Charlotte Hornets need a partner at trade deadline
By W.B. Whitted
Valentine’s Day is February 14th, and the holiday celebrating romantic love is always an interesting time. For those in relationships, it’s a time to reflect upon a sacred partnership that they have decided to create. While the holiday elicits warm feelings of joy for those involved, those on the outside looking in may feel left out, hurt, or even righteous indignation that they are not celebrating their own non-platonic connection.
It’s a familiar feeling for fans of teams that aren’t in contention for a playoff run during the NBA trade deadline. Instead of daydreaming about what superstar may come to join their ferocious team, the cold reality of keeping the same unit of non-contenders into the offseason is pervasive.
Charlotte Hornets fans find themselves in this predicament now. Wait, scratch that. Hornets fans find themselves hoping to be the third wheel. Yes, it has come to this. Hornets fans are hoping to be the third team brought in on a blockbuster trade to reap the benefits of ancillary rewards, just because they can make the trade money match. The Hornets are the offensive rebounders of trade talk.
That isn’t to suggest that the proposition of their position is entirely a bad one. “Being around” helped Lorenzo Charles become a household name, at least in North Carolina. It seems to have worked out for Rich Paul. There are plenty of good things that come from being in the right place at the right time.
In that way, this situation is like many romcoms that will be consumed this upcoming holiday. One, cleverly entitled Valentine’s Day, has a meet-cute where Jamie Foxx’s character serendipitously meets Jessica Biel’s character as she celebrates being alone on the holiday. Why can’t the Hornets be Jamie Foxx?
The Hornets are set up to help themselves and others
The Hornets are in a perfect position to find an unexpected match. Look at the contracts they have to offer. Is a team looking for a stopgap, a competent player that can play minutes in the playoffs to take over for a sluggish second unit? The Hornets have Kelly Oubre, a wing averaging a career-high in points that’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason is available.
Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward both have hefty contracts (roughly $20 and $30 million dollars respectively) that can help balance money and the players can contribute right away on a good team. Everyone saw Kyrie Irving’s expedited exit from the Brooklyn Nets, teams are trading with all sorts of different needs and in a variety of situations. Even a burgeoning star on an expiring cheap contract like Jaden McDaniels (he will be an unrestricted free agent after he’s paid the remaining balance of his roughly $2 million contract) may be had if the correct future assets are attached.
Regardless of if the team is in a direct, conventional trade or one that is more polyamorous, the Hornets need to get involved. It has been several seasons since their last playoff series, and the fans deserve to root for a relevant team. And while a productive offseason is important to any franchise, the Hornets should start stockpiling assets to maximize their future now. Because when the playoffs come calling, Hornets fans don’t want to be left at the alter—again.