMar DeRozan
Last season, the Hornets sported one of the youngest rosters in the entire association with an average age of 24.60, and posted the fourth-lowest scoring averages in the association. Though a youth movement is often an exciting era for fans to watch develop, often a veteran presence can prove to be quite beneficial, especially if the club's goal is to improve upon their finish from the season prior.
DeMar DeRozan could be a tremendous grab to help the Hornets accomplish such a goal.
Still producing at a high-end level, the six-time All-Star is coming off an impressive 2022-23 campaign with the Chicago Bulls where he posted averages of 24.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while shooting 50.4% from the field.
A top-flight creator on offense, pairing a scoring threat like DeRozan alongside LaMelo Ball as a second option could prove to be a dangerous combination for opposing defenses to square off against on a nightly basis.
Hornets trade target No. 2) John Collins
For the last several seasons, it has been rumored that the Atlanta Hawks have been trying tirelessly to offload John Collins via trade.
To this point, no such transaction has been executed.
Now, in the early stages of the 2023 offseason, the big man once again finds himself on the block and the Hornets should be very intrigued by the possibility of adding him to their frontcourt rotation.
Since the unceremonious departure of disgraced former power forward Miles Bridges, it's been apparent that Charlotte has missed having an athletic, offensively driven presence running alongside LaMelo Ball. Adding someone who can run the pick-and-roll and serve as a true inside-out threat could serve this club quite well, and John Collins is a player who fits this mold to a tee.
Dating back to the 2018-19 campaign, the big man has posted impressive per-game averages of 17.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 54.7% from the field and 35.6% from distance.
The 25-year-old would not only be someone viewed as a player who can help lead them to greater success in the immediate future but, considering his age coupled with the four seasons remaining on his current contract, for the long term.
A tandem of Ball and Collins could provide this Hornets team with a much-needed sense of firepower and an entertainment factor as they look to embark on a post-Michael Jordan ownership era.
Hornets trade target No. 1) Obi Toppin
John Collins' game may already be proven from a consistency standpoint, but the concept of bringing on a player like Obi Toppin may not only provide the club with very similar contributions but could also bring a bit more intrigue to the team based on the wonder that still is attached to the recent lottery-selected big.
Since being taken eighth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2020 NBA Draft, the power forward has largely been relegated to a low-usage reserve role, as he's been trapped on the depth chart behind All-NBA talent, Julius Randle.
That said, though he's only averaging a mere 14.7 minutes per game for his career, when actually given a larger role and increased minutes Obi Toppin has always managed to shine.
As a starter in the NBA, the big man has posted sensational averages of 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 57.6% from the field and 44.0% from deep through 15 games.
While this may be a small sample size, it has managed to do just enough to make front offices across the league inquire about his services, and many such as Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley suggest the Hornets should be one of them, as he noted in a piece from this past season: “Pair Toppin with a floor general like Ball, and Toppin's box scores could go berserk.”
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