Card Collecting: Potential Charlotte Hornets Trade Candidates

With the Charlotte Hornets being eliminated from the postseason, the focus has shifted to the offseason and potential trades the team might make. Donnavan Smoot of BetSided.com recently published an article titled “Three Trades the Hornets Should Make to Fix the Team This Offseason.” In his article, Smoot points out the missing defensive piece in the middle that the Hornets desperately need as well as a primary ballhandler who has been linked to the Hornets. While Smoot focuses on the on-court impact of these trades, those who are into card collecting should also look at the smart plays to make for adding to their card collections.

Rudy Gobert

Centers typically do not carry much weight in card collecting circles. Gone are the days of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar. Card collecting habits changed along with the style of play in the NBA. However, adding a Rudy Gobert card it is not a bad thing if you are looking to start a Hornets collection.

Smoot on Gobert:

"The Utah Jazz haven’t had great defenders for years and Gobert has kept them as a top defense. He might be available if the Jazz flame out, so he should be target No. 1."

If the Jazz lose in the playoffs and Gobert ends up in Charlotte, the first card to look at adding would be the 2013-14 Select Rookie. This is the base version, but keep in mind there are several different levels of parallels when it comes to the Select brand, each more costly than the last.

Myles Turner

The next name on the potential Charlotte Hornets trade candidates list is Myles Turner. There is a case to be made that Turner makes the most sense for Charlotte from a basketball perspective. He may not be quite the defensive stalwart that Gobert is, but he is not far behind. He averaged just under three blocks a game this season in 42 games for the Pacers. With that being said, health is clearly a concern with Turner.

Still, Turner may be more easily attainable this offseason if the Pacers are looking to hit the reset button. A great place to start collecting Myles Turner cards would be his 2015-16 Panini Immaculate Rookie Patch Auto. This is a high-end set that can be a deal-breaker for other players, but Turner is not one of them.

Russell Westbrook

The final player that Smoot mentions is Russell Westbrook.

"Obviously, bringing in Westbrook is high risk, high reward. However, the Hornets just need a little bit extra of everything."

There are causes for concern with a potential Westbrook trade. The Hornets have a solid backcourt as it is; however, adding Westbrook could possibly be an attractive option. Ultimately, though,  there may not be a way to fit Westbrook alongsid LaMelo Ball.

That said, Westbrook’s 2008-09 Topps Chrome Rookie is the place to start in adding him to any card collection. The photography in the set is beautiful, and the image that Topps used for Westbrook is one of the best in the set.