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The Charlotte Hornets are one of the most apparent teams tanking this year, as one of the leading candidates to land French generational big man Victor Wembanyama. Over the past two seasons, the Hornets finished 10th in the Eastern Conference, which rewarded them with two lottery picks. Even if these were lottery selections, the Charlotte front office could not add a piece that would be locked up for the long term.
LaMelo Ball will be the franchise cornerstone of this Hornets squad, along with elite complementary pieces like Terry Rozier, PJ Washington, and Mark Williams. Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. are still on the team but will likely not stay on the team for the foreseeable future. Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee were the pieces shipped out before the February 9th trade deadline, but the returning package could be more appealing.
The Hornets received Reggie Jackson for Plumlee, who was in the midst of a career year. The expectation was for Plumlee to be worth more than a point guard who was being benched in some games. Jalen McDaniels is a terrific role player for any playoff-contending organization, but was he only worth Svi Mykhailiuk and two-second picks as the return package?
Hornets' biggest mistake at NBA trade deadline: Selling low on Mason Plumlee
The Hornets were willing to sell on the excellent trade-value players. Most of their guys were in trade rumors, even if only two were moved by the end of the deadline. Selling or tanking in the NBA is not fun, but it is part of the business. Charlotte's approach was questionable because they did not receive a package that would help them in their future.
Starting with Mason Plumlee, it seemed reasonable to think he is worth more than a player who was planned to get bought out eventually. Can Charlotte fans make it past that Plumlee is worth less than Bones Hyland, who was worth more than two second-round picks, or Jae Crowder, who was added for five future second-round picks?
Plumlee is averaging close to a double-double, and his exceptional play put head coach Steve Clifford in a dilemma to continue playing Plumlee over his youngsters, Mark Williams and Nick Richards. Plumlee's outstanding play heading toward the trade deadline might have been the perfect time to raise his trade value, but that was not the case.
Reggie Jackson is now headed to the Denver Nuggets after he is bought out by the Hornets, which indicates that Charlotte freed up cap space only in this deal. Furthermore, the more bone-headed mistake was letting go of Jalen McDaniels, only 25 years old, because he still has a ton of potential at the NBA level. There was a stretch this season without Hayward when McDaniels scored in double digits for 11 out of 12 contests.
That was from December until January, so it seemed more likely that Charlotte would retain him, especially with the falling out with Miles Bridges. The trade did not come at the right time, and they could not even acquire a future lottery-protected first-round pick for McDaniels.
Conversely, the Hornets could have moved either Gordon Hayward or Kelly Oubre Jr. instead of Jalen McDaniels, so now they are stuck with two veterans in a different timeline than them. Hayward will be a free agent in 2024, while Oubre Jr. is an expiring deal.
