Charlotte Hornets Must Avoid Trade for $285 Million Star

The Charlotte Hornets have been active this offseason, retooling their roster around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.

The Hornets kicked off the offseason by selecting Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson with the 14th and 18th overall picks in the draft. They then made a blockbuster move, sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks.

Charlotte wasn't done making moves as they sent Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick (least favorable of Jazz, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, and Hornets), and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 unprotected first-round pick.

Armed with a ton of assets, the Hornets have been linked to a potential trade for Boston Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown. Brown has three years remaining on his five-year $285 million contract, and he will be making $64.9 million in the final year of his deal.

The 29-year-old All-Star is coming off a great 2025-26 season as he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and a steal per game, shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three.

While he is a talented player, the Hornets would be better off not trading for Brown. He has a sizeable contract and wouldn't fit well on the roster as Knueppel and Miller are already starting on the wing.

If Charlotte wants to cash in some of their draft assets to acquire a star, it would make more sense for the team to acquire a point guard or center.

Knueppel is coming off a phenomenal rookie campaign, as he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three.

Miller also played well in his third season in the league and could develop into a star, as he averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a steal per game, shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from behind the arc.

Jeff Peterson and the Hornets front office have done a great job this offseason in building for the future and should not ruin it by making a move for a star like Brown, who doesn't fit the roster.

Hornets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hornets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.