Would this trade make sense for the Charlotte Hornets?
A deal like this could help answer some serious questions for the Hornets. Charlotte has been missing a quality paint presence for the past few seasons now, and addressing that issue in the short term would be the main point of this trade.
Steven Adams isn’t an elite center, but he’s still a big-time bruiser who can bang down low. Having that physicality in the paint would be huge for Charlotte’s swiss cheese defense. They need someone who can help shore up the paint on that end.
Plus, at Adams’ peak, he was an elite roll threat next to Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City. While he’s not at that level anymore, playing next to a facilitator as talented as LaMelo Ball could help him unlock some of that same talent.
As for Kyle Anderson, he’s mainly in this deal to make the money work, but he’d also be a solid replacement for Gordon Hayward. He’s a decent perimeter threat and an underrated playmaker – basically the same archetype as Hayward, just at a lower level.
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This may seem like the Hornets aren’t getting enough in return for Hayward, but this would also free up some serious cap space moving forward for them. Anderson’s deal is up at the end of the season and Adams’ is up at the end of next year. Why not take a chance on a better center while freeing up some cap space?
