Last year, the Charlotte Hornets gave up P.J. Washington by shipping him to the Dallas Mavericks along with a couple of second-round picks. In return, they received Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a 2027 first-round selection.
It seems Dallas won the deal because Washington helped it reach the Finals last season. The forward performed well in the 2024 playoffs, scoring in double-digits in 18 of his 22 appearances. He has continued his fine play this season, leaving Hornets fans wondering how things would turn out for the squad had it not traded its first-round pick in 2019.
Even so, there is still the possibility of Charlotte getting the last laugh if it comes upon a keeper using the Mavs' top-two protected draft pick.
Hornets can help another contender this season
Interestingly, the Hornets are once again in a similar situation. With their 2024-25 campaign sinking further by the day, they might look to part ways with some key pieces, particularly veterans, to bring back assets. Aside from the Washington trade, Charlotte also managed to secure a promising player (Tre Mann) and draft capital from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Gordon Hayward.
Nick Richards is probably the Hornets' trade candidate with the most value this time around. Despite his glaring weaknesses that fans have grown tired of, he has been a solid backup big man for the most part. Richards' knack for crashing the glass has helped his Charlotte become one of the best rebounding teams in the league.
He also isn't that much of a liability on offense, especially when used correctly, as he is shooting 56.1 percent from the field after logging a career-high 69.1 percent in the 2023-24 season.
So, it's no wonder contenders are reportedly interested in acquiring the 27-year-old center. Among those that have been mentioned as possible suitors are the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns. All of those franchises have the potential to advance deep in the playoffs. They also have roster flaws that can be addressed by adding Richards.
Perhaps one of those squads will take a page out of the Mavs' book by mimicking their in-season trade with the Hornets. Washington was exactly what Dallas needed to help bolster its frontcourt depth. And even if the team lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Finals, it probably wouldn't have made it that far without its trade-deadline deals that also included obtaining Daniel Gafford.
It's understandable, though, for Charlotte to hesitate to split with Richards. However, plenty of signs have shown that his time with Buzz City is up.