Last-Minute Trade Ideas for Hornets' Kemba Walker, Dwight Howard, Nic Batum
The Charlotte Hornets could be among the NBA's busiest teams between now and Thursday's 3 p.m. trade deadline. Or they might sit out the swapping season and try to redirect their roster this summer.
It's tough to tell where they'll turn from their location between a rock and a hard place. Their options seem to be either stand pat with a roster that carries a contender's cost but might not make the playoffs, or trade the only true franchise player it's had since its reboot back in Buzz City.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says Kemba Walker is on the table. Hornets owner Michael Jordan says it's not that simple.
"I'm not looking to trade Kemba," Jordan told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, "but I would listen to opportunities. ... It's not like we are shopping him. We would not just give him up. I love Kemba Walker. I would not trade him for anything but an All-Star player."
Not to burst any bubbles, but the Hornets aren't getting a current star for Walker. Truth be told, they shouldn't really want one. This roster requires a radical makeover, and moving its focal point is the only way to address its multiple issues.
As Charlotte mulls over its next step, we have taken the liberty of assessing what might be available in different Walker deals.
Pacers Make Their Push
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Charlotte Hornets Receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Al Jefferson, Joe Young, 2018 first-round pick (lottery protected)
Indiana Pacers Receive: Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum
Indiana's surprising success has opened some trapdoors around the trade deadline. With a top-four seed potentially in play, the Pacers could be an aggressive buyer and risk being too loose with their future assets.
At the same time, who knows when the East will feel this wide open again, so maybe the smartest play is unloading a few of their good trade chips (just not the great ones).
Walker might be worth the risk. Indiana doesn't have a longterm answer at point guard but does have the financial flexibility to offer Charlotte as much cap relief as anyone. Doing so also lessens the need to part with significant picks or prospects, as the Pacers are only parting with a pick likely in or near the 20s and a 2015 second-rounder who still hasn't clicked.
Walker and Victor Oladipo would immediately vault up the backcourt rankings. Each has been held back by the lack of shot-creators around them, but they'd be wrecking balls together. Join forces, and they'd be just the third teammate pair each averaging at least 20 points and four assists.
A move to the Circle City could also help Nicolas Batum regain some of his lost efficiency. He's outstretched as the second option with the Hornets, but as a Pacer, he'd return to his natural all-purpose, complementary role.
If the return feels underwhelming for an All-Star—Walker went last season and had the numbers to go again—that's because it is. But this isn't about trying to recoup Walker's value as much as it is getting a chance to reset. Even if Batum is the Hornets' second-best player, his contract feels the heaviest ($49.5 million for the next two seasons, $27.1 million player option for 2020-21). This sheds it while taking back almost nothing.
Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison and Al Jefferson are guaranteed just $7.5 million next season. Do this deal, and Charlotte launches itself away from the prospect of a luxury-tax bill for a non-playoff participant. Plus, it gets an extra dart throw at the 2018 draft board—while increasing the value of its own—and a free flier on a scoring point guard who averaged 20.7 points as a college senior.
Surprise Buyers in Salt Lake City
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Charlotte Hornets Receive: Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors, Rodney Hood, 2018 first-round pick
Utah Jazz Receive: Kemba Walker, Marvin Williams, Jeremy Lamb
The Jazz are quietly close to competing for something of substance. While their 25-28 record suggests otherwise, it's a poor indicator of their ability. The same squad sitting 19th in winning percentage ranks 11th in net efficiency (plus-1.2) and ninth in point differential (plus-1.1).
Donovan Mitchell's ascension has changed everything for Utah. Suddenly, this offense has its missing go-to scorer and everything else can fall into place. The bones of a tremendous team are there, the roster just requires fleshing out. But when Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles share the floor, the Jazz perform like world-beaters (plus-8.3 net rating, would be second overall).
Now, imagine the operation with a scoring threat like Walker in place of a liability like Ricky Rubio. Plus, a stretch-shooter in Marvin Williams instead of the space-clogging Derrick Favors. Utah could take a significant step forward the remainder of this year and have at least one more crack at it, since all three incoming players are signed at least through next season.
As for the Hornets, this package presents a little of everything. There's more money going out than coming in, but this isn't really a financially driven deal.
Kevin Pelton, who presented this deal on ESPN Insider, explained:
"Utah could offer an intriguing combination of cap flexibility and talent to Charlotte. The Jazz's short-term contracts come attached to quality players; Favors would surely have some value to a third team as a rental in the final season of his deal, while Rodney Hood could be worth re-signing as a restricted free agent."
If Utah senses its return to relevance is ahead of schedule and Charlotte has some big Hood fans in the front office, this could accomplish what both clubs need it to.
Suns Hit Fast-Forward
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Charlotte Hornets Receive: Tyson Chandler, Alan Williams, Dragan Bender, Alex Len, 2018 first-round pick (top seven protected, via Miami)
Phoenix Suns Receive: Kemba Walker, Dwight Howard
Is it too soon for the Suns to buy an experienced point guard when they were forced to sell Eric Bledsoe just a few months back? Not necessarily.
Granted, the glut of under-25 talent suggests there's no reason to rush. But Phoenix will soon extend its franchise-record playoff drought to eight seasons. That's enough to test anyone's patience, especially when the rapid rises of Devin Booker and T.J. Warren seem to put the proverbial light at the tunnel's end within reach.
"There are certain core pieces that are starting to solidify," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough told Scott Bordow of azcentral sports. "I think we'd be foolish or naive to wait forever or be overly patient."
The executive was discussing 2018 free agency, when incoming assets wouldn't demand internal sacrifices. But what are the chances the Suns would sign someone better than Walker?
Defensive coaches wouldn't sleep the week before facing the Walker-Booker backcourt. Both rank among the top 10 in pull-up threes per game, move the ball effectively and stand to gain efficiency by having the other around. Walker hasn't shared the floor with a 19-points-per-game scorer since 2013-14 (Jefferson); he'd have two in the desert.
But is this enough for the Hornets? That probably hinges on how they feel about Dragan Bender (or Marquese Chriss, assuming Phoenix views them as interchangeable).
There isn't as much salary relief here—Dwight Howard is only signed through next season, Alex Len's contract is expiring, Alan Williams' is non-guaranteed—so the pot gets sweetened by a recent top-10 pick with a rare size-skill combo and a 2018 first that could land near the lottery.
Four. Team. Frenzy.
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Atlanta Hawks Receive: Darrell Arthur, Juan Hernangomez
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Will Barton, Malik Beasley, Kenneth Faried, Emmanuel Mudiay, 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected, via Denver)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Ersan Ilyasova (absorbed into cap space), 2018 second-round pick (from Denver, via Portland or Sacramento), 2019 second-round pick (top-55 protected, via Charlotte)
Denver Nuggets Receive: Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Michael Carter-Williams
We'll start by giving credit to the original architect of this deal, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale. This deal does the seemingly impossible—gets Walker to Denver without costing Jamal Murray or hosing Charlotte. There are probably too many moving parts for this all to come together, but this could satisfy everyone.
The Hawks and Mavericks are only involved to rent their cap space for assets, a practice undertaken by every shrewd rebuilder. Dallas takes home a second-rounder, Atlanta adds an intriguing 22-year-old and both have something better than they would have found with the sacrificed space.
The Nuggets exceed the wildest expectations for their point guard search. They've been connected to Collison (per Sam Amick of USA Today), Marcus Smart (per Marc Stein of the New York Times) and Cory Joseph (per ESPN's Zach Lowe). They get Kemba "Bleeping" Walker instead and only part with one player from their regular rotation (Barton, a free-agent-to-be), a first that shouldn't be in the lottery and a second.
That's phenomenal and frightening. A starting five of Walker, Murray, Gary Harris, Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic would be as complete as they come on the offensive end. Defense might be rough, but it'd be better than now (22nd) due to Walker's heady play and the length and athleticism of Batum and Michael Carter-Williams.
For Charlotte, this package wouldn't sell well with fans, but it makes the organization younger, a lot cheaper and further entrenched in this summer's draft.
Will Barton's deal is expiring, and Kenneth Faried's will be up after next year. Emmanuel Mudiay and Malik Beasley—both recent first-round selections—each has at least another season left at his rookie rate. The Hornets must want to invest in one (or both) for this to work. But there's a chance this produces multiple building blocks and the financial flexibility to construct something around them.
Cavs Throw Caution to the Wind
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Charlotte Hornets Receive: Isaiah Thomas, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, 2018 first-round pick (via Brooklyn)
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum
Somehow, this feels like both a lose-lose and a win-win.
Cleveland fails to find its coveted young, cost-controlled talent, and Charlotte gets saddled with a pair of overpriced eight-figure salaries that run beyond this season. At the same time, Walker is the best player connected to Cavs' trade talks, and the good Batum is an asset in switch-everything small ball. The Hornets snag the best pick available before a loaded draft and might be able to flip Isaiah Thomas for more assets.
Neither side gets exactly what it wants, so maybe that nixes the whole thing. But this could also be a compromise worth considering. For what's it worth, Lowe reports the two teams "have talked at least vaguely."
The Cavs are such a tricky team to trade with given their overpriced payroll. Still, the Nets' pick won't fall out of the top 10 and could leap into the top three. That's a fascinating possibility for a resetting franchise, and this trade still shaves money off the Hornets' books since Batum's deal is both the richest and the longest.
Do Walker and Batum make Cleveland the odds-on favorite to win the Finals? Of course not. But they'd make the Cavs stronger for what could be their last season with LeBron James. Rather than hoard assets in fear of his flight, they might be better off squeezing everything they can out of this group before he's gone. Walker is a really good player, and there is no guarantee the Brooklyn pick ever produces the same.
The Hornets need a new direction. Two possible top 10 picks—their own and this one—could give them that. The Cavs need high-level reinforcements if they're going to try to chase the 2018 championship. It's hard to see them finding a more talented tandem than Walker and Batum.
All statistics used courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via Basketball Insiders.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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