Swarm and Sting
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Two interesting mock trades that involve the Charlotte Hornets

By James Mastrucci

Oct 10, 2014; Greenville, SC, USA; The new Charlotte Hornets logo on the back of the warm ups prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2014; Greenville, SC, USA; The new Charlotte Hornets logo on the back of the warm ups prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 14: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates drawing a foul against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter of the NBA Play-In game at Target Center on April 14, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Thunder 120-95 to advance to the NBA Playoffs as the #8 seed. 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 David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 14: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates drawing a foul against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter of the NBA Play-In game at Target Center on April 14, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Thunder 120-95 to advance to the NBA Playoffs as the #8 seed. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) /

Karl-Anthony Towns becomes a Hornet

The Minnesota Timberwolves have made their choice of who they want to build around, and that does not include Karl-Anthony Towns. With Minnesota making Anthony Edwards their focal point, Towns should be available to teams looking to add the talented big man. In a deal appearing on NBA Analysis Network, author James Piercey has the Hornets and Timberwolves striking a deal that sees several players leaving Charlotte.

The mock trade has Karl-Anthony Towns coming to the Hornets in exchange for Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington, and first-round picks in 2026 and 2028. After noting the Hornets’ decision to draft Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson, Piercey makes a couple of solid points about their roster makeup.

"“In a way, the Hornets were trying to avoid the same fate as the Timberwolves – they didn’t want redundant stars on their roster. With Ball running point, what would Henderson do? Still, if Henderson is a superstar, and Miller is not, the Hornets may wish they’d selected differently. Would acquiring Towns be a mistake as well? Some Hornets fans will think so. They’ll be content to stick with Mark Williams. To be sure, Williams looks the part of a great defensive big. By contrast, Towns struggles on that end of the floor. With that said, he’s also one of the best offensive big men in the NBA. Williams will never reach that level. Meanwhile, the dynamic between Ball and Towns ought to be nearly unguardable. If the Hornets want to lean into an offensive identity, acquiring Towns could be an option.”"

The point about Mark Williams should be the focus here. While Williams is better defensively, it is the offensive contributions that Charlotte would benefit from. Pairing Ball and Towns, as mentioned by Piercey, could help the Hornets ascend to new heights offensively. Heights which may not ever come to fruition with the current state of their roster.

This may seem like a lot to give up from Charlotte’s point of view, but this is a team that needs to find proven talent. They can only wade in the waters of long-term roster building for so long before making a move of note. A trade like this one could be a franchise-altering deal considering it involves a veteran guard who will more likely than not be on the team when they become relevant again and a player who has not been all that interested in returning to Charlotte. Parting ways with the first-round picks is tough. But if the deal works out, they will not be lottery picks and thus be less valuable. This is a deal the Hornets would be wise to seriously consider if ever offered.