It has been a busy night in Charlotte Hornets land.
The evening started with the heartbreaking news that Mark Williams will miss the next two weeks because of a strained tendon in his left foot. As such, the Hornets will commence training camp without their starting center.
With the latest development, Williams' replacement in the starting lineup last season, Nick Richards, should stay ready in case his number is called again.
Hornets join as third team in the KAT-Randle blockbuster
It's safe to say Richards' tenure in Charlotte is secure — for now. For weeks, his name has been floated around as a potential target for the New York Knicks. Some trade proposals even had Julius Randle landing on the Hornets.
While the three-time All-Star is undoubtedly one of the most talented big men in the league, bringing him to the fold would have set the team back. He has had to deal with injuries throughout his career and doesn't exactly align with Charlotte's timeline. Randle would have also been an awkward fit alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller because there's only one ball to go around.
The Hornets faithful won't have to worry about that anymore, as the Knicks shipped their star in a reported blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. "Big Ju" and Donte DiVincenzo are set to join Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, while New York will land a different star big man in Karl-Anthony Towns.
Charlotte reportedly got involved in the trade by serving as the third team.
Knicks are sending salary -- including DaQuan Jeffries -- and draft compensation to Charlotte in three-team Karl-Anthony Towns/Julius Randle deal, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. https://t.co/dP4x8dTvr9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2024
Because the Knicks and Wolves are over the apron in the new salary cap system, they aren't allowed to take more money back than they send out. So, they need another franchise to make the finances work.
The Hornets' being well below the luxury tax allowed them to participate in the transaction by receiving a player to make the salaries match. In this case, Charlotte will apparently be getting DaQuan Jeffries from New York and a draft pick as compensation.
The details surrounding that pick remain to be seen. But even if it is a second-rounder, the organization can take advantage of it. The front office will eventually have the option of using it to bring in a prospect or include it in another trade package down the line.
So, in more ways than one, the Hornets are winners of the latest mega-trade. Not only did they get an asset in return, but they also dodged a bullet by avoiding Randle and retaining Richards.