Charlotte Hornets Round Table: 2019-20 Season Preview
Which Hornets player is most likely to be traded during the 2019-20 season?
Caleb Baugher (Contributor): “A potential player that could be traded would have to be Cody Zeller. As the hornets continue to develop Willy Hernangomez, Zeller could see less and less time on the court. His injuries have been a concern in the past. Look for them to move him and a couple other veterans in a trade for another big man to match Hernangomez’s minutes.”
Brendan Boylan (Contributor): “This is a toss up between Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for two completely different reasons. For Marvin, he may be the most attractive trade piece to teams at the trade deadline. Marvin is a 15 year veteran who is on a one-year deal that can still provide depth and spread the floor for a contending team. For MKG, he truly is the odd man out of the Hornets rotation, and though he is still young, 26, his one-year, $13 million contract is going to be hard to move without seeing consistent production on the court from last season and into this season.”
Elijah Edwards (Contributor): “Probably Marvin Williams. A contending team would love to utilize his perimeter shooting off the bench. A good catch-and-shoot guy is always a nice asset for a championship contender. If not Marvin, I would say Cody Zeller since he’s a decent big man who would come off the bench for a lot of teams vying for a title. MKG is another candidate, but I’m not sure how many teams see value in him.”
Noah Farrell (Contributor): “If you asked me this question a few weeks ago, my answer would have unquestionably been Marvin Williams. He is a good 3&D player who plays the four and even some small-ball five. His versatility at the defensive end makes him incredibly valuable for any contender. For those same reasons, he still may be the most likely to be traded, but recent reports have the Hornets leaning on him for leadership this season. That doesn’t mean by February he won’t be traded, but Michael Kidd-Gilchrist seems more likely at this point. He is an elite individual defender who can play either forward spot. He is valuable to a lot of teams but may be the odd man out of the Hornets rotation.”
Scott Overbey (Contributor): “I’ll go with Marvin Williams slightly over MKG here. While MKG is younger, I think Marv can carve out a role for himself on another team easier.”
Zachary Padmore (Site Expert): “Marvin Williams is the easy pick here, as he is a valued veteran on an expiring contract. Playoff teams would be very smart to target him prior to the trade deadline. He stretches the floor, is a strong defender and a leader in the locker room. It would suck to see him go after six seasons in Charlotte, but the team is in the midst of a rebuild, and ‘Marvelous Marvin’ deserves to be on a playoff contending team.”
Giovanni Spillman (Site Expert: “When it comes to trades, I think Marvin Williams or Nicolas Batum will be who is traded next season. The Hornets are loaded up at both of their forward position, and it’s hard to see the Hornets using them. The Hornets have a lot of young talent on the team, and I do not see these veterans sticking around the entire season.”