The Charlotte Hornets feel closer than ever to contention, and it’s becoming harder to shake the feeling that they’re just one major piece away. At the NBA Combine, North Carolina star and projected top‑four pick Caleb Wilson met with the Hornets—an interaction that immediately sparked one question: Is Jeff Peterson preparing to make a serious move up the board?
Wilson certainly sounded intrigued by Charlotte:
“I met with the Hornets really recently, today actually, and I feel like it was extremely cool. They're a really cool franchise. And I went to North Carolina, so the Hornets was huge where I was in college. That was really cool to talk to them, and I feel like their roster is nice... I was telling them they have a good balance of shooting and physicality with Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges."
If AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer go in the top three as expected, Wilson becomes the next man up. That means Charlotte would need to climb to No. 4, and the trade partner in that range is the Chicago Bulls—a team the Hornets already completed a deal with in February to acquire Coby White.
Trading up would be a declaration from Peterson: this is the piece. Wilson would represent the final major investment in a young core that’s already showing signs of real upside. It would be in line with the biggest offseason priorities, but the cost would be steep.
What trade package would Chicago even consider?
There is likely no realistic package that makes the Bulls move off the pick without a huge overpay. Wilson has drawn comparisons to Kevin Garnett, so it would take the moon and the star to even start the conversation.
You could start with three first-round picks and a young developmental player like Tidjane Salaun, but even then it would likely take more. The Hornets would have to consider sending someone like Brandon Miller to get a deal done.
But this type of a move would still set Charlotte back. Miller is considered a foundational building block, and his potential rookie extension will tell the full story.
That's not to say a trade isn't impossible. In 2019, the Hawks moved from No. 8 to No. 4 by sending Nos. 8, 17, and 35 to New Orleans to select De’Andre Hunter. Two firsts and an early second got them up four spots.
The cost to move up ten spots is presumed to be too much for Wilson, especially when the top four prospects are borderline generational talents.
The reality: Charlotte follows the slow and steady route
There’s also the simple and most likely reality that the Bulls just stay put. Landing a top four pick in this draft is franchise‑altering, and they already own No. 15 via Portland. Any team in the top four will prefer to keep their premium asset.
Most likely, the Hornets were doing their due diligence by meeting with Wilson. But it’s hard to ignore the possibility that Peterson is at least thinking about attempting an aggressive move. If Charlotte believes Wilson is their guy, the phone call to Chicago will happen. It just might not go anywhere.
Fans should not dwell on this moment too much and look at other standout prospects that could creep up the draft board. There are still plenty of great prospects available in this deep 2026 draft class.
But if the Hornets could land Wilson for a great package, fans would be ecstatic. It’s a significant investment, yes—but potentially the final piece needed to push this team into the playoff picture.
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