Ranking the five Hornets players who are most likely to be traded this summer

These players could be in another uniform by the start of next season

Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

The Hornets are coming off of a very disappointing season, achieving less than 20 wins on the year. The team will be looking to improve its roster, which means a few players could be on the move this summer.

Let's take a look at the five Hornets players who are most likely to be moved in the coming months.

1. Jusuf Nurkic

Apr 13, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) shoots during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

"The Bosnian Beast," as some call him, was sent to the Hornets in a deal at the trade deadline that sent Vasilije Micic and Cody Martin to Phoenix. The deal was completed to grab another first-round pick and to add another center to the roster after sending Mark Williams to the Lakers, which, of course, ended up being rescinded.

Nurkic could be a good veteran for the Hornets, but he will be making over $18 million next season in the final year of his contract. With that in mind, it makes the likelihood of him being moved a little higher since more teams could be interested in acquiring the veteran, despite his salary, due to it being the final year of his contract.

Additionally, his contract is well-suited to match salaries in potential trades that the Hornets may find intriguing. Nurkic may have the highest odds of being traded this off-season for Charlotte just due to his contract.

2. Josh Okogie

Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) shoots before a game against the Chicago Bulls at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images / Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

One of the Hornets' best defenders on the team could be on the move this summer. Josh Okogie was sent to the Hornets after they traded away Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns. Okogie missed a substantial amount of games after he injured his hamstring for over a month, but when he played, he was a force defensively and wasn't a liability at all on the offensive end.

Okogie is a player many Hornets fans would like to keep on the roster due to his ability to defend at a high level and his energy he brings each night, which have been two components the Hornets have struggled to find in a player for quite some time now.

However, the other side of that is his contract isn't fully guaranteed, and his over-seven-million-dollar contract for next season makes perfect sense in a potential three-team trade.

3. Josh Green

Mar 25, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Orlando Magic at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images / Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Josh Green was acquired by the Hornets last summer in a six-team trade. The Hornets only gave up second-round pick compensation for Green, which made the deal feel like a steal at the time. Only that Green didn't really have as good of a season as most expected him to.

Throughout the season, Green showed signs of inconsistency. He had many games of single-digit performances and lackluster shooting games, but also had times where he reached double figures and shot the ball well from three.

Green is an interesting piece because there haven't been any talks about him traded, but don't be surprised if his name begins to be tossed around in trade talks in the coming months, especially since he will be getting paid over $13 million next season.

The Hornets new management typically does a fantastic job of hiding what they're doing behind-the-scenes and it could be the same case this off-season. The bench needs to be overhauled, and it feels like management knows it, even if they haven't addressed it yet, which also could make Green's chances of being traded much higher than some would expect.

4. Nick Smith Jr.

Apr 9, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) dribbles the ball up court against the Toronto Raptors during the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

This is an interesting one because many would expect the Hornets to keep onto a guard like Nick Smith Jr, who's showed flashes here and there at just 21-years-old.

However, with the Hornets holding the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, while also holding two second-round picks, it could be an overload at the guard position depending on how the draft goes for Charlotte.

Smith struggled from the field this past season as he shot under 40% from the field. He also got an opportunity to play substantial minutes this past season, due to the injuries to Brandon Miller and Tre Mann that ended their seasons.

In contrast, as a starter this season, Smith averaged over 13 points per game in 27 appearances, which is highly encouraging for someone with little NBA playing experience.

The Hornets will have a tough decision to make regarding the young guard, but his value could play a role in it since he's young, and he may be better off in another situation. If the Hornets re-sign Tre Mann, which remains to be the expectation, then it furthermore expands the chances of Smith being on the move this summer.

5. Mark Williams

Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) dunks as he warms up before a game against the Chicago Bulls at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images / Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

What a crazy year it was for Mark Williams, and it may not even be over. Everyone knows now about the failed trade between the Hornets and the Lakers after the Lakers failed Williams' physical.

Not only did that trade cause a lot of chaos for both teams, but it also created a lot of uncertainty around Williams for the foreseeable future. The trade was shocking at the time because many people thought Williams was expected to be part of the team's young core, but that obviously wasn't the case. Now, Williams doesn't fully trust the Hornets, but do you really blame him?

Unfortunately, the league is a business more than ever anymore and anyone could be dealt. To add to it, there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the Hornets' center. Any conversations with the Lakers are likely over, but don't rule out the possibility of the Hornets dealing Williams to another team this summer.

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