With Nick Richards gone, other Charlotte Hornets players might be on their way out of the franchise. The two other likely candidates to be traded are Vasilije Micic and Cody Martin, as they could spawn further interest in the coming weeks.
Even Josh Green might be available in trade talks, as he has had an uneven stint in his first campaign with Charlotte. After showing his potential to be a game-changer for the squad in his first appearances, the swingman has sometimes failed to become the 3-and-D player Charlotte needs him to be. In addition, for the right price, Miles Bridges can also likely be had.
It's safe to assume that the only untouchable Hornets players are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. An argument can be made that Tidjane Salaun should be included in that group.
Hornets have reportedly made Nick Smith Jr. available for trade
It stands to reason that the front office won't willingly be offering some of its youngsters, especially those who are still under rookie contracts, in trade negotiations.
So, it's surprising that the Hornets are reportedly open to discussing Nick Smith Jr.'s availability. Per Marc Stein (subscription required), that information has been revealed by "rival teams."
Smith Jr. has been with the club since 2023 when it brought him in via the 27th overall pick of the draft. He is notably the last first-round pick made by former general manager and president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak.
The 20-year-old guard's rookie season went as expected, as he recorded just 5.9 points per game. Still, the prospect out of the University of Arkansas was able to exhibit his potential to become a rotation player for Charlotte.
There were hopes that he would get more playing time in the 2024-25 campaign, but that wasn't the case in the early goings of the season. With Tre Mann balling out, Smith Jr.'s skills seemed redundant. Interestingly, though, after Mann went out with an injury, fans expected NSJ to serve as his replacement, given their similar play style. However, the coaching staff went a different route.
Smith Jr. eventually proved to be deserving of more minutes than Micic, but even then, his roster spot on the Hornets is apparently not safe.
Of course, that doesn't mean the team would be actively looking for a different home for him. He likely still has an opportunity to provide the Hornets with evidence for why they must hold onto him. Perhaps playing more consistently on offense and showing marked improvement on defense would urge the top brass to keep Smith Jr.