Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson may still keep his team open for trades following Nick Richards’s exit. Rumors surrounding the availability of Hornets players have circulated for a few weeks now, Richards being one of them. He was linked to a few teams, but the Phoenix Suns appear to have landed their man. As for the Hornets, there could be more to come.
Hornets Intend to Keep Trade Market Doors Open
Hornets’ Jeff Peterson Will Keep His Ears Open In Trade Market
With Richards being shipped to Phoenix, LaMelo Ball is left as Charlotte’s next hottest name in the rumor mills. Ball is having a wild season for many reasons, some excellent, others almost nutty. Case in point: the amount of shots he’s jacking up this season, but that’s for another story. Ball has also been linked to various teams in possible trade scenarios, and the Hornets organization hasn’t exactly made a stand that they won’t listen to offers.
Peterson, who just dealt away an excellent center in Richards, stated afterward that he is receiving calls on several of his players. We’ll have to wait and see if Ball becomes a realistic trade piece in the coming weeks. Peterson, however, will keep listening.
“We’ve received calls on multiple of our players,” Peterson said, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “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 jell 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.”
The Future In Mind
Interestingly, Ball was always considered “the future” in Charlotte. However, that tune appears to have slightly shifted this season. If the Hornets do indeed trade Ball this season, or at the latest, next offseason, their future will have to restart with another. Ball is as exhilarating as it gets, but he’s not someone who will lead a franchise to NBA title glory as a number one option. That being said, Ball is, without question, valuable, considering his natural gifting and skill. Still, the Hornets may put those things aside and go down another avenue.
Peterson spoke to sustainability as being the mindset of the Hornets organization. Flip-flopping in and out of the playoffs doesn’t fall in line. Frankly put, Charlotte has been one of the NBA’s worst franchises for years. Peterson seems to hint at discovering a new direction to build a team that competes consistently rather than sporadically. That’s why moving Ball is the best move for Charlotte, partly because they would receive a significant return. With Richards the first major domino to fall, who could be next? As the calls keep coming in, Charlotte could be a fixture in the trade market over the next few weeks.
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