Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are a strange beas.t. Mostly unsure of what they want to be, and thoroughly entranced in Eastern Conference mediocrity. I’m not sure what the Hornets’ path to success is beyond hitting on a star in the draft. No free agents are clamoring to set down roots in Charlotte.
That said, the Hornets do have financial flexibility, a decent young core, and enough to look forward to. Devonte’ Graham is neat, P.J. Washington is a stud, and Miles Bridges is good for the occasional game-breaking dunk. If nothing else, Charlotte threatens to put out a moderately entertaining product most nights.
Why ruin that with Al Horford?
On a more serious note, why trade expiring contracts like Cody Zeller for Al Horford? Why tie up cap space in a 34-year-old center in his twilight years who will make no meaningful indent on the franchise’s present or future. What does Al Horford do for Charlotte? Get them a slightly worse draft pick?
Sure, the Hornets could aim to get out from under Terry Rozier’s contract, but Horford’s doesn’t look any better at this point. And, again, from Philadelphia’s side, of Rozier really a player worth trading for? He has been a negative-impact player his entire career and, despite checking a few boxes in the guard rotation, does not scream “championship-winning starting point guard!”
Both teams could very well pass. And if Philadelphia doesn’t, Charlotte probably will.