Bill Simmons Floats Hornets as 'Frisky' Sabonis Trade Team

The Domantas Sabonis-to-Charlotte conversation is not going away quietly.

Recent NBA rumors have begun linking the Charlotte Hornets to the Sacramento Kings big man. So, naturally, Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe discussed the idea on Simmons' podcast, pointing to the Hornets as a team with both a clear need and the draft capital to do something about it.

"Charlotte with 14 and 18 in the draft could get frisky somewhere," Simmons said. "I always thought that made sense as the Sabonis team."

That alone captures why the speculation is so interesting. Charlotte is not simply sitting on one mid-first-round pick. The Hornets have two first-rounders, a young core, and a roster that still feels one major frontcourt move away from becoming more than just a fun League Pass team. Lowe made that point even more directly.

🎙️ @BillSimmons: "Charlotte Hornets with 14 and 18 in the draft could get frisky somewhere. I always thought that made sense as the Domantas Sabonis team..."

🎙️ @ZachLowe_NBA: "They're a center away from being really interesting..." pic.twitter.com/Qv94yUHxnr
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) June 14, 2026

"They're a center away from being really interesting," Lowe said.

Of course, that doesn't mean Sabonis is the perfect answer for the Hornets. As we've explored at length at Charlotte Hornets On SI, the obvious concerns with a potential Hornets trade for Sabonis include the cost, the defensive fit and whether Charlotte should be willing to attach one of its first-round picks to make a deal happen.

Those questions still matter. All the same, Sabonis is a fascinating player because the conversation around him has swung hard in the other direction. Once viewed as the engine of a high-level Sacramento offense, he's now discussed more like a distressed asset because of the Kings' broader situation and his limitations on defense.

Simmons pushed back against that framing, calling Sabonis "undervalued" and saying he still sees him as a useful buy-low option for the right team. "I still feel like there are good teams for him," Simmons added.

Could Sabonis Make Sense for Charlotte?

For the Hornets, the appeal is easy to understand. Sabonis would give Charlotte a high-level rebounder, passer, and offensive connector in the middle of the floor. He would instantly become the most accomplished big man on the roster and could help organize possessions around LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.

But the concerns are obvious, too. Charlotte still has to build a competent defense around its young core, and Sabonis does not solve every issue. In fact, Lowe noted that any team interested in him has to account for whether it can defend well enough around him.

That's where the Hornets' situation becomes complicated. Charlotte could keep both first-round picks and draft another big man rather than committing major salary and assets to Sabonis. Already on the roster are Moussa Diabaté, with his energy, rebounding and physicality, and Ryan Kalkbrenner as another true center option.

Lowe nodded to that part of the equation, noting Charlotte should have the ability to address center in the draft depending on how the board falls.

Still, the broader takeaway is important. National NBA voices are talking about Charlotte as a team with options. The Hornets are no longer being discussed strictly as a rebuilding team waiting years for its young players to develop.

Indeed, the Charlotte Hornets have enough talent to be interesting, enough picks to be aggressive, and enough of a frontcourt need to keep showing up in trade speculation.

Sabonis may or may not be the right player. The price may or may not make sense. But the conversation itself says something about where Charlotte sits entering the offseason.

For the first time in a while, the Hornets have the assets and the roster base to at least make people wonder if a bigger swing is coming.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

Add us as a preferred source on Google