Nicolas Batum Trade Shows Hornets Could Be Ready with NBA Draft Curveball

The Charlotte Hornets have almost single-handedly kept the trade world buzzing in advance of Thursday's NBA draft, first dealing the enigmatic Lance Stephenson to the Los Angeles Clippers (for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes) and acquiring swingman Nicolas Batum from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh on Wednesday.

According to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the club also agreed Thursday to send Matt Barnes to the Memphis Grizzlies for point guard Luke Ridnour.

Wojnarowski further notes that "It is likely the Hornets will waive Ridnour before his contract is guaranteed for the 2015-16 season, sources said."

Head finished spinning? Don't get too comfortable. The Hornets may not be finished mixing things up.

Player	Salary / Status
Al Jefferson	$13,500,000
Nicolas Batum	$13,125,306
Kemba Walker	$12,000,000
Marvin Williams	$7,000,000
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist	$6,331,404
Spencer Hawes	$6,110,034
Cody Zeller	$4,204,200
Mo Williams	Unrestricted Free Agent
Bismack Biyombo	$4,045,894 Qualifying Offer
Brian Roberts	$2,854,940
Luke Ridnour	Non-Guaranteed $2,750,000
P.J. Hairston	$1,201,440
Jason Maxiell	Unrestricted Free Agent
Jeffrey Taylor	$1,181,348 Qualifying Offer
Troy Daniels	$947,276

Conventional wisdom had suggested that a small forward like Stanley Johnson might be at the top of Charlotte's wish list, but the team now boasts both Batum and the less offensively inclined Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. 

Either could occupy the 4 spot in small lineups, and—per ESPN.com's Marc Stein—general manager Rich Cho believes Batum will slide over to the shooting guard spot while MKG remains at small forward.

So there should be enough minutes to go around—for now, anyway.

"We felt like we needed some more shooting and we feel like we have addressed that," Cho told reporters after acquiring Batum.

That could be a clue to the organization's thinking about the draft, but it could also foreshadow activity in the free-agent or trade markets.

As Cho added: "We are still looking to do a number of different things."

What might some of those things be—particularly in the draft-related near term? The always-tuned-in Wojnarowski offers this nugget:

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Charlotte has been intrigued with Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky with the No. 9 overall pick, league sources said. Kaminsky hasn't worked out for the Hornets, but league sources believe that owner Michael Jordan has great interest in him. Charlotte also is looking hard at Arizona's Stanley Johnson and Kentucky's Devin Booker at No. 9.

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All three of those options would satisfy Cho's ostensible interest in adding shooters. With Batum making just 32.4 percent of his three-point attempts a season ago, something of a knockdown marksman would still help.

Given the roster's latest configuration—the question is: Who makes the most sense, and where do they fit in?

The Safe Bet

Batum's addition clarifies Charlotte's remaining needs in many respects. By now, the two priorities should be getting bigger and shooting better. One man might solve both problems, and that man is Frank Kaminsky III.

Vonleh is gone, and big Al Jefferson will be an unrestricted free agent after next season. That leaves Cody Zeller and the newly acquired Spencer Hawes as the in-house interior options with the most remaining years on their current contracts. And that means there's room for Kaminsky.

Even if there weren't, the Wisconsin product would justify creating the requisite space. He has virtually unlimited range, all the more precious coming from a guy with a legitimate 7'1" frame. Kaminsky also has some pretty decent moves in the post, making him far more than a floor-spacing specialist. He averaged a well-rounded 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest as a senior—all while making an impressive 41.6 percent of his three-point attempts.

The shooting ability certainly wouldn't hurt. Paired alongside either Jefferson or Zeller, Kaminsky could frequently vacate the painted area and allow the other big to go to work inside.

Unfortunately for Charlotte, other teams almost certainly have similar designs on Kaminisky—perhaps even teams with superior draft position. A contingency plan is in order.

Player	Min	Pts	FG%	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk
Kaminsky	33.6	18.8	.547	8.2	2.6	0.8	1.5
Booker	21.5	10.0	.470	2.0	1.1	0.4	0.1
Johnson	28.4	13.8	.446	6.5	1.7	1.5	0.4
Turner	22.2	10.1	.455	6.5	0.6	0.3	2.6
Cauley-Stein	25.9	8.9	.572	6.4	1.0	1.2	1.7

Arizona's Johnson is a solid spot-up shooter with strong defensive pedigree, but the presence of Batum and MKG may make it difficult for him to find minutes early on. Otherwise, there's nothing stopping him from becoming a serviceable rotation player with the Hornets—except, perhaps, for the fact that he was apparently unwilling to work out for the team, according to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony.

But the even more appealing Plan B is Booker, who may be the best pure shooter in the draft. He only played 21.5 minutes per contest for the talented Kentucky Wildcats as a freshman, but he made 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts and could become the league's next Klay Thompson or J.J. Redick if all goes well.

Batum may be slotted in as the club's starting shooting guard, but Booker would make one heck of a sixth man for a team that ranked dead last a season ago in three-point efficiency, making just 31.8 percent of its long-range attempts. 

Any of the aforementioned prospects would likely help bring that mark up. Kaminsky makes the most sense given the franchise's short- and long-term needs in the paint. With Kemba Walker running point while Batum and MKG man the wing, the starting perimeter positions appear to be set. There's far less certainty when it comes to who joins Jefferson in the frontcourt.

Indeed, the need for another big may be stark enough for Cho and Co. to keep an eye on Texas' Myles Turner and Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein. They're more defensively oriented that Kaminsky, but one could certainly argue that either would complement Jefferson as the team's certified rim protector.

Batum may be the summer's most recognizable addition, but the No. 9 pick could make an immediate impact as well.

The Curveball Scenario

Kent Smith/Getty Images

There are assuredly no shortage of organizations who'd conceivably be interested in acquiring the Hornets' pick. It's a deep draft, and the opportunity to add a young difference-maker could convince a few clubs to part with an established veteran.

One such team is the Boston Celtics, owner of two first-round picks: the Nos. 16 and 28 overall selections. There have been multiple indications that the franchise is interested in moving up in the draft, per ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg and Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix:

And there's at least some speculation that the Hornets could emerge a suitable trade partner:

Such an exchange would make sense. While Boston beat out the Hornets for a playoff spot a season ago, Charlotte has the more veteran roster. Rather than adding a prospect who'd take time to develop, the Hornets could theoretically be more interested in some established talent.

If such talent came in the form of a Kelly Olynyk or Jared Sullinger—both Celtics big men—the Hornets could address an immediate need via trade rather than the draft itself. And they'd likely get one (or both) of Boston's picks in the process, netting valuable assets that could be kept or subsequently dealt.

Put simply, the wheeling and dealing may not be over yet. Here's how Sean Deveney of Sporting News explained the situation:

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And as Hornets general manager Rich Cho said Wednesday night, sources tell Sporting News the Hornets probably are not done [adjusting the roster]. There had already been talk about Charlotte trading its No. 9 pick in tonight's draft, but after the trades, the Hornets were flooded with calls, the assumption being that the Hornets were looking to swap youth for better-known commodities.

The Celtics and Suns have been the most ardent suitors of the No. 9 pick, a source said, eagerly courting the Hornets.

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Acquiring another veteran wouldn't just be about winning now. It would also be about adding leadership and building a winning culture, the kind of burdens one doesn't want a rookie trying to shoulder. After a disappointing 33-49 season that qualified as a step back by virtually any measure, you can't blame the Hornets for trying to accelerate progress with a more known quantity.

As good as that No. 9 selection may be, the draft inherently entails risks. And Charlotte needs a sure thing.

Perhaps someone like Kaminsky could fill that void. His four years of NCAA experience certainly wouldn't hurt. But acquiring someone with NBA experience may be even better, or—in any event—good enough to keep us guessing about the draft until the very last second.