Recent signing could end an incumbent starter's Hornets tenure

The Charlotte Hornets' free agency addition of Harry Giles III differs significantly from their four other recent signings, as evidenced by the amount of coverage it has gotten.

Of course, the North Carolina native is not like the others because he was once a No. 1-ranked recruit entering college. Unfortunately, injuries stopped him from becoming a top-draft pick and have prevented him from reaching his potential in the NBA.

Perhaps his fortunes will change in the possible homecoming, eight years after playing an abbreviated lone season with Duke University.

Harry Giles III's arrival could doom Nick Richards' Hornets tenure

It's unclear if Giles III can stay healthy enough to compete for Charlotte's final roster spot. In fact, he will likely need to perform exceptionally well in training camp and probably preseason for the front office to consider him for that slot. After all, it appears that the prevailing school of thought is that the Hornets will keep a roster space open to give them flexibility.

If the 26-year-old big man can prove to be in good physical condition enough for the organization to take a chance on him, he can provide the squad with a player who can shift effortlessly between power forward and center.

Giles III can also make Nick Richards, the Hornets' primary starting pivot last season, expendable.

It might be counterintuitive for the team to trade Richards away because he can be a nice backup to Mark Williams while also serving as insurance in case the presumed starter has to continue dealing with injuries. However, the rumored interest in the Jamaican hoopster, particularly from the New York Knicks, is too intriguing to ignore.

The 2023-24 campaign showed that when given playing time, Richards can be an efficient rim-running double-double threat. And with the Knicks needing reinforcement at center after losing Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte can capitalize on it by shipping the University of Kentucky product in exchange for some assets that can help its rebuild.

In addition, it's not as if Richards is a must-keep piece. Some folks among the Hornets faithful aren't fans of the 2020 second-round pick because, despite his athleticism, his defense and ability to catch passes have remained suspect.

A reason not to trade him, though, is because of how much it would affect the team's big man depth. Still, there are ways to address that internally or through free agency. Giles III could also be the solution as long as he is able to spend more time wearing a jersey than street clothes.