Charlotte Hornets
After signing Gordon Hayward this past offseason and drafting LaMelo Ball to be the point guard of the future No. 3 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets finally have the looks of being a legit team in the Eastern Conference.
Devonte Graham was one of the most improved players of the 2019-20 NBA season as he increased his points per game average by 13.5 points, his assists per game by 4.9 assists, and his three-point percentage by almost 10%. A lot of NBA fans felt he was deserving of the 2019-20 NBA Most Improved Player Award, but it was ultimately given to the New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward, Brandon Ingram.
The growth this team has made in the offseason is truly remarkable seeing that they have been near the bottom of the Eastern Conference for so many years, but that is about to change for sure. The Eastern Conference is a lot weaker than the likes of the Western Conference in the NBA and any team really has a chance at the bottom few playoff spots in the East.
Charlotte could easily be one of those teams that sneaks into the playoffs this upcoming year and it is because of their offseason additions, but could also become a force if they were able to acquire another NBA All-Star level talent to pair with Hayward.
Karl-Anthony Towns is a player the Hornets should absolutely target, especially given their lack of depth and talent in the frontcourt. Cody Zeller is not a consistent center and with P.J. Washington being their only talented player in the frontcourt, going out and trading for an All-Star like Karl-Anthony Towns would make the Charlotte Hornets a legit playoff team in the East and a team that could potentially make a run in the playoffs for years to come.
The only plausible trade package that would make sense on the Timberwolves’ side of things to trade Towns to Charlotte would be if they were getting Devonte’ Graham, Miles Bridges, and Cody Zeller, as well as a couple of draft picks in return.
Trading away both Devonte’ Graham and Miles Bridges though would be tough for Charlotte, even though they are getting Towns. Both guys are youthful talents and could be excellent players moving forward for the Hornets, but in the end, do not offer as much upside for the entire organization as KAT would.
Charlotte needs another All-Star talent and while Devonte’ Graham had a fantastic season last year, LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier are all in the backcourt for them, so it would not be a total loss. Although he has not played this year yet, the Hornets still do have former lottery-pick Malik Monk on their roster as well and he could wind up having a breakout year like Graham had last year given the chance.
Giving up young talent and future draft picks is definitely tough for Charlotte to commit to doing, but getting a player like Karl-Anthony Towns solidifies their future. He is a proven All-Star talent that can be sustainable for this franchise for the next decade, which is exactly why if the opportunity comes their way, they have to be willing to trade away whoever the Timberwolves want in order to land the former #1 overall pick.
