"Top trade targets" for Hornets are underwhelming
The calendar has turned over to January, and with that comes anticipation of the upcoming NBA trade deadline. While there is a sizable portion of the league that will be looking to acquire players for a playoff push, the Charlotte Hornets are not among them.
Charlotte's season continues to head in a disastrous direction, with contending teams preparing to pick apart the Hornets' roster like vultures circling in the desert. That is why it is not exactly a surprise to see the top trade targets for the Hornets be quite underwhelming.
Appearing in Zach Buckley's list for every team on Bleacher Report, the Hornets are one of a handful of teams, with one of their top targets being draft picks. This is not exactly an exciting entry to see, but it would be an option that the Hornets would be wise to consider. Acquiring players through the draft is one of the better options for a team like Charlotte to take, considering they are not a free-agent destination.
Even though draft selections are going to be very appealing to Charlotte, there are two players included in Buckley's list that could be an intriguing addition for the Hornets to give some time on the court during their lost season. Those players being Moses Moody and AJ Griffin.
"Moody and Griffin both look like three-and-D wings capable of providing much more than their current employers have allowed."
- Buckley on Hornets' trade targets
Moody is relatively buried on Golden State's depth chart, and Griffin has seen his average minutes played drop by 10 per game in Atlanta. Both could benefit from being in a situation where the team has plenty of minutes to distribute to players looking to establish themselves in the league. This could be to the benefit of all parties, with the Hornets being able to add useful young players to their roster and those players setting themselves up for a better contract situation down the line.
Making moves for this season went out the window pretty early on due to injuries and poor performance. The right way for the Hornets to approach the rest of this season is with the future in mind. Operating in a way that sees the Hornets moving on from the players who will not be part of their next competitive cycle and bringing in those who will is the best foot forward for the organization from top to bottom.
Even though there is no guarantee that Moody, Griffin, or anyone else they acquire this season, for that matter, will be part of a competitive future in Charlotte, that does not mean they should not at least try. If not, the Hornets will be stuck in their current state of irrelevance with no end in sight.