The Charlotte Hornets could be active on the trade market this offseason.
The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA this season.
However, they still need more pieces to become a playoff contender.
With that said, NBA writer Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes the Hornets should target three players this offseason in trade talks: Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr. and Naji Marshall.
"Tari Eason is the perfect fit as a chaos agent on defense who runs the floor and drills threes," Favale wrote. "The Houston Rockets are also expensive enough to envision them entertaining sign-and-trade proposals. Charlotte will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception at its disposal, but a $15.1 million starting salary isn't poaching this type of restricted free agent.
"If the Rockets are bent on paying Eason, they might be more open to entertaining offers for Jabari Smith Jr. His offensive efficiency is all over the place, but the Houston Rockets have yet to play him alongside proper table-setters. The Hornets have no fewer than two of those (LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel), and his defensive malleability will allow head coach Charles Lee to slot him at the 4 or 5.
"Smith's contract fits nicely into Charlotte's long-term plans to boot. A five-year, $122 million seems like a lot, but it averages out to under 15 percent of the cap. That's not an allocation the Hornets need to fear as they plan around new deals for Brandon Miller (extension eligible this summer), Diabaté and, eventually, LaMelo and Knueppel.
"Pivoting to Naji Marshall is the consummate 'We need to see more before we go bigger' hedge. That is underwhelming but fine enough. Marshall can be moved around the positional spectrum on defense, and his downhill attacks will cut like a cleaver through hot butter alongside Charlotte's armory of spacers."
The Hornets have a talented core of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. Miles Bridges has one year left on his contract. Charlotte would be wise to trade him this offseason to get younger at the swingman spot.
For the Houston Rockets this season, Eason is averaging 10.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He becomes a restricted free agent this offseason.
Smith Jr., who also plays for the Rockets, is averaging 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. The third overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft will make $23.6 million next season.
Finally, for the Dallas Mavericks, Marshall is averaging 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The veteran will make $9.4 million next season in the final year of his contract.
The Hornets are clearly ascending. To make sure they don't stall, more upgrades need to happen this offseason.
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