Report: Possible destinations for the Hornets to trade for with the sixth pick
The Charlotte Hornets have been rebuilding for a number of years, and eventually they will need to present a team that is truly competitive. Despite having one of the lowest attendances in the league the previous season, the team is reportedly raising ticket prices for the upcoming campaign. As a result, there is growing pressure to provide a product on the court that fans will want to watch. The group has a pillarstar in Brandon Miller, another up-and-coming talent in LaMelo Ball, subject to his health, and a few strong supporting players. They might utilize the sixth overall pick in this draft and the two first-round picks they acquired from the Mavericks and Heat around the trade deadline to assemble a deal for another star.
The Hornets shouldn’t necessarily choose this path, and it would be challenging to put together a significant big-money deal given the makeup of the Hornets roster. Still, it’s a nice diversion exercise.
Bridges could be the player most likely to be the target. The owner of the Nets has stated that the organization will adopt a “longer term approach” to team building during this moment of change. That team seems to be interested in accumulating some future assets. Resources that are available to the Hornets.
On the court, Bridges is a wonderful fit. Alongside Brandon Miller, he plays the forward position and adds much-needed 3-point shooting efficiency and volume along with solid defense. After being moved to the Nets, he played in 27 games in 2023, scoring 26 points a night on average. Although he regressed in 2023–24, he still had the skills to be a great player on a strong club.
From a contract standpoint, he’s pretty easy to trade for because he’s only owed $22 for the upcoming season. To get the Nets to part with Bridges, the Hornets could put together a deal that included Nick Smith Jr., Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans in addition to a number of draft picks. It’s excellent news for the Hornets because the Nets are unlikely to be interested in acquiring any players that provide substantial winning value in the near future, as they aim to start from scratch.
I always think you can never have too many lanky 6’8′′ forwards called Brandon. Even though Ingram is one of the Pelicans’ best players, there seems to be a strange dynamic between the two teams as his name is frequently brought up in trade speculations and other related discussions. Any Hornets fan considering this deal will undoubtedly be concerned about his inability to remain healthy, but if he plays, he’s a huge asset.
Miller may make the skill set appear a little bit redundant, but you can never have too much of it. You can never have too many tall guys that can shoot, pass, and dribble, like Mikal Bridges. Because of his larger deal than Bridges’, the Hornets will need to put together a package that requires a little more ingenuity. In addition, the Pelicans are more driven to succeed right now than the Nets are, so they’ll undoubtedly work harder to get players who can contribute immediately away.
The Hawks’ hopes for the Dejounte Murray/Trae Young combination have not materialized. They’ve had trouble complementing one another and appear set to split up this summer. Both are available for trade, but Murray appears to be a more likely target due to his more agreeable deal and lack of ties to the Hawks organization. Young wouldn’t be of interest to the Hornets in particular because of how similar LaMelo Ball and he are in terms of deficiencies. Nevertheless, a Murray/Ball combination would resemble what the Hawks had, but LaMelo seems to be a more capable and willing player off the ball.
Murray would need to commit to being the complete defensive player he was with San Antonio in order for this to work to its maximum potential. In addition to being one of the NBA’s greatest rebounders and assist producers, he would provide the Hornets with a little defensive edge.
the most audacious goal there was. Even though the Cavaliers had the finest season without LeBron James in over thirty years, head coach JB Bickerstaff was sacked after a Shams autopsy exposing all of the team’s shortcomings. The combination of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell seems to be fleeting, much like the Murray/Young team in Atlanta. He claims in that Shams story that if Mitchell receives a long-term contract, Garland will wish to leave Cleveland. It’s possible that Mitchell wants a change of scenery since playing in Charlotte would be so much more enjoyable. He has always looked to be at best ambivalent about playing in Cleveland.
Mitchell is a superstar, even if he can be challenging to evaluate. When he commits himself to that end of the court, he can be a fantastic defender, but that hasn’t always been the case. In stressful circumstances, he can also become incredibly ball domineering. It may result in some incredible scoring runs and some of the league’s best takeover basketball, but it can also irritate and freeze out teammates.
In order to get Mitchell, the Hornets would likely need to enlist the help of a third team. However, if Mitchell agrees to join them, this will expedite their ascent to prominence.
