Charlotte Hornets key reserves see decrease in playing time as prospects shine, trade deadline nears

Nick Richards and Vasilije Micic played season lows in minutes on Sunday night.

Matt Alquiza | Jan 5, 2025

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets got pushed around by the big bad bullies of the Eastern Conference on Sunday night. Cleveland, now 31-5 on the season, had their way with the Hornets big men in the first half of their most recent matchup.

Charlotte's interior struggles caused head coach Charles Lee to pull a seldom used rip cord as he summoned veteran forward Taj Gibson off the Hornets bench for his first meaningful action in weeks. Gibson's valiant spirit failed to impact the stat sheet as Cavs big men Allen and Mobley finished the contest combining for 36 points and 16 rebounds on 15-23 shooting, dominating Charlotte's front line with relative ease.

The biggest story from the interior shredding of Cleveland was the lack of minutes for backup center Nick Richards. Mark Williams steady return to form has coincided with a stark decrease in minutes for Richards who has regressed since manning the paint with a vengeance during Williams' early season absence.

Richards' lack of minutes on Sunday (he finished with eight minutes played, his lowest tally of the year) is telling as the trade deadline approaches.

Could Charlotte move off of Nick Richards in the coming weeks?

The former Kentucky Wildcat's name has been mired in trade talks since Charlotte selected him in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft. Richards' high-end size (7'0", 245 lbs) and solid two-way play make him an intriguing gamble for a contender ahead of the February 6th trade deadline. Western Conference teams are slated to face a supersized gauntlet of Nikoja Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, and Anthony Davis on their potential path to an NBA title, making reserve size paramount for those with championship expectations.

In this author's opinion, teams like Golden State, Houston, and the Los Angeles Lakers could all be considered suitors for Richards' services.

When looking at the Sunday night box score, another player's low minutes total sticks out.

Vasilije Micic was short on playing time upon LaMelo Ball's return, Nick Smith Jr.'s hot hand

Vasilije Micic amassed five minutes on Sunday night, a season low for a player who had become an integral part of Charles Lee's rotation after being squeezed out early in the season.

Sunday's loss to Cleveland marks the second straight game Micic has ceded time in the back court to a promising Hornets' prospect. On Friday night K.J. Simpson closed the game in Micic's stead, and on Sunday, both Simpson and Nick Smith Jr. were Lee's preferred options ahead of the veteran Serb.

Nick Smith Jr. stole the show against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The mercurial second round pick shined in his first extended NBA action since December 7th (coincidentally the last time Charlotte took on Cleveland), pouring in 18 points on 7-12 shooting. Smith Jr., still only 20-years-old, unleashed an array of dribble moves and and a metronomically smooth jumper as he kept the Hornets offense afloat in the second and third quarters, earning his role as the preferred option ahead of the veteran Micic.

Like Richards, Micic's name has been floated in trade talks since the summer. Could a reunion with fellow countryman Nikola Jokic be in the cards? Could a trip to Minnesota to back up Mike Conley Jr. be on the menu? Time will tell, but if tonight's blip turns into a trend, Micic's name will continue to simmer on the hot stove ahead of February 6th.