Charlotte Hornets Open to More Trades After Richards Deal

The Charlotte Hornets recently made headlines by making a deal with the Phoenix Suns. They traded center, Nick Richards, to the Suns along with three second-round draft picks in exchange for Josh Okogie and a second-round draft pick. Richards is a promising big man who is adept at protecting the rim. However, the Hornets are a team who have been rebuilding for a long time meaning almost any player is available when trade talks occur. However, the Hornets appear to have a vision for the future and are reportedly open to other trades as the NBA Trade Deadline draws closer and closer. 

Charlotte Hornets Focused on Success Long-Term 

Jeff Peterson’s Comments

Front office leader for Charlotte, Jeff Peterson, recently talked about the possibility of more trades occurring down the line. 

“We’ve received calls on multiple of our players,” Peterson said. “Nick Richards, we received multiple calls on him. We have good players. I think some of the injuries from a synergy standpoint have made it really tough to gel and see what this group can do.

“But, yeah, I think at this point, look, we are going to listen to everything. We are not going to do anything to compromise the future, but we are going to do what’s best for the organization that we see going forward in order to be sustainable going forward.”

Peterson also talked about establishing sustained success later down the road. 

“I have zero interest in making the playoffs for one year, and then being out for the next four or five, and then in for two and out again after that,” Peterson said. “So, we want to again build something that has sustainability to it. So, at the same time, we’ve got to continue to take advantage of deals like this that’s adding picks to our treasure chest, if you will, or whatever it may be for us to have that optionality.”

As of January 16th, 2025, the Hornets are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a win-loss record of 9-28. Still, they have some young pieces on the roster who could blossom into solid talents in the future or be utilized in other potential trade packages. 

Key Players Still on the Charlotte Hornets Roster 

On the current roster, the Hornets do have some enticing players. LaMelo Ball is the clear star of the team. He is probably the only player that is probably untouchable (other than Brandon Miller potentially) in possible trades. Other key players the Hornets possess include Miller, Tre Mann, and Mark Williams. All in all, don’t be surprised to see the Charlotte Hornets remain active on the trade market. Especially with the NBA Trade Deadline in February drawing closer.