How the Charlotte Hornets could have landed Markelle Fultz
If the Charlotte Hornets accepted the Celtics’ trade offer in 2015, they would have been able to draft Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball this year.
While hindsight is always 20/20, it was pretty clear that the Charlotte Hornets made the wrong decision when they turned down the Boston Celtics‘ four first-round picks to instead select Frank Kaminsky in 2015. Now with the 2017 draft approaching, that decision looks even worse. Even though they currently hold the 11th overall pick this year, the team could have had the 1st overall pick had they made that trade.
On June 25th, 2015, the Hornets had the ninth overall pick. Danny Ainge and Boston were looking to move up to draft Justise Winslow. The Celtics were all in on the Duke product and they went as far to offer FOUR first round picks to Charlotte in exchange for the ninth pick. Rich Cho, Michael Jordan and the front office declined the deal.
After turning down that trade offer, more details began to leak and more animosity grew from fans towards the Hornets. Zach Lowe reported that the final offer from Boston included “16th pick, no. 15 (acquired in a prearranged contingency deal with the Hawks), one unprotected future Brooklyn pick, and a future first-rounder from either the Grizzlies or Timberwolves.”
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Wow. That was a lot to turn down. The most important part of that trade: “one unprotected future Brooklyn pick”
Why is this so important? Because Charlotte could have gotten the Nets‘ 2017 first round pick which the still Celtics have. If they would’ve have made the deal, the Hornets could have chosen to get that pick and that would have finally given them their chance to draft the star player that they’ve needed for years in Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball or Josh Jackson.
Instead, they are stuck with a solid role player in Frank Kaminsky, only one first round pick this year and no superstar to pair with Kemba Walker.
With the Hornets have struggled to lure star free agents, this would have been the perfect opportunity for them to add a young player with superstar potential. That’s something the team and city have missed since the 1990’s.
Ultimately, Kaminsky is in Charlotte. Winslow is in Miami. And the Celtics have the first overall pick and are in pole position to select Fultz.
Charlotte potentially missed the chance of a lifetime to take advantage of Boston’s foolishness and determination to get Winslow. There are certain moves that go down in history to shape not only individual teams but also the league as a whole. This move that wasn’t made will probably be equally as important in shaping the future of the Hornets and the NBA.
This could have been their way out of mediocrity but instead, it ends up being yet another poor decision from an organization with a substandard track record.
Next: Trading for Clarkson makes sense for Charlotte
A trade this good may never come the Charlotte Hornets’ way ever again. Add this to the long list of mistakes that the franchise has made in the draft over the past decade or so. What could’ve been with Fultz in the Queen City? The deal that never happened continues to be a hard pill to swallow.