Making the Case: Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets would benefit from this center swap without losing too much in the deal. It’s tough to ship out a first-round pick after just one season, but Bouknight hasn’t shown enough potential to avoid being part of this deal.
The addition of Steven Adams could be huge for point guard LaMelo Ball, the focal point of this Hornets team. Adams is one of the NBA’s best screeners, as evidenced by his season in Memphis.
Ja Morant thrived driving the ball with Adams clearing his path. LaMelo certainly would as well – especially as his three-point shooting gives him even more scoring versatility than Morant.
The defensive end is where Charlotte really needs to see improvement, and adding Adams would certainly be a step in the right direction. Adams averaged more steals and blocks than Plumlee last season, and his activity would be a big boost for Charlotte.
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The Hornets’ defense was exposed in their play-in loss to Atlanta. Any move they make this offseason should have the primary aim of improving on that end. The addition of Adams could give Charlotte the defensive boost they need to finally break into the postseason.
