How Charlotte Hornets can get involved in hypothetical Anthony Davis mega trade

In 2012, the Charlotte Hornets were absolutely robbed of a chance to draft Anthony Davis. Now, all these years later, he's still a superstar, and he's potentially available in a trade.

Could the Hornets rectify the trainwreck that was the 2012 NBA Draft by trading for Davis now? Probably not, but according to a few ESPN insiders, they could jump in as facilitators and benefit from Davis' move.

Hornets land player they wanted last year in Anthony Davis mock trade

The Hornets will forever be linked to Anthony Davis because of that infamous draft lottery. They will also be forever linked to Dalton Knecht because of the failed Mark Williams trade.

Rather ironically, the Hornets would, in a mock trade worked up by ESPN insiders Bobby Marks, Brian Windhorst, Kevin Pelton, and Tim McMahon, land Knecht as a result of a Davis trade.

Here's the full proposal:

Golden State Warriors get:
Anthony Davis
Mason Plumlee
Dallas Mavericks get:
Draymond Green
Jonathan Kuminga
Los Angeles Lakers get:
Buddy Hield
Charlotte Hornets get:
Maxi Kleber
Dalton Knecht
Cash considerations (via LAL)

"Charlotte steps in to take on Kleber's $11 million expiring contract in order to get Knecht after unsuccessfully attempting to acquire him in a rescinded deadline deal for Mark Williams," Pelton wrote.

Ultimately, the Hornets come out in a really good spot here. They add more shooting around LaMelo Ball and bring in another young piece to fill out the core, all for the low, low cost of Mason Plumlee (who is hardly playing) and taking on Kleber's contract.

The Hornets would add that $11 million salary for literally just this season. He's an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, so the Hornets would be able to easily buy him out or flip him for another asset. Either way, it's not really going to hurt to add that contract for a few months.

This is a theoretical mock trade that's never in a million years going to happen. The Warriors would never break up the Stephen Curry-Draymond Green pairing, so this is a pipe dream.

But if it did happen, this would be a dream scenario for the Hornets. There is literally no downside to doing this at all, and they come out as good as anyone in this trade. Unfortunately, as mentioned, it's highly unrealistic. We can dream, though.

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