Charlotte Hornets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hornets Cut Ish Smith, Frank Ntilikina

February 8th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have officially waived veteran guards Ish Smith and Frank Ntilikina, the team announced today in a press release. Charlotte has now cut three backcourt players since the trade deadline, having also parted ways with James Bouknight.

The Hornets needed to make a series of cuts in order to accommodate their deadline deals. Dropping Smith and Ntilikina allowed the team to take on three players while sending Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City.

A journeyman who has played for 13 teams across 14 NBA seasons, Smith was the Hornets’ primary backup point guard this season, averaging 3.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game across 43 appearances (five stats). The 35-year-old shot 41.8% from the field.

Ntilikina was initially expected to be LaMelo Ball‘s backup this season, but leg and hip issues have sidelined him for nearly the entire 2023/24 campaign. He played only 43 minutes across five games for Charlotte prior to his release.

Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic, acquired from the Thunder in the Hayward trade, figure to get a shot to earn regular playing time at the point.

Smith and Ntilikina will both become free agents and will be able to sign with any team this weekend once they clear waivers. The Hornets will remain on the hook for their matching $2,019,706 (minimum-salary) cap hits.

Thunder Acquire Gordon Hayward From Hornets

February 8th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

9:57pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Hornets. Charlotte received Bertans, Mann, Micic, and second-round picks in 2024 and 2025 in exchange for Hayward.

The Thunder announced in their own press release confirming the deal that the 2024 second-rounder is Houston’s and the 2025 second-rounder is Philadelphia’s. Oklahoma City also said it sent cash to Charlotte in the swap.

The Hornets waived guards Ish Smith and Frank Ntilikina to make room on their roster for the incoming players.

1:04pm: The Hornets will receive a pair of second-round picks from the Thunder in the deal, reports ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link).

11:17am: Oklahoma City will include Vasilije Micic in the deal for salary-matching purposes, Charania tweets. The 30-year-old point guard makes $7.7MM this season and next year, with an $8.1 team option for 2025/26. Charlotte will also receive draft compensation, Charania adds.

The trade will leave the Thunder $6.9MM below the tax threshold with two open roster spots, Gozlan notes (Twitter link).

9:54am: The Thunder are nearing a deal for Hornets forward Gordon Hayward, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Tre Mann and Davis Bertans will be sent to Charlotte in return, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Hayward’s contract includes a 15% trade bonus that will adjust his salary from $31.5MM to about $33.3MM tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. That would move Oklahoma City into luxury tax territory unless Hayward opts to waive part of the bonus, but there’s been no indication yet that he will agree to that. Gozlan notes that Hayward is eligible for an extension of up to two seasons through the end of June.

The Thunder will have to take back more money for the deal to be finalized, points out Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Bertans is making $17MM this season and Mann is at $3.2MM, which isn’t enough to match Hayward’s salary.

The 33-year-old Hayward brings a veteran presence to a young OKC team that has exceeded expectations this year. Injuries have limited him to 25 games, but he has been productive when he’s been able to play, averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 46.8% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range.

Bertans, a 31-year-old power forward, is headed for his fourth team in the last three years. The veteran sharpshooter has been out of the Thunder’s rotation all season, with minimal playing time in 15 games. He holds a $5.25MM guarantee on his $16MM salary for 2024/25.

Mann, a third-year point guard, has seen limited action in 13 games this season. He was selected with the 18th pick in the 2021 draft and is under contract for one more season at $4.9MM.

Mavericks Acquire P.J. Washington From Hornets

February 8th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:43pm: The deal is official, according to press releases from both teams. The Hornets’ announcement indicates that the two draft picks they sent to Dallas are second-rounders in 2024 and 2028.

Charlotte’s lone 2024 second-round selection is Boston’s pick, so that will presumably be the one headed to the Mavericks. The Hornets own the Clippers’ 2028 second-rounder as well as their own, so it’s unclear which of those was included in the deal.

The Hornets didn’t announce in their press release which player they waived to complete the one-for-two trade, but an earlier report stated that James Bouknight was being let go.

12:07pm: The Hornets will send P.J. Washington to the Mavericks in exchange for Grant Williams, Seth Curry and a first-round pick, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The pick will be Dallas’ 2027 selection, which will be top-two protected, Charania adds (Twitter link). In return, the Mavs will get two second-rounders from Charlotte.

Dallas was willing to part with its last tradeable first-rounder so it could keep Josh Green out of the deal, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Washington provides Dallas with a reliable frontcourt scorer on a manageable long-term contract. He’s signed through the 2025/26 season with annual salaries of $16.8MM, $15.5MM and $14.1MM and has a bonus of $500K if he plays at least 74 games or 2,400 minutes, which is considered unlikely, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old forward has been with Charlotte since being selected with the 12th pick in the 2019 draft. He was used mainly off the bench this year after starting last season and was averaging 13.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 44 games.

The Mavericks find a way to move off the four-year deal they gave Williams last summer in a sign-and-trade with Boston. He’s making $12.4MM this year and is owed $13MM, $13.6MM and $14.2MM over the next three seasons. Williams, 25, hadn’t provided the fit that Dallas was hoping for and was averaging just 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per night.

Curry, who heads to his hometown in the trade, is effectively an expiring contract as his $4MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed. The 33-year-old shooting specialist appeared in 36 games after signing with the Mavericks last summer, but was averaging just 4.3 PPG and playing 12.7 minutes per night.

Hornets To Cut James Bouknight

February 8th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have decided to part ways with former lottery pick James Bouknight, who will be placed on waivers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Charlotte has to make multiple cuts today, since the team agreed to trade Gordon Hayward for three players and P.J. Washington for two.

The 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Bouknight never developed into a reliable rotation player for the Hornets, averaging 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game across 79 career appearances. His shooting line during that time was just .363/.335/.762.

Bouknight also had some legal troubles after making his NBA debut and has battled injuries. The 23-year-old underwent surgery to repair a meniscus injury in his left knee in October, which delayed his debut this season.

The Hornets declined their fourth-year option for 2024/25 on Bouknight, so he’s on an expiring contract and will count against Charlotte’s cap for $4.57MM in ’23/24. The team won’t be on the hook for any money for him beyond this season.

Bouknight will be eligible to sign with any team after clearing waivers.

Scotto’s Latest: Mavs, Washington, Grimes, Pacers, Hornets, Hyland, More

February 8th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks and Hornets have discussed various P.J. Washington trade concepts that include a future first-round pick from Dallas, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, if Charlotte is going to agree to take back Richaun Holmes, who holds a $12.9MM player option for next season, in exchange for Washington, the Hornets want that Dallas first-rounder to be unprotected. The Mavs have resisted that idea so far, Scotto writes, adding that Seth Curry has also been part of those trade discussions between the two teams.

While Scotto doesn’t say that Grant Williams has come up in the trade talks between the Mavs and Hornets, he suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise if that’s the case, since Dallas has talked about Williams with multiple teams already.

In addition to Washington, the Mavs have expressed interest in Raptors wing Bruce Brown and Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, among others, Scotto reports. League sources tell HoopsHype that Dallas explored acquiring Grimes in exchange for a package headlined by Josh Green, but New York turned down the proposal.

Here’s more from Scotto, with just hours to go until Thursday’s trade deadline:

Although Buddy Hield is considered Indiana’s top trade candidate, rival executives think the Pacers might move some of their frontcourt depth, with Obi Toppin and Jalen Smith among the players believed to be available, Scotto writes. Lottery pick Jarace Walker, on the other hand, remains off limits based on what the Pacers are telling other clubs, league sources tell HoopsHype.
The Hornets have expressed interest in Bones Hyland, according to Scotto, who says the Clippers are seeking a pair of second-round picks in exchange for the third-year guard.
Despite some speculation that the Nets are interested in D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn hasn’t had any “substantive” talks with the Lakers and/or Hawks about getting involved in a potential Dejounte Murray trade to acquire Russell, Scotto reports.
The Pistons and Grizzlies continue to talk about a possible Killian Hayes trade, with second-round draft compensation serving as the sticking point, per Scotto.

Miles Bridges Tells Hornets He Won’t Approve Any Trade

February 8th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Miles Bridges has decided to veto any trade and will remain with the Hornets for the rest of the season, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link). The news was confirmed by Bridges’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.

The move means Bridges will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and will retain his Bird rights, which he would have lost if had been dealt to another team. Bridges is one of a handful of NBA players with the ability to turn down trades because he re-signed with his team on a one-year contract last summer.

The Bird rights issue and Bridges’ legal difficulties combined to limit his value on the trade market. Bridges received a 30-game suspension for a 2022 domestic violence incident and has a pending court appearance in March for allegedly violating a protection order.

Bridges has said several times that he prefers to remain in Charlotte, including Wednesday night in a post-game session with reporters, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Bridges posted his second straight 40-point game and has been a valuable weapon for the rebuilding Hornets.

Even if Bridges doesn’t re-sign with Charlotte, the team could potentially get a better return for him this summer in a sign-and-trade deal, tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Bridges didn’t play in 2022/23, so the Hornets weren’t permitted to sign and trade him last offseason.

Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Sixers, Bogdanovic, Burks, Celtics, Hayward, More

February 8th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Both the Knicks and Sixers have had trade conversations with the Pistons about the possibility of acquiring both Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Ian Begley of SNY.tv hears that Detroit sought forward Tobias Harris in those conversations about Bogdanovic, noting that Harris has been a player Philadelphia is reluctant to trade. Fischer doesn’t specifically mention Harris, but says the 76ers made “no progress” in their talks with the Pistons, whereas the Knicks are believed to still be engaged with Detroit.

This is just my speculation, but presumably the return in a trade that sends Bogdanovic and Burks to the Knicks would be built around Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract and draft compensation.

Here are a few more rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

Barring a late surprise, the Celtics may be done making moves on the trade market, says Fischer (Twitter link). Boston was expected to explore a move for a wing after acquiring big man Xavier Tillman on Wednesday, but Fischer’s report suggests there’s not optimism that the team will find another deal in the coming hours.
A source close to the situation reiterated to Marc Stein (Substack link) that Gordon Hayward won’t seek a buyout from the Hornets if he remains with the team through the deadline. According to Begley, Charlotte sought a first-round pick from at least one potential trade partner that inquired about Hayward. That’s not a realistic asking price unless perhaps the Hornets were willing to take on an unwanted multiyear contract or two.
Raptors point guard Dennis Schröder is among the players the Bucks have expressed interest in, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Western Rumors: Suns, Rockets, O’Neale, Tate, Jazz, Grizzlies

February 8th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns continue to keep an eye on Nets forward Royce O’Neale and Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from league sources that Phoenix has discussed a package of Nassir Little and second-round picks for one of those two players.

As Scotto details, the Suns are hoping to find a wing and/or a frontcourt piece on the trade market and will likely be aggressive on the buyout market looking for that sort of player if they’re unable to make a deal. Phoenix will be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM, but not every player on the buyout market will fit that bill.

The Rockets, who are among the other teams with interest in O’Neale, have sought either a late first-round pick or multiple second-rounders to part with Tate, league sources tell Scotto. Aaron Holiday is another Houston player who has generated trade interest.

If the Rockets were to acquire draft assets for a player like Tate or Holiday, they could ultimately flip those picks for another rotation player, Scotto writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference in advance of today’s trade deadline:

Scotto hears from multiple executives who have explored trading for Kelly Olynyk that the Jazz are seeking draft compensation — ideally a first-round pick. Another potential Utah trade candidate, Kris Dunn, appears likely to stick with the team through the deadline unless the team gets an “unexpected” offer it can’t refuse, a league source tells HoopsHype.
The Jazz have had some talks with the Hornets about forward P.J. Washington, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says John Collins came up in those discussions.
Rival executives believe that some of the Grizzlies‘ recent first-round picks – Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia – could be trade candidates, given the emergence of cheaper youngsters like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, says Scotto. Memphis is facing a bit of a roster and cap crunch for 2024/25, so creating a bit more flexibility in both areas would help.
Suns head coach Frank Vogel said on Wednesday won’t mind if his front office decides to stand pat at the deadline, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m very in the loop with all of those conversations, but as I said (Tuesday), we love where we’re at as a team,” Vogel said. “If we don’t do anything, I’ll be really happy with the group we have, but obviously, you always look at ways to improve your team.”

Trade Rumors: Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Bridges, Mavs, Kuzma, Brown, Knicks, More

February 8th, 2024 at 6:44am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SportsCenter late on Wednesday night (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Sixers and Pistons have had recent trade discussions about players like Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that those talks “largely broke down” on Wednesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Sixers and Pistons won’t reengage on Thursday, but Philadelphia is exploring several avenues in search of size and shooting. The 76ers have also talked to the Bulls about multiple players, including DeMar DeRozan, Wojnarowski stated on the latest episode of the Woj Pod.

The challenge in trading with the Bulls, Woj explains, is that they want to remain competitive this season, so they’re not looking to sell off starters or key rotation players for draft assets. Given that position, it may be difficult for a contender to make more than a minor deal with Chicago, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) believes Philadelphia is the potential trade partner worth keeping the closest eye on for the Bulls.

Besides DeRozan, Andre Drummond is another Bulls player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Sixers. Chicago may take its Drummond talks down to the wire, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack story that the club could command multiple second-round picks for the veteran center.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Wojnarowski also indicated during his SportsCenter appearances that forward Miles Bridges is “very, very likely” to remain in Charlotte beyond the trade deadline, with the Hornets hoping to re-sign him this offseason. Stein (Substack link) has also heard that Bridges may very well stay put, despite interest from the Suns and a handful of other clubs. The 25-year-old has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he approves a move to a new team.
According to Wojnarowski (via the Woj Pod), the Mavericks‘ efforts to pry Kyle Kuzma away from the Wizards haven’t been successful, so Dallas is believed to be pivoting to P.J. Washington and will likely keep talking to the Hornets on Thursday. Stein suggests that Kuzma’s preference has been to stay in D.C. rather than seek a change of scenery, which has been a factor in Washington’s apparent reluctance to move him.
The Knicks have been willing to attach a first-round pick to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract in a trade offer for Raptors wing Bruce Brown, but they want to include one of their 2024 first-rounders (their own or Dallas’), reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto, which already controls at least two first-rounders and a high second-rounder in a 2024 draft considered to be weak, has sought a future pick, but New York wants to preserve those selections for a potential deal for a star, Grange explains.
Some teams have kicked the tires on Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, Grange reports, though he looks like a long shot to be moved. Although Dennis Schröder is a more likely trade candidate, Grange hears from a league source that the return for the veteran point guard would probably just be second-round picks at best.

Pacific Notes: Bridges, Russell, Thompson, Wiggins, Kings

February 7th, 2024 at 11:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns continue to have interest in working out a trade for Hornets forward Miles Bridges ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The problem, Rankin adds, is that Phoenix doesn’t have many assets available and hasn’t made much progress with an offer of Nassir Little and second-round picks.

Matching Bridges’ salary won’t be an issue because he’s making just $7.9MM this season after accepting Charlotte’s qualifying offer last summer. He would be a short-term rental, Rankin adds, because the Suns aren’t in a financial position to re-sign him when he reaches free agency in July.

Rankin notes that Phoenix is currently $21.5MM over the luxury tax line with an estimated $50.6MM tax bill and is projected to be a second-apron team next season. The Suns have trade exceptions worth $6.5MM and $5MM, but the deadline will present their final chance to send out cash and aggregate salaries in a deal.

The market for Bridges has been limited because of his legal issues, which include a domestic violence incident in 2022 that resulted in a 30-game suspension, as well as a pending court appearance next month for allegedly violating a protection order. He has been productive this season, averaging 21.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 38 games, and scored a career-high 45 points tonight in what could be his final appearance in a Hornets’ uniform.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Coach Darvin Ham believes the Lakers are in a “great space” heading into deadline day, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The team is back home and brimming with confidence after going 4-2 on its annual Grammys road trip. Price shared a quote from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who said Wednesday on NBA Today that trade speculation surrounding the team, and D’Angelo Russell in particular, seems to have calmed down. “Their calculus has changed in recent weeks with the reemergence of D’Angelo Russell as their point guard,” Wojnarowski said. “Maybe three weeks to a month ago, he was very available. And I think the Lakers thought there might be some opportunities to upgrade on him. That isn’t the case right now. Players who the Lakers have had interest in: Dejounte Murray, Bruce Brown, specifically with Brown, it’s really hard for them to make the money work on a trade without putting D’Angelo Russell in. And that doesn’t make sense for them.”
Klay Thompson declined to address trade possibilities after tonight’s game, telling reporters, “I don’t partake in NBA discourse,” tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Asked if he still wants to remain with the Warriors long-term, Thompson responded, “That is correct. Good assessment.” Addressing his own trade prospects, Andrew Wiggins expressed his love for Golden State’s “fans, coaches, organization, teammates,” Slater adds (Twitter link).
James Ham of Kings Beat expects a quiet deadline in Sacramento as the Kings‘ rumored interest in Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma hasn’t led to productive negotiations.