Latest Hornets trade rumors; new PJ Washington suitor?
By Ben Handler
There are now under 72 hours until the NBA trade deadline, and the rumors keep pouring in, with the Hornets continuing to be at the forefront. Previous reports had linked Kyle Lowry to the Magic, Miles Bridges to the Suns, and PJ Washington to the Clippers and Mavericks.
There obviously hasn’t been any actual movement in terms of trades, but Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports came out with fresh reporting on each of those players Monday afternoon, with some updates and fresh news.
Kyle Lowry update
The first news isn’t great, as Fischer stated that there is no trade interest from Orlando on the Kyle Lowry front. This isn’t exactly shocking, as anyone trading for the 37 year old Lowry on a big expiring contract would have been a pleasant surprise.
They may still be interested in Lowry if he reaches the buyout market, but it sounds like the Hornets will have to look elsewhere if they hope to move Lowry before the Thursday deadline.
Miles Bridges update
Fischer also mentioned that Phoenix are holding steady in their pursuit of Miles Bridges, but their trade package is very underwhelming, and the Hornets are still hoping to score a first round pick. Fischer added that the Pistons and Jazz are the other two teams that have shown interest in trading for Bridges, while the Mavericks have not to this point.
If the Hornets can’t get a suitable return for Miles, they may be wise to re-sign him using his Bird Rights, and could likely fetch a better trade return that way via sign-and-trade, as he’d be on a longer deal, and more teams would be able to make competitive offers.
P.J. Washington update
Finally, on PJ Washington, Fischer shut down the idea that the Clippers are interested, saying they have “not had a meaningful conversation with Charlotte in quite some time”. However, he did add that the Mavericks remain interested in Washington, and the Knicks have shown “legitimate interest” as well.
One thing is clear, the phone lines will be extremely busy in Charlotte for the next few days. With some luck, the market will dry up, teams will get more desperate, and the Hornets will be able to secure a few first round picks before the deadline passes.