The Charlotte Hornets arguably came out of the trade deadline better than when they entered it. However, despite bringing in reinforcements, the best decision Charlotte may have made was not moving any of its core players — and not letting the media know that other teams had inquired about them.
Jeff Peterson's first media appearance after what turned out to be a busy week was quite eventful. One of the revelations he disclosed was that he received "calls on every piece of the core."
Continuity matters for this Hornets squad
Fans should be thrilled with how the Hornets' lead executive responded. First, he resisted any proposal, arguing that the players deserve to see the season through together, and it was not just because of the current seven-game win streak.
Now, it's unclear which of the players drew interest from suitors and what the packages offered were. It's likely that Petetson got an inquiry for each of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate. What's certain is that none of the bids were enough to change Peterson's stance.
Ball and Bridges have been in a lot of trade chatter in recent years, but the pair of longtime Hornets have proven their worth to the franchise in this campaign. Meanwhile, Miller and Knueppel should be close to untouchable, given their age, but they could have commanded a godfather offer in the market. And Diabate has been a key reason for Charlotte's massive turnaround.
So, Peterson has every reason to hold onto each of them — at least until this coming offseason.
It's also impressive that no reports about the calls leaked. Peterson could have come up with underhanded ways to receive better offers. Evidently, that was not the case.
With the trade season in the rearview mirror, it's time for the Hornets' core to reward the front office's faith. Considering how well the five-man group of Ball, Miller, Knueppel, Bridges, and Diabate has performed, it has surely caught the rest of the league's attention. So, things won't be easier from hereon.
The good news is that reinforcement is on the way. Charlotte needs to wait for a while before Coby White is able to suit up, though, as the organization revealed on Thursday that its new backup guard is dealing with a calf strain. Fortunately, this kind of challenge is nothing new for the Hornets. Still, let's hope they will be at full strength soon as they try to make a run to the postseason.