Charlotte Hornets reportedly in talks to trade for $224.2 million superstar

The Charlotte Hornets are probably better than most people think. When they're fully healthy, they have one of the best five-man lineups in terms of net ratings, and despite the 16-27 record, they are at a neutral point differential.

This suggests that they'll finish better than a 16-27 start implies, and it suggests they're much closer to contention than anyone expected. Could they be close enough to make a blockbuster deal and go for it?

According to one source, the answer is yes. Steve Popper of Newsday reported that the New York Knicks may move on from $224.2 million big man Karl-Anthony Towns and that the Hornets are one of three teams involved in talks.

"Whispers around the league have begun to speculate on the possibility of the Knicks moving Karl-Anthony Towns. [...] now league sources said that talks have involved other teams including Memphis, Orlando and Charlotte." 🤔 https://t.co/rkJRVzD25S pic.twitter.com/hIBGhGDBpV
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 20, 2026

While the Hornets actually don't need a center like the casual NBA fan might think they do, it's not outrageous to say they could still upgrade down low. Moussa Diabate's been quietly fantastic, but he's undersized.

How could the Hornets pull this off? The easiest way to match Towns' exorbitant salary is to give up LaMelo Ball. That alone doesn't get it done, but throwing in Josh Green (as well as some future draft picks) works.

However, I do not believe the Hornets are going to move on from Ball, even to get Towns. This core is working, and the trio of Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Ball is really something. The more likely path is to move Miles Bridges, though that makes it harder to match salaries.

Bridges, Green, and Pat Connaughton get it done financially, but that's not even close to good enough for the Knicks to pull the trigger. Towns is an All-NBA sort of player, so Charlotte would need to dig into its reserves to get this done.

Their own 2027 first-round pick, as well as the lottery-protected 2027 Miami Heat pick, might be enough to convince the Knicks to take the plunge. That would result in one of the biggest Hornets trades ever.

This would probably not be worth it, though. I get the temptation to go after a bona fide superstar, but Towns only has a 4.2 net rating this year. Moussa Diabate, at a minute fraction of the cost, is at 3.9.

Josh Green is also at 9.7, so losing him would be substantial. The Hornets would be losing one of their best bench players, moving their second-most valuable starter out of position, and spending a fortune for a minor improvement at center.

Towns can and probably will play better, but it's just not worth the investment right now, especially since the Hornets aren't exactly title contenders.

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