One of the Charlotte Hornets' biggest moves this offseason was trading for Collin Sexton. The fact that they only had to give up Jusuf Nurkic in the swap and also acquired a future second-round pick in the deal makes it all the more impressive. It's also for that reason why the Utah Jazz may be experiencing buyer's remorse.
The Jazz were seemingly desperate to unload Sexton's contract that they appeared to have felt the need to attach a draft asset in a salary dump. That in itself was already a bit ludicrous because the combo guard still looks productive, averaging 18.4 points and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from the 3-point area last season.
What made Utah's decision even more perplexing from NBA reporter Fred Katz's perspective was the organization taking Nurkic in the exchange. Katz wondered on a recent episode of Zach Lowe's show why it was the team to shell out the second-rounder when the Hornets already secured another second-round selection when it landed the Bosnian big man last season.
In addition, he might not play meaningful minutes for the Jazz, while Sexton is probably going to be an opening-night starter in Charlotte.
Nurkic's expiring contract couldn't possibly be the rationale behind Utah's decision, simply because Sexton is also going off the books after this campaign.
Hornets evidently got the better end of the trade
Regardless of what the Jazz's front office was thinking, its Charlotte counterpart just proved how shrewd it is at the negotiating table.
Sure, the Hornets might find themselves yearning for Nurk's contribution on and off the court once the regular season starts. However, he wasn't likely a part of the long-term plans, so shipping him may not have been that difficult to carry through, especially since they were able to obtain two assets out of it.
As for the Jazz, the Sexton-Nurkic swap could prove to be inconsequential for them, as they are set to be one of the worst teams this season and are likely looking to secure the highest odds in the 2026 draft lottery. Even so, they are probably going to regret not seeking a return that is commensurate with Sexton's value.
Hopefully, "Young Bull" can provide the Hornets the scoring and playmaking help they have been seeking for a while now. They had one of the worst offenses in the league last season, and his skill set is exactly what they need to address the issues and ease LaMelo Ball's burden.
Moreover, Sexton's energy could give Charlotte the spark that would help transform it into a more competitive squad.