1 Easy Trade the Charlotte Hornets Can Pull Off to Change Playoff Outlook

For once, the Charlotte Hornets don't have a glaring need that needs to be addressed. Sure, they have potential upgrades up and down the roster, but that doesn't mean they need to attack those issues right now.

They could use a backup point guard, but Collin Sexton has been more than serviceable. They could use a power forward with some actual size, but they're doing just fine with Grant Williams, Miles Bridges, and Tidjane Salaün there.

They don't have world-beaters at center, but Moussa Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner have been fine. Diabaté has been quietly very good, and Kalkbrenner's a decent backup.

However, that is probably where the Hornets can most easily improve things and change the outlook for this year. A backup center won't cost much, and it would really improve things.

This is no disrespect to Kalkbrenner, who will probably be a quality role player in his career, but if the Hornets are looking to make a smaller move that will have bigger dividends, this is probably where they can do it.

There are a handful of really good centers who could be traded, including Anthony Davis (not happening), Nikola Vucevic (can you imagine the spacing with him on the floor?), and Jarrett Allen.

Those are probably either too costly or too good a player. Vucevic, an expiring contract the Chicago Bulls probably need to get some assets for, wouldn't cost much, but he's too good to bench for Diabaté, but Diabaté needs to start.

Jakob Poeltl is another good player, but he has hardly played this season. The Hornets don't need more injury woes. What about Nic Claxton, though?

The Brooklyn Nets should probably still be in asset-acquisition mode, and Claxton is probably on the outside of the age range they are building with. He's a good defender and shoots almost 58% from the floor.

He's got the size Diabaté does not. And at 26, he's not really too old to potentially be a mainstay with the Hornets. His contract is not up for a few seasons, which might increase the price.

The Hornets can package Tre Mann (a young player who could benefit from being on a team like Brooklyn) and Pat Connaughton (an expiring contract) to match Claxton's salary, and they can add the 2027 first-round pick from the Miami Heat as well as a 2030 second-round pick to get it done.

This doesn't totally deplete the reserves like an Anthony Davis deal, and it doesn't add someone who will totally change the lineup or the rotation. Claxton will be the first big off the bench, but he'll add defense that Kalkbrenner cannot and size that Diabaté just can't match.

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