How proposed Jaylen-LaMelo swap could solve all of Hornets’ problems

Potential pitfalls for the Hornets

Similarly to LaMelo Ball, Jaylen Brown is entering the final year of his current contract. However, unlike the Hornets’ star guard, the Boston Celtics All-Star will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. With that in mind, a potential trade between the two teams would only make sense if there was an agreement that Brown would be willing to remain in Charlotte long-term, with a potential contract extension being agreed upon almost as soon as he arrived with the franchise.

The Celtics would need a similar sort of commitment from LaMelo, too. As it wouldn’t make sense for the Eastern Conference contenders to move on from such a significant part of their core without a guarantee that LaMelo would be sticking around long-term. Of course, unlike Boston’s situation with Brown, they would still possess some form of team control over LeMelo, as even if they failed to negotiate a contract extension, he would become a restricted free agent next summer, giving the Celtics an opportunity to match his market value and retain his services.

It makes no sense for either the Hornets or the Celtics to willingly acquire a player that has no intention of remaining with the team beyond their current contract. After all, the media attention those issues could bring would be nothing but a distraction for both sides and with the Hornets’ looking to carve out a path back to relevancy, those narratives would certainly be harmful to what you hope will be a harmonious locker room.