Why The Charlotte Hornets Do The Deal
Frankly, it’s hard to anticipate where the Hornets will go this year.
Losing Bridges will likely lead to a setback. With that said, the Hornets barely qualified for the play-in tournament last year. If they’re going to regress in 2022-23, some would argue that they might as well go all the way. Tanking to maximize their lottery odds is a viable path forward for this club.
On the other hand, it’s not the only one, either. The Hornets already have a clearcut franchise player in LaMelo Ball. One could make the case that they ought to be making overtures to him now.
We just saw the Utah Jazz trade Donovan Mitchell after a mere five years with them – the Hornets would like to avoid the same fate.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Charlotte Hornets Updates
With that in mind, acquiring a long-term starting big man to pair with Ball seems like a sensible course of action. Ayton feels like the right fit. He’d clean up this team’s porous defense with his interior presence. Moreover, he should be a perfect partner for Ball in the pick-and-roll.
Losing a first-round pick stings, but if it keeps Ball happy and improves this team, it should be worth it. Are the Suns getting enough back for Ayton here?
