Why Charlotte Hornets Make This Trade
The Charlotte Hornets have never been a popular destination for free agents. They had Kemba Walker playing at an All-Star level for eight years but could never build a competitive roster around him, making the playoffs only twice.
So, if they are going to improve the ceiling of the roster, trades are the only viable route to take. In this scenario, they break through the ceiling with the addition of Ben Simmons. Simmons isn’t Hayward’s scorer, but he is an all-world defender, elite playmaker, and excellent rebounder. The Hornets’ are a much more dangerous team with him in the fold.
At 25-years old, Simmons is closer to thHornets’ttimelineon than Gordon Hayward is. Hayward isn’t getting any younger, and already 32-years old with an extensive injury history, it is hard to imagine him getting healthier in the future.
As pointed out by Zach Buckley in the Bleacher Report piece, Simmons would need to be willing to accept a position change to the frontcourt. Charlotte already has a long-term piece in place at the point guard spot in LaMelo Ball, so a move to the frontcourt would be beneficial for the Hornets.
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Teams would have a difficult time slowing down a Ball-Simmons pick-and-roll attack. It would be a lot of fun seeing the Hornets in transition with those two leading the way throwing alley-oop passes to Miles Bridges.
The addition of a single first-round pick is an easy enough price to pay. This is essentially a salary dump for the Hornets, yet they are coming away with the better player. If they can land Simmons for only Gordon Hayward and a first-round pick, their front office deserves major praise.
