NBA Trade Idea Sends 4 Lakers Players to Hornets

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report created a trade idea where the Charlotte Hornets acquire four players from the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Here is the trade idea:

The Los Angeles Lakers receive: Naz Reid, Tidjane Salaün

The Charlotte Hornets receive: Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaden Hardy, $23.3 million trade exception (Naz Reid), 2032 first-round pick swap, 2033 second-round pick

In case you missed it, Hornets head coach Charles Lee benched Reid last week against the Detroit Pistons. 

Reid, who started the game, finished with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting in 13 minutes.

"Unfortunately, [Reid] didn't meet our standards in the first half, and at halftime we made the decision that he wouldn't play in the second half," Lee said. "But I look forward to him meeting those standards come next game."

Thus far this season, Reid is putting up 15.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The veteran is shooting 39.5% from the field, 34.5% from beyond the arc and 61.1% from the free-throw line. 

For the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, Reid averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from the field, 36.2% from beyond the arc and 73.2% from the free-throw line. He recorded six double-doubles. 

Reid won the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award with the Timberwolves. He entered this season with regular-season averages of 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game and playoff averages of 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. 

Reid is making $23,275,862 this season. Multiple teams tried to acquire him after the Hornets got the talented big man from the Timberwolves in the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade. Charlotte's front office told teams Reid was not available, but will that change after Reid was benched by Lee? It's possible. 

The Hornets are 3-5, while the Lakers are 6-2. This trade idea sees Charlotte getting two young players in Carr and Thiero and two expiring contracts in Vanderbilt and Hardy. It's actually not a bad trade idea. 

The Hornets are last in the NBA in points per game, pace and offensive rating. Reid, 27, is better suited to play for a contender at this stage of his career. Charlotte is not close to competing for a championship, while Los Angeles is a title contender with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler leading the way.  

It will be interesting to see if Reid gets traded by the Hornets this season. He doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract.