With the lack of potential suitors, it doesn’t look like the Charlotte Hornets will be moving Kidd-Gilchrist this offseason.
According to NBA insider Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist doesn’t come up in trade conversations. He also added that the Charlotte Hornets wouldn’t get a greater value in return if they were to trade MKG. Even though the small forward hasn’t been named in any serious trade reports, the speculation is always there.
Now, this doesn’t mean that a trade involving the five-year NBA veteran isn’t possible. Although, even before this report, trading MKG probably wasn’t in Charlotte’s plans this summer. The team’s front office and Steve Clifford both seem committed to Michael as the starting small forward for the time being.
The former first-round pick is coming off of a season where he only averaged 9.2 points per game which was his lowest mark since the 2013-14 season. MKG also recorded 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. The one positive takeaway from this past year was that he played in a total of 81 games which was a big improvement from the seven appearances he was limited to last season.
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Only a year removed from two serious shoulder injuries and coming off of a season where he only made one three-point shot, Kidd-Gilchrist’s trade value probably isn’t all that high. For that reason, the Hornets are better off holding onto Michael. At least until he improves his shooting and his value goes up. Being only 23-years old, there is still plenty of time for that to happen.
There are two possible takeaways from MKG not being involved in trade talks. Either Charlotte’s made it clear that they don’t want to move him or that other teams around the league aren’t actively shopping for a player of his ability. Considering the direction of the NBA, it is tough to see opposing teams wanting to add a forward who, despite his effectiveness on the defensive end, struggles with his outside shot.
From the time he was drafted in 2012, Kidd-Gilchrist has not been the center of any trade discussions other than the hypothetical ones from fans.
Next: Backup point guard for Charlotte to target
The limited interest in MKG should be a bit concerning for the Charlotte Hornets. Even though they aren’t necessarily looking to trade him, it is always good to know that your top players are wanted around the league. Aside from a salary dump, there isn’t a trade out there involving the former Kentucky Wildcat this summer.