Pros and cons of Hornets trading No. 2 pick to Pelicans

Should the Hornets trade their 2nd overall pick?

Given the situation the Hornets currently find themselves in, where their roster needs realigning around LaMelo Ball, and there are multiple players that should be traded over the summer, it doesn’t make much sense to trade such a high draft pick.

Regardless of whether the Hornets select Henderson or Miller, they will be adding a young player to a developing core, which allows the entire roster time to improve and develop. Making a trade for Zion or Ingram would only serve to confuse the team’s contention timeline and could end up leaving LaMelo wondering if the front office will ever be capable of putting him in a position to compete.

There will certainly be some sections of the fanbase that believe adding multiple picks plus an All-Star talent for the second pick is an absolute home-run move, and they might be right. Nevertheless, this writer believes there’s value in building out a team via smart drafting and player development and that when the Hornets’ are among the best teams in the Eastern Conference, this trade will be one of the best things Kupchak didn’t do.