Hornets should be copying Nets after Killian Hayes signing

The Charlotte Hornets are going to try to push for the playoffs next year, but if they were to sneak in, it would likely be via the Play-In Tournament, and that seems like the ceiling for this group. And that’s okay.

They are still a very young team, and with this being Charles Lee’s first year in charge, it feels as though it will be more of a transition season in which the franchise establishes a new culture.

But as they look to rebuild the roster around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, they should be looking to take some chances that could help them out down the line.

Hornets should copy Nets-Killian Hayes signing and take a chance on young players

Take the Brooklyn Nets, for example. They just began a much-needed rebuild by trading away Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal that saw them get back a ton of draft capital from the New York Knicks.

Now, they are slated to be one of the worst teams in the NBA next year, and more trades are probably on the horizon. Guys like Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith could be moved in the near future.

As they look to rebuild, they are going to take chances on young guys, and the perfect example is Killian Hayes, who the Nets just recently signed to a contract for next year.

Hayes, who played the first four years of his career with the Detroit Pistons, was waived last year. Now, he’ll get a second chance at an NBA career with the Nets. He’s still super young, as he’s just about to turn 23 years old.

This is what the Hornets should be doing, and, in a way, it’s what they did when they traded for Josh Green. Obviously, Green is more of an established NBA player than Hayes ever has been, but the Hornets are hoping to get more out of him than he was giving with the Dallas Mavericks.

As Charlotte embarks on their rebuild, they should take a chance on some younger players in hopes of giving them a second chance. They did it with Dennis Smith Jr. a couple of years ago, and now, he’s back in the league.

The Hornets don’t have much roster flexibility left, but if they want to add guys, they should follow this formula in hopes of hitting on a nice young player who could be a part of the rotation now and moving forward.