If the NBA trade deadline were today, would the Charlotte Hornets make some moves? They probably would, because they have assets to play with (namely, some expiring contracts), and they’re not as competitive as they’d like to be, thanks to key injuries.
They would probably trade Collin Sexton or Pat Connaughton, but what about something bigger, something much more impactful? Bleacher Report analyst Zach Buckley thinks there is a move they could make that would be a whole lot bigger.
Hornets mock trade flips Miles Bridges for Kyle Kuzma
Feb 3, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) pulls up to shoot a jumper against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
As Zach Buckley put it, the start of the season has been “brutal” in Charlotte. They’re suffering major injuries to key stars LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller (stop me if you’ve heard that before). Things aren’t quite bad enough, the insider estimates, for Charlotte to offload Ball, especially because they’ll want more back than teams might offer now.
Still, there is a blockbuster move the Hornets can make: Miles Bridges for Kyle Kuzma and a 2032 first-round pick swap (top three protected). Bridges doesn’t carry a ton of value, but the Hornets would get back a decent player and would probably end up with a much better pick in 2032 as a result. It’s not a huge needle-mover, but it does shake things up.
“The Hornets don’t have many other movable players, but maybe a desperate suitor could see value in Bridges, who has leveled up as a three-point shooter (3.2 makes per night with a 38.1 percent splash rate) while posting career-highs in points (22) and assists (4.0),” Buckley wrote.
Those numbers could “pique the interest” of a Milwaukee team endlessly trying to appease Giannis Antetokounmpo and keep him from asking for a trade, then the Hornets “should pounce” on this deal. With how uncertain the future is in Milwaukee beyond Antetokounmpo, this could be a big win.
“And who knows, maybe getting back into a lower-stakes situation could up Kuzma’s production to the point that a different desperate suitor winds up seeking him out down the line,” Buckley concluded. If nothing else, he’s probably not that big of a downgrade from Bridges, and he has playoff experience as an NBA champion.
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