The Charlotte Hornets have a lot of draft picks at their disposal, including the No. 4 selection this offseason. Some might be wondering if they should just throw caution to the wind and use the assets to bring win-now stars. Interestingly, Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports brought it up on his show, discussing the scenario of the Hornets embarking on a hunt for stars this summer by giving up some of their assets.
It's worth mentioning that O'Connor wasn't merely speculating or suggesting what Charlotte should do. It was part of a segment where he tackled what Eastern Conference teams could do to go from "worst to first." He posited that there might be a way for the Hornets to swap the fourth draft selection for a star and then trade some of their young guys and future draft picks for another star.
Those would certainly be intriguing moves, as they would result in a core group of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and two stars.
Considering that Ball is already on his second NBA contract and "nearing the prime of his career," as O'Connor put it, there is an incentive for the Hornets to go for broke. They can afford to be patient with Miller, although he could certainly benefit from playing with teammates who can attract the defense's attention.
Hornets need to be wise with their future assets
The problem with that direction is that there might not be enough franchise-altering acquisitions out there that would be worth the No. 4 pick and high-value assets.
Some big-ticket names that could be available in the trade market and fit the criteria for Charlotte are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant, and Domantas Sabonis. However, those stars could be in demand (and therefore probably too expensive), continue to be injury-prone, or have just a few years left in their prime.
So, there is a potential danger in KOC's scenario. While it could transform the Hornets into a playoff contender, if health doesn't become an issue, their status as such may only be good for a few years. Some fans might actually welcome that, as it has already been so long since the squad had a taste of the playoffs.
However, would they still be fine if Charlotte returned to its cellar-dwelling ways in some years with fewer assets to its name? Maybe if it brings a championship to Queen City. But the current trend, based on the Finals competitors, has shown that focusing on roster depth around a star or two might be better than assembling a top-heavy team.
Given that, it appears the ideal route for the Hornets is to hold onto their first-round pick this summer instead of going star-hunting with it as bait. They should even explore trading up in the draft if any of the San Antonio Spurs or Philadelphia 76ers plan on moving down in the draft order.
The other part of O'Connor's plan might be worth looking into, though. If Charlotte can bring back a complementary star using some of the non-first-rounder assets it has amassed over the years, the front office should think it through.