Hornets could flip recent trade acquisition into more assets

The Charlotte Hornets just got Josh Okogie back as the primary return for Nick Richards. According to a new report, he might not be a member of the Hornets for very long. It's not uncommon for NBA trades to happen like this, with players moving to and from multiple teams via trade or even buyout.

Hornets reportedly looking at flipping Josh Okogie

"Charlotte might have another move planned with Josh Okogie before the deadline to expand on its Nick Richards return." 🤔

ℹ️ @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/a4mCF0wXM1
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 19, 2025

Per NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Hornets "might have another move planned with Josh Okogie before the deadline to expand on its Nick Richards return." A few days ago, Charlotte sent Nick Richards and a second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Okogie and three second-round picks.

Richards was one of the most sought-after bigs in the trade market given his success in Charlotte and the fact that he was expendable with Mark Williams being healthy and playing at an All-Star level. The Suns needed a big desperately, so this was probably the best return the Hornets were going to get.

That said, they're apparently looking to maximize it even further with an Okogie deal. Okogie is 26 and a pretty stout wing defender, so he should have some value. It's not likely that Charlotte nets a first-round pick for him, but they can continue stacking up second-rounders for the future.

It's unclear if the Brandon Miller situation complicates this plan. They're likely to trade Cody Martin, and without Martin and Miller (who is out with a wrist injury for the foreseeable future), their shooting guard depth and general wing depth would be dangerously low.

Okogie could fill the Martin role as a primary wing defender who doesn't add as much offensively. He could also move into the starting lineup if Martin is traded before Miller returns depending on how often Charlotte wants to start Seth Curry.

They may not have the option to flip Okogie anymore due to depth issues, but they could also bring back another wing player in a deal elsewhere to offset it and continue to expand the Richards return as Stein mentioned.

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