Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have made no shortage of mistakes in free agency in recent years. Between breaking the bank to sign Nicolas Batum and the overpaying to land Terry Rozier, Charlotte clearly wants to be competitive but can’t seem to figure out how to do it.
Making a trade for an established All-Star is a tricky situation for a team like the Hornets. Charlotte isn’t a market that elite players are lining up to play in and the roster lacks enough talent to formulate a sufficiently competitive product.
It would be crucial to involve Batum if he opts-in or Terry Rozier and Cody Zeller for salary-matching purposes. Some combination of young players like P.J. Washington, Miles Bridges, and Malik Monk along with protected future draft compensation being involved would work, too.
Giving up the No. 3 selection in the 2020 NBA Draft would be the wrong move for the Hornets. Bringing in an intriguing talent with that particular draft pick in addition to Westbrook could help Charlotte to experience a legitimate turnaround in 2021 en route to a playoff spot.
