The Charlotte Hornets have a chance to improve this summer. Significantly so. After years of sitting toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they could push themselves forward.
The trade market could help with that, and free agency will also be a crucial point in the offseason for their potential improvement. Charlotte should be looking to add useful pieces.
With LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams leading the way, Charlotte should be looking for guys who can build with them moving forward and improve their defense, which has been terrible for years.
However, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report suggested that the Hornets target 28-year-old wing Luke Kennard in free agency this summer. But it makes a lot more sense than you think.
Luke Kennard makes more sense than you think as a Hornets free agency target
Kennard is not a good defender, and at 28 years old, he’s not quite the right age to be growing with Ball, Miller, and Williams heading into the future.
That said, what Kennard does bring to the table is extremely useful, as the former Duke wing is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA and has been for a long time.
The Memphis Grizzlies were a mess last season, with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and almost the entire rest of their core missing most of the year.
This meant that Kennard wasn’t getting the same easy shots he’s necessarily used to. In spite of that, Kennard still had a very impressive season in the 39 games he appeared in.
Kennard averaged 11.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 44.8% from the field and 45.0% from behind the arc on 6.1 three-point attempts per contest.
Charlotte grabbing Kennard in free agency would be a huge help to Ball and Miller, as his three-point shooting would space the floor beautifully, giving them an easy kick-out option at the arc at all times.
And while he may already be 28 years old, that doesn’t necessarily matter. Charlotte should be looking to help Ball get some playoff experience, and having a shooter like Kennard around would be great for their offense.