The Charlotte Hornets are right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. LaMelo Ball’s fractured wrist will be a tough injury to overcome, but the team has some firepower in its back-court with Terry Rozier, Devonte Graham, and Malik Monk to try and compensate for the loss. Now, they need to upgrade their front-court, and a trade for Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner could be of major interest.
An upgrade at the center position would certainly help ease the loss of Ball and put the team in a better position for the future. One player they are reportedly high on is Turner of the Pacers.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Hornets have significant interest in Turner and have the pieces to make a competitive offer to Indiana to land him.
“The Pacers are always pretty good, but they can’t seem to reach a higher level with the Domantas Sabonis-Turner double-center pairing. The Charlotte Hornets have strong interest in Turner, sources said, and between Miles Bridges, P.J. Washington, and their future draft assets — plus Devonte’ Graham, about to hit restricted free agency — they have what it takes to make a real offer. They need a center badly. On the flip side, as a small-market team, they figure to be very protective of their future first-round picks.”
Landing someone such as Myles Turner would represent a pretty sizable splash for the Hornets, who spent lavishly in free agency to bring Gordon Hayward aboard this season and Rozier last year.
While parting ways with any of the three players mentioned would be a tough pill to swallow, it is one Charlotte would have to seriously consider. With Bismack Biyombo and Cody Zeller both hitting free agency this summer, there is a void in the middle.
Turner would fill that void, as he is under contract for two more seasons, and presents a big upgrade on the court. He currently leads the NBA in blocks per game and is also a capable floor spacer, something the Hornets lack for the most part from their front-court.