Ranking the urgency to trade 5 Hornets players who could be on the move

4. Nick Richards - Not Very Urgent

Nick Richards is not someone who is going to pop up on the radar of the casual fan, but he has been receiving interest on the trade market from teams that consider themselves contenders.

The 26-year-old big has seen an increased workload and has been part of Charlotte's starting lineup with Mark Williams continuing to be sidelined. This has led to Richards averaging 10.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in his last 23 games (22 starts). Richards' trade value has received a massive boost in the last few games, recording 20+ point and 10+ rebound double-doubles in two of his last three outings. It is these performances that have resulted in the fourth-year player out of Kentucky becoming a trade target.

While contending teams may begin to swarm like vultures attempting to acquire Richards, there is not really a sense of urgency to trade him at this time. Charlotte still has Richards under contract through 2025-26, with the last year being non-guaranteed. The Hornets having someone who can be a productive player in some capacity on a team-friendly deal for a few more years may make it less likely that they are looking to trade him at this time. With that being said, if a team offers an overpay for Richards, they should accept it and not think twice.