Hornets could boost frontcourt by targeting Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson

The Charlotte Hornets and President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson had a strong offseason, but one thing remains clear — they still need a reliable center. The roster is loaded with guards and wings, but when it comes to the frontcourt, they’re lacking stability.

That means someone’s going to have to be moved, and one name that makes sense is Josh Green.

After the Hornets drafted Duke’s Kon Knueppel, Sion James, and UConn’s Liam McNeeley in last month’s NBA Draft, Green’s role became pretty uncertain. To make things even murkier, Peterson also traded for Colin Sexton and Pat Connaughton, which only further shrinks Green’s spot in the rotation.

This situation could make Green available on the trade market — and he might be a key piece in landing the frontcourt help Charlotte desperately needs.

Green just had surgery on his left shoulder to fix some instability, and it’s not clear when he’ll be back on the court. He can still be traded, but that injury might make things a bit tricky.

It’s unclear which teams might be interested, but one logical call for Peterson would be the New York Knicks. With Josh Hart and Karl Anthony Towns both locked in long-term, Mitchell Robinson — who’s on an expiring deal — could be expendable.

Let’s explore a potential Hornets and Knicks trade proposal.

The Hornets send Josh Green, 2026 second-round pick (Via DEN or GSW), 2028 second-round pick (Via LAC swap) and 2030 second-round pick to the Knicks for Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti.

Robinson’s trade value can be tough to pin down, but giving up Green and three second-rounders feels like a fair price for the 7-foot center. The Knicks might push for one of Charlotte’s 2027 first-round picks, but that could be too steep for the Hornets who are still in the middle of retooling.

This kind of move could really shake things up for Charlotte. Robinson would instantly fill a huge frontcourt need and give second-round pick Ryan Kalkbrenner the chance to develop off the bench.

At just 27 years old, Robinson still has plenty of upside. He’s averaged 7.8 points and rebounds per game in his career, shoots 70% from the field, and is a solid defensive anchor with 1.8 blocks per game.

This trade would give the Hornets the size and defense they’ve been missing inside, while the Knicks get some solid depth and future picks to work with. If it happens, it could really help Charlotte’s rebuild take a step forward and give New York more options down the road.

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