Swarm and Sting
Fansided

Bold sign-and-trade proposal for Hornets ends stalemate with P.J. Washington

ByJames Mastrucci|
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 19: P.J. Washington #25 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts after making a basket against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter during their game at Spectrum Center on March 19, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 19: P.J. Washington #25 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts after making a basket against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter during their game at Spectrum Center on March 19, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Could the Charlotte Hornets find a way to end their stalemate with P.J. Washington via bold sign-and-trade? That is what has been proposed by Austin McGee, appearing on The Smoking Cuban. It would be a double sign-and-trade with P.J. Washington heading to Dallas and a reunion in the form of Wood returning to the Hornets.

This would be an interesting way to approach Washington’s current restricted free-agent status in addition to bringing the experienced Wood to Charlotte. Washington would slide into the Mavericks’ lineup, while Wood would help solidify the Hornets’ group of big men. Charlotte has a few potential-filled players, but as McGee points out, the overall lack of experience among the group makes the addition of Wood enticing.

"The Hornets have some solid big men, but no one player really stands out. Mark Williams, Nick Richards, Kai Jones, and James Nnaji have potential but are fairly unproven at this stage in their career. Additionally, the aforementioned players are all plus-athletes with unrefined offensive games."

It is truly hard to argue these points. The hope is that Mark Williams can build upon his end to the 2022-23 season, a stretch that saw him average 11.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 17 games as a starter. A rookie nearly averaging a double-double over an extended stretch is very impressive. With that being said, having a fallback plan in case he is incapable of replicating what occurred during a time of the season that is prone to producing false positives is something to seriously consider for the decision-makers in Charlotte.

This is a crucial season for the future of the Charlotte Hornets. Finding a way to take a massive step forward as an organization after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign is paramount to the future of their franchise. Bringing in a veteran such as Wood should solidify the foundation of their organization moving forward.

Home/Hornets News