3 Hornets trade candidates at start of 2024-25 season
The Charlotte Hornets have been cellar dwellers in the Eastern Conference for quite some time. In fact, the team has already gone through an ownership change, including when Michael Jordan decided to sell his stake in the team. But whether it affected the team's performance or not, the Hornets have yet to make any significant noise in the NBA.
Fortunately, the Hornets do have a promising duo in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. However, the Hornets have also been forced to tackle some injury issues regarding their roster. With some of their key players struggling to stay healthy, the Hornets can either blow up their roster or make some key personnel changes in favor of depth to keep them fresh. With Ball's improving play and Miller's growth, it's safe to bet that the Hornets will choose the latter option.
When it comes to roster moves, the Hornets have been pretty much quiet thus far, especially for a team that's supposedly trying to make a jump. But with the unpredictable NBA season, that can still change. In fact, the Hornets do have some trade assets at their disposal, some of which can entice some contenders and give them a decent haul in return. For this piece, let's take a look at three Hornets trade candidates at the start of the 2024-25 season.
Mark Williams
Standing at seven feet tall, Mark Williams has tremendous size that made the franchise believe he was a part of their future. On top of his physical frame, Williams also possesses the right skills to thrive as the Hornets' resident big man. Unfortunately, a red flag thus far is his inability to stay healthy. In two seasons, Williams has only played in a total of 62 games. To make matters worse, he has yet to see action in the ongoing 2024-2025 NBA season due to a foot injury.
Make no mistake, Williams has tremendous upside whenever he is on the floor. However, if the Hornets are serious about making waves in the Eastern Conference, a healthy player at the center position is a must have. With Williams' injuries as of late, the Hornets simply can't get to the level they want to be.
Given that Williams' injury woes have been potentially throwing a wrench into the Hornets' playoff hopes, it wouldn't be surprising if the Hornets are actually contemplating on trading away their promising big man. Williams' intimidating presence in the interior should interest several contenders. On the other hand, the Hornets might be able to retrieve some quality role players to surround Ball and Miller.
Vasilije Micic
Vasilije Micic certainly belongs in the NBA. The 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medalist has proved that he can be a reliable playmaker off the bench. Although Micic can be a solid backup option to Ball, Tre Mann is proving to be the better second string point guard. In fact, the latter has even held his own as a starting guard for the Hornets. This leaves little minutes for a solid guard like Micic.
With a crowded backcourt, the Hornets do have the option of making Micic a trade candidate. To make matters more interesting, Micic's contract is easily movable, making him great trade filler. Back in 2023, the Serbian guard inked a three-year deal worth $23.56 million with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Micic should provide depth to any team that needs more playmakers off the bench. Given that Micic has some injury history of his own, the Hornets need a healthier guards, especially with health risks continually hounding the team's performance as of late.
Cody Martin
Speaking of movable deals, this makes Cody Martin a solid trade candidate for the Hornets. Martin is signed with the Hornets on a four-year deal worth $31 million, back in 2022. This makes the veteran swingman a player that can be added in trade discussions, if the Hornets have not floated his name already. Martin's two-way play should be enticing for NBA teams. In the ongoing 2024-2025 NBA season, the 6'5 forward is actually shooting a career-best 40.5% from rainbow country.
Martin is no stranger to trade rumors. In fact, last season's trade deadline strongly suggested the Hornets would ship him out. However, any moves never materialized. Nonetheless, it wouldn't be surprising if the Hornets finally pull the trigger this time around. Martin should fit well for a team that's contending for a title. His 3-and-D impact should come in handy, especially when a team is deep into the playoffs.
On the other hand, in return for Martin, the Hornets can get some notable upgrades to surround their blossoming core. Furthermore, as a solid wing defender, Martin deserves to have his efforts appreciated on a winning team.
