The Charlotte Hornets have had a rough start to the season. They are 6-11 and sit 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Despite their struggles, they have seen their young core continue to develop as Charlotte is closing in on ending their rebuild. LaMelo Ball is off to the best start of his young career as he is averaging 31 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. He is not the only Hornets’ youngster to break out this season as Brandon Miller has also impressed early on.
With Ball and Miller leading the way, the Hornets are just a few moves away from being contenders in the East. They still need to improve on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. They also need to add frontcourt depth.
Charlotte has two intriguing young centers in Mark Williams and Nick Richards, but both have struggled to stay healthy. They could add a more reliable center to their roster that would make an immediate impact in helping the Hornets push for a Play-In spot.
The Hornets could trade for Deandre Ayton from the Portland Trail Blazers. With the Blazers selecting Donovan Clingan seventh overall in the 2024 draft, Ayton could be on his way out of Portland.
Ayton, the former first-overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Phoenix Suns, has had his struggles throughout his career. The 26-year-old has been a dominant player inside the paint on both ends of the floor, but he has dealt with multiple injuries over his career. He has played in 60 or more games just three times in his six seasons in the NBA.
In a possible trade, the Hornets could send a package of Josh Green, Richards, Cody Martin, Nick Smith Jr. and draft capital to the Blazers for Ayton. This works out well for both teams as the Blazers receive a mixture of veteran and young players to help in their rebuild while the Hornets add a reliable big man to compliment Ball and Miller in the starting lineup.
Ayton has taken a step back since being traded to the Blazers in 2023, but the change of scenery could help him, especially since he would move to a team more fit to contend than in Portland.
While this trade does not make the Hornets the best team in the East, it does help improve their rotation to make a Play-In push as long as everyone stays healthy.
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