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Should the Charlotte Hornets trade PJ Washington?
The short answer is yes, but only for the right player. The Charlotte Hornets have a little bit of flexibility as the trade deadline quickly approaches on February 10th. There is a lot of players who will be made available across the league and the Hornets should be looking to net one of those guys. As good as Washington has been for the Hornets this season, they have to play their cards right in order to afford some of the other guys that need to be taken care of contract wise.
Miles Bridges is a key guy for the Hornet this offseason that has to be retained. More than likely, he will receive a large lump sum of cash because he has been balling out of his mind this year. In the summer of 2021, the Hornets offered Bridges a deal worth a little over $60 million and he turned it down. He decided to bet on himself to cash out next summer.
That's important because after the Hornets throw the bag at Bridges, they'll be a little strapped for cash if they're trying to pay Washington too. There's not telling how much he may try to seek from the Hornets, but it could be a price tag the Hornets might not be able to match. Plus, Cody Martin is also another player with an expiring contract that will likely need to be renewed come June. Martin has shown his worth to the team and could end up being a player that is kept over Washington.
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So if they did trade him, who would it be for?
Washington has shown he is the most effective at the four or five positions. He stretches the floor and is a solid defender on the perimeter and on the high post. Naturally, you should get some one who can do those things, but better. Think Jerami Grant from the Detroit Pistons and possibly Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. Turner may not be the perimeter defender Washington is, but he checks all the other boxes, especially as a shot blocker.
It's just the way of the business unfortunately. Young cores rarely retain every single piece in this league. Think about how the Los Angeles Lakers had Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, and others all on one squad. By the time they won the title in 2020, Kuzma was the only one on the team from that young core a few years back.
The Hornets have had some huge wins this season as well. They beat the Milwaukee Bucks in back to back games and beat the Philadelphia 76ers convincingly. This team is picking up steam and deal can help them keep it rolling. Even if it is at the expense of one of their core guys.
