The Charlotte Hornets have brought in Taj Gibson to be a veteran presence on their young team. While the organization is clearly still rebuilding, Gibson should give them some stability.
Gibson has spent 15 years in the NBA, and at 39 years old, he has plenty of experiences to share with the youngsters in Charlotte. His knowledge should elevate the Hornets’ core.
However, the summer isn’t over. They still have time to add more pieces to the mix, whether it be through a trade or in free agency. And now, they have another guy with connections on the roster.
Here are five players the Hornets should target who have connections to Gibson.
1. Corey Kispert
If the Hornets want to ride the line of competing and remaining young, Washington Wizards wing Corey Kispert would be a perfect target to go after.
Gibson played with Kispert during his time in Washington.
The Wizards are in a weird spot. They are in the midst of a rebuild, yet they also signed Jonas Valanciunas to add a veteran presence. But after trading Deni Avdija, it feels like Kispert could be gettable.
Throughout the course of his young career, Kispert has established himself as a reliable three-point shooter and a solid defender—both of which the Hornets could use on their roster.
Add in the fact that Krispert is still on his rookie contract, and he’s the exact type of player Charlotte should be targeting on the trade market. He would fit in perfectly. If they can get him, they should.
2. Jerami Grant
This would be a big swing, and that’s not something the Charlotte Hornets seem interested in at the moment. However, if they decide they want to make a big push forward, Jerami Grant would be a solid target.
Grant has established himself as more than just a quality 3-and-D forward, though he could certainly help in that role with the Hornets. He could be more than that, though.
Having the veteran forward in the mix as a secondary (or tertiary) scorer next to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller would be ideal, especially if they could snag him for the right price.
3. Russell Westbrook
The Washington Wizards brought in Jonas Valanciunas to be a mentor for Alex Sarr. The Houston Rockets surrounded their young core with veterans. The San Antonio Spurs signed Chris Paul to help Victor Wembanyama. Why couldn’t the Charlotte Hornets do the same?
By all accounts, Russell Westbrook, who was teammates with Gibson on the Washington Wizards, has been a great mentor for young players at various stops throughout his career.
Bringing in the former MVP to provide Ball with some help while simultaneously giving the Hornets some decent minutes off the bench could be an intriguing idea, especially since the LA Clippers reportedly already plan on trading him.
4. Robert Covington
What does Robert Covington have left in the tank? Even if the answer is, ‘Not much,’ it still could be worth it for the Charlotte Hornets to bring the 11-year NBA veteran on board.
Taj Gibson played with Covington on the Minnesota Timberwolves, and both journeymen have enjoyed long, successful NBA careers. Covington spent this past year with the LA Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers.
While he didn’t earn a ton of minutes with the 76ers, when he did get on the floor, he was alright. At best, Covington could provide the Hornets with spot 3-and-D minutes, and at worst, he would be a nice veteran to have around, giving his insight to the youngsters.
5. Jaden Ivey
This would be a massive swing, as it doesn’t seem like the Detroit Pistons are eager to give up on Jaden Ivey, even after the weirdness that surrounded the pair to start last season.
Gibson played with Ivey in Detroit for a brief stint, and if there were to be any chance that they would consider trading him, the Hornets should be all over it.
Charlotte doesn’t necessarily have a long-term answer at the two next to Ball, and Ivey could be a very intriguing backcourt-mate for the star moving forward.