Charlotte Hornets trade rumors: NBA insiders believe Nick Smith Jr. is available ahead of deadline

Is Nick Smith Jr. on the trade block?

David Richard-Imagn Images

Nick Smith Jr. is in the midst of a playing time renaissance. The 27th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has quickly developed from a seldom used bench guard into a key piece in the Charlotte Hornets’ rotation as a key cog in Charles Lee’s attempts to pull his team's offense out of the league’s basement. 

Smith Jr.’s polished offensive skills were on full display during Charlotte’s January 5th loss in Cleveland. He cooked the Cavaliers on the perimeter with a flashy display of ball handling and shot making as he poured in 18 points, a new season high. 

On the other hand, the deficiencies in his game have reared their ugly heads in Charlotte’s three games post-Cleveland. Smith Jr. has only made six of his last twenty-three shots, and his inability to get to the rim has hamstrung his ability to create shots elsewhere on the floor. 

His recent uptick in minutes (his per game averages have grown from 7.6 minutes in November to 16.4 in January) is for one of two reasons. 

The first is one I mentioned earlier. Smith Jr. is a springy, score first, second, and third guard, and without Tre Mann available the Hornets are in dire need of scoring punch off their bench.

The second one, which has been illuminated in recent reports by prominent NBA insiders, is that Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee are auditioning NSJ for a potential trade ahead of the February 6th deadline.  

Charlotte has been willing to discuss Smith Jr. in trade talks

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, a pair of well-connected NBA insiders, the Charlotte Hornets have been 'willing to discuss' Smith Jr.'s name in trade talks. While NSJ's trade value is hard to pin down (team's aren't exactly tripping over themselves to acquire an undersized, offense-first player who is struggles to score in the paint), his age (20) and team-friendly four-year, $12.6 million contract make him an intriguing option for a young team looking to make an upside swing.

Funny enough, "a young team looking to make an upside swing" can accurately describe the Hornets' current situation. However, Smith Jr. was drafted by a previous front office regime in Charlotte, and Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee have both been resounding in their consistent refrain of re-shaping the Hornets' roster with players that embody "Hornets DNA."

It sure seems like Smith Jr. does. Lee has openly praised NSJ numerous times since his return to the lineup, and it would be a bit of a surprise to see him traded before the February 6th deadline.

However, Smith Jr.'s fit in Charlotte's healthy back court is awkward. Tre Mann, an impending free agent, seems like a key part of the Hornets future that Peterson and Lee would be keen on re-signing.

His spark plug scoring ability hasn't been replaced in his absence, and if he comes back healthy with a fresh contract, how do him and NSJ both operate off the same bench? They occupy similar roles, and playing the pair together would be a defensive disaster for the Hornets. The thought of cashing in on Smith Jr.'s value at its current peak and breaking up a potential back court logjam is an enticing one.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

Score predictions for Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls

Hornets broadcaster Eric Collins reveals what success looks like for a young lineup

Spread & over/under predictions: Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls

Brandon Miller listed as questionable for Hornets' road game in Chicago