The Charlotte Hornets were one of the most active teams at this year's trade deadline. It was certainly a stunning turn of events for some fans, mainly because it looked like the Hornets had already stumbled upon their core group of players, which presumably included LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. One-third of those guys is now gone and will play with LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Hours after shipping Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte made another shocking move. Getting rid of Vasilije Micic and Cody Martin wasn't surprising, as the veterans were a couple of its most expendable pieces. The fact that the return it got was Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick was quite impressive.
However, those who were expecting that the Hornets would make deals that would help the squad this season or the next were probably disappointed.
It has become even more clear that Hornets are tanking
Given how things have developed in Buzz City in the 2024-25 campaign, it was only logical that the organization opted to stockpile assets to build for the future. That also means that the Hornets are officially tanking this season (unofficially, of course, if the NBA asks.)
There is plenty of upside to rack up the losses. The 2025 draft has a few prospects with star — or even superstar — potential. Many have been gushing about Cooper Flagg, and the Duke University standout does look like a perfect fit in Charlotte. But it's a crime to think that Flagg is the only one worth zeroing in on this summer, as there are also other worthy candidates for the top pick. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper come to mind.
On the other hand, tanking can be dangerous. It doesn't always result in good fortune, and the Hornets have firsthand experience with that risk after falling to the sixth spot in last year's draft despite having the third-best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick.
Furthermore, Charlotte has already been in the middle or the bottom of the pack for too long. Losing can take a toll on players, especially for Ball, who missed out on the chance to secure his first starting berth in the All-Star Game, presumably because of his team's abysmal record. Even Miller and the other youngsters might eventually grow weary of having more losses than wins on their resume.
So, hopefully, the Hornets' rebuild this time won't have to take that long, and this will be the franchise's last tanking campaign. Otherwise, more fans could be calling for changes in the front office.