Jeff Peterson is at it again. One of his signature moves has been fleecing other teams of draft assets in exchange for the Charlotte Hornets being their dumping ground for unwanted salaries. This time, the Hornets capitalized on the Milwaukee Bucks' desperate need to open up cap space for their planned acquisition of Myles Turner in hopes of keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo happy.
The Bucks agreed to a deal with Turner with the understanding that they would have to shed salaries to accommodate his four-year, $107 million contract. They shocked the NBA world by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard's contract, although that still wasn't enough, partly due to his record-breaking $22.5 million cap hit, which will begin in the 2025-26 campaign and run for five years.
So, a trade was necessary, and the Hornets were likely beyond thrilled to assist Milwaukee and secure some valuable pieces in return. It remains to be seen, though, if Antetokounmpo is satisfied with the roster revamp, as rumor has it he is "not pleased" with the Bucks' Lillard decision.
Hornets trade a buyout candidate for a trio of assets
The Hornets-Bucks swap involved Vasilije Micic, who was probably going to be waived and is reportedly planning to return to Europe this summer, heading to Antetokounmpo's club, and Charlotte landing Pat Connaughton and two second-round picks (2031 and 2032) from Milwaukee.
Some might say that the draft selections are the highlights of the trade, as Peterson was able to add two more to the Hornets' growing treasure chest of draft capital. While that may be true, Connaughton can also prove to be of value to the squad.
The 32-year-old swingman remains a potential 3-and-D threat, although his age and injuries appear to have caught up to him. He hasn't shot more efficiently than 34.5 percent from 3-point range since the 2021-22 season, and his athleticism has seemingly waned.
Still, Connaughton might be able to regain his shooting touch in Charlotte, and his grittiness as a defender could rub off on the other Hornets players. It is also worth noting that he and Hornets coach Charles Lee already share a connection, having spent five seasons together in Milwaukee, where Lee served as an assistant coach.
If the former second-round pick turns out to be a dead weight for the team, it could just wait until his contract expires next summer or ship him to a squad in need of financial relief in the 2026 offseason.
It also wouldn't be surprising to see Peterson flip Connaughton for more assets this summer. However, the market for the former NBA champion seems to be dry. So, he might be a Hornet for several more months at least.