Houston Rockets Receive: Nicolas Batum ($27.1M 2020-21 Salary), Miles Bridges ($3.9M), Malik Monk ($5.3M), CHA 2020 1st Round Pick (Pick No. 3)
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Russell Westbrook ($41.0M)
It has been four seasons since Michael Jordan’s Hornets team has been in the NBA Playoffs and if there is one thing we know, it is that MJ is not used to losing and will do whatever it takes to make his team a contender. If there is one thing ‘The Last Dance’ taught us, it is that Jordan takes losing personally and always has something up his sleeve. Bringing in Russell Westbrook to lead the Hornets may not be as crazy as the trade looks.
The Hornets would have to give up a lot of talent if they were to land Russell Westbrook via trade, but adding Westbrook to this youthful Hornets franchise may be enough to push them over the edge and into the NBA Playoffs. Guards Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham are coming off the best seasons of their careers and adding Westbrook to this backcourt tandem gives them a crazy amount of fire power from their guards.
Adding the 9x All-Star to this Hornets roster and dumping Nicolas Batum’s large contract as well proves extremely beneficial to the growth of the young Hornets, as well as allows the Hornets to go out in free agency and either make a run at another big named player, or acquire another big name via trade.
On the other side of things, the Rockets do not make out too badly in this trade. Acquiring the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft could prove extremely beneficial to the future of the franchise and provide Houston with a player to build around for years to come if they also decide to move on from James Harden. Bringing in a player like Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman or LaMelo Ball via the draft not only will excite the fan base, but make the rebuild for Houston smoother than it would be. Miles Bridges still has two years left on his rookie deal as well and has a lot of potential for growth as a scorer combined with his insane athleticism.
Adding Nicholas Batum and Malik Monk on the wing can also prove beneficial for Houston. Following an injury plagued season, Batum will be entering Year 13 of his NBA career and while he may not be what he once was, he is a 35.7% career three-point shooter and is a great veteran presence.
Malik Monk could also use a fresh start with his career and offer a lot of upside as well. Monk’s playmaking ability at its fullest has still yet to be seen at the NBA level, but during his time at Kentucky not too long ago, Malik Monk was one of the best pure scorers in the country and was a consensus All-American. Acquiring youthful talent with plenty of upside in exchange for Russell Westbrook is a big win for the Houston Rockets.
