The NBA regular season is almost here, as evidenced by the recent release of the Charlotte Hornets‘ schedule for the 2022-23 season. However, with basketball approaching, reports of players that could be on the trading block are also swirling. For the Hornets it is already being reported that Kelly Oubre Jr. could be available for a trade.
An Eastern Conference executive who spoke with @SeanDeveney said that the #Hornets could look to trade SG-SF Kelly Oubre Jr. during the upcoming season. https://t.co/VhFytpVRpC
— Kyle Cohen (@kylecohenNBA) August 21, 2022
Rumors are just rumors, but thinking about it deeper, there are arguments for why the Hornets would want to make this move and why it would be a mistake to do so. With that said, these are some of the pros and cons of the Hornets potentially trading Kelly Oubre.
Pro #1 – He is entering the final year of his deal and could leave via free agency
Oubre is currently on a two year contract worth $24.6 million dollars. It is a great deal that the Hornets signed him to, but his contract does expire in 2023. There is a chance that Oubre could leave the Hornets once his contract expires. It would not be shocking if the Hornets organization are thinking that they may want to get some value for him now before they lose him for nothing.
Con #1 – The Hornets would lose a dependable rotational/backup piece
The Hornets have a lot of youth that is intriguing for the future. However, that youth is not necessarily dependable, with the possible exceptions of Jalen McDaniels or Cody Martin. However, Charlotte’s other prospects and young players are going to need another year before they are ready to play.
The Hornets especially need someone as dependable as Oubre in the case that Gordon Hayward gets injured again. Hayward is a great player, but he has had issues can staying on the court in Charlotte. Oubre would be a good piece for this team to plug in while Hayward is injured and if they trade Oubre, then this team loses that option.
Pro #2 – He is a poor fit in Steve Clifford’s system
With the Hornets making a change in coaching, the systems will change as well. James Borrego ran more of an offensive system, which was perfect for Oubre as he is more of an offensive player. He capitalized on that last season by having a career year. However, the Hornets decided to let go of Borrego as a result of this team yet again failing to make it past the play-in tournament.
Steve Clifford normally runs a defensive system. That could be a problem for Oubre as he struggles a lot on defense and is a bad fit in Clifford’s system. A deal being made on him so that the Hornets can not only get players that fit the system, but draft picks to help build up the team.
Con #2 – He is a solid three-point shooter
Oubre can definitely struggle with consistency. However, he has had strong games, especially when his three-point shot is falling. In fact, 2022 was his second-best season from beyond the arc as Oubre shot 34.5 % from deep. For a bench player that does not play a lot of minutes, that is pretty solid. While consistency maybe an issue with Oubre, he is improving, and the Hornets may not have a replacement for someone like him.
Pro #3 – Might attract the Utah Jazz in trading Donovan Mitchell
Many teams are looking to trade for Donovan Mitchell. Of course, one of those teams is the Charlotte Hornets. In order to get Mitchell via trade, Charlotte would have to make their deal stand out above the rest. Including Oubre in the deal could attract the Jazz as they can either offer him in a subsequent deal to get more future value or utilize him as a piece on offense while the team rebuilds.
Could Oubre be traded?
Absolutely, but it will likely be around the trade deadline if he gets moved. An Oubre trade would only make sense if the return were too good to pass on or if he is part of a deal to acquire a player as talented as Donovan Mitchell. It will be interesting what the Hornets will do with Oubre, and it is definitely something to keep an eye on.