LA Clippers Receive: G Terry Rozier, F/C P.J. Washington
Charlotte Hornets Receive: F Marcus Morris Sr., C Ivica Zubac
The Charlotte Hornets are a team on the rise, but still in need of some major improvements to the roster. Their most glaring hole is at starting center, a spot that was occupied by the uninspiring Mason Plumlee last season.
While Plumlee is a decent big, he’s not exceptionally good at anything — and is particularly bad on defense — and is better suited as a backup.
In this trade, the Hornets grab a young, defensive-minded center in Ivica Zubac who can grow alongside LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and the other Charlotte prospects. He would instantly boon the Hornets’ defense and would provide everything Mason Plumlee brought on offense and more.
Marcus Morris Sr. gives the Hornets another strong defender and a perfect third-option on offense behind Ball and Bridges. His veteran presence will be a great pillar for this budding Charlotte squad to lean on. Morris also has an intangible nastiness that was lacking on the Hornets roster last year, a team that failed to fight in their two blowout Play-In losses that cost them a postseason run.
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The Clippers would be leaning further into their small-ball philosophy, bringing in P.J. Washington, an undersized, but versatile big, to man their starting center spot.
With Washington instead of Zubac in the middle, Los Angeles could truly switch everything on defense and play a five-out offense if needed. Washington’s positional flexibility and offensive repertoire would allow Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue to get extremely creative with his schemes.
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Terry Rozier brings additional ball-handling, shot creation, and playmaking to a team that desperately needs it. While he’s not a pure point guard either, his creativity with the rock should create looks for the Clippers’ myriad shooters and slashers. He’ll find plenty of open looks from deep playing next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, too.