San Antonio Spurs Receive: F P.J. Washington, 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 15 – CHA)
Charlotte Hornets Receive: G Josh Richardson, 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 9 – SAS)
This trade is reliant on the San Antonio Spurs continuing to refuse to admit that they’re rebuilding. They’re opting for a win-now upgrade. PJ Washington is a significantly more productive player than Josh Richardson.
Washington will allow the Spurs to run small-ball lineups, and his floor-spacing makes him a great fit alongside Jakob Poeltl at the 4.
Meanwhile, this trade is about one player for the Charlotte Hornets: Jalen Duren.
The Hornets need a center badly. Duren is one of the best in this class. The Memphis product boasts a rare combination of length and vertical leap. He should be one of the best rim running / rim-protecting big men in the NBA in due time. That makes him a perfect fit alongside LaMelo Ball.
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Together, they could assemble one of the best pick-and-roll attacks in the NBA. The Hornets ought to pursue him at all costs. He fills a position of need now and has the potential to grow with their core for the long term as well.
This team can’t afford to pass on such a win-win proposition.
