The Charlotte Hornets are off to a 3-7 start to the 2023-24 NBA season. Not many really expect the Hornets to be competitive in the Eastern Conference, considering they've been bottom dwellers over the last couple of years. Still, looking at their roster, the team has the personnel to at least make some noise and perhaps be in the mix for the play-in tournament.
The Hornets have an exciting franchise star in LaMelo Ball. Charlotte has also already found their center for the future in Mark Williams, who is having a terrific sophomore season so far. PJ Washington is also in the midst of a breakout year. They also have solid veterans with Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward rounding out their starting five. And they have an intriguing rookie in Brandon Miller, whom they drafted No. 2 overall, coming off their bench.
All things considered, the Hornets could use some more depth. They have one of the worst benches in the NBA. Perhaps adding a veteran piece or two could push the team to become more competitive. With that said, here are three potential trade targets the Charlotte Hornets should consider making during the 2023-24 NBA season.
Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Brogdon is as solid and reliable a veteran as they come. A stabilizing presence on both ends of the floor, Brogdon could really be a valuable piece for the Hornets off the bench. In fact, he was the most valuable second-unit player in the league last season as he won the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year award with the Boston Celtics. That's one of the main reasons why the Hornets should trade for him.
Brogdon, who also won the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year award, is a steady playmaker who, more often than not, makes the right decisions with the basketball. He should provide a solid scoring punch off the bench for the Hornets, while also helping guide Brandon Miller in the second unit.
Brogdon will obviously mainly spell minutes for LaMelo Ball, but he is more than capable of playing off the ball as well. Brogdon provided the Celtics with an elite sniper from beyond the arc last year. His 44.4 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc was 4th across the entire NBA.
In addition, the Hornets need to have more adults in the room. Gordon Hayward and Ish Smith are the only players above 30 years old, while over half the roster is 25 years old or younger. Brogdon is only 30 years old, himself. But he carries himself as professional as anybody in the league.
However, the main concern about Brogdon is his health. While he did play 67 games last season, he was limited on the floor due to injury during Boston's Eastern Conference Finals series with the Miami Heat. Prior to last year, he appeared in just 36 games with the Indiana Pacers. He's also already nursing a hamstring injury that has already kept him out of action for three games with the Blazers.
Nonetheless, a player of Brogdon's caliber shouldn't be wasting the prime years of his career in Portland. That team is in the midst of a rebuild after finally trading away Damian Lillard this offseason. Sure, there are more ideal situations for him. But the Hornets should be a much better place considering the direction they want to go to at this point in their rebuild.
Tyus Jones
Tyus Jones is another steady point guard wasting his time in a losing situation. Like Portland, the Washington Wizards finally put an end to the long-overdue Bradley Beal era. While Jones is enjoying his role in Washington as a full-time starter for the first time in his career, he ideally serves better playing off the bench.
The 27-year-old has been a high-level reserve for the Memphis Grizzlies over the last couple of seasons. So, he knows what it's like playing backup to a budding star point guard.
Last season, Jones averaged 10.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Jordan Clarkson
Jordan Clarkson is far from a the kind of guard Malcolm Brogdon and Tyus Jones are. But one thing's for sure, he can put the ball in the basket better than those two.
Though he's earned a starting job in Utah over the last couple of years, Clarkson has established himself one of the best microwave bench scorers in the NBA. He won the 2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year and was an instrumental piece in helping the Jazz to the best record in the NBA that season.
In Charlotte, he'll obviously provide them with a scoring spark off the bench. As mentioned, the Hornets need to beef up its second unit. Their bench averages just 29.7 points this season, which ranks just 22nd in the NBA. Clarkson's ability to fill it up in a hurry should be a good reason for the Hornets to trade for him.
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