The Three Most Likely Hornets To Be Traded This Offseason

A roster overhaul is on its way in Charlotte.

Jan 1, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) controls the / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

There’s new ownership in town and a new coach on the way, which only means one thing; more roster changes are coming. With just 21 wins this past season, new management is here to set the precedent that there needs to be immediate changes. Here’s some names that could be on the trade block heading into the off-season.

1) Nick Richards

You might question why Nick Richards on this list, as he had a solid statistical season for the Hornets stepping up into a larger role than expected. Richards' on court production combined with his tradable contract (2 years $10 million) makes him one of the most tradeable contracts.

Richards averaged career highs in points per game (9.7), rebounds per game (8.0), and field goal percentage (69.1%). The center from Kentucky saw the most minutes on the floor of his four-year career averaging over 26 minutes per game.

It’s unclear what the value would entail across the league for the 26-year-old, there was certainly some reported interest at the trade deadline. However it could be a road the Hornets choose to explore if they add a big to the roster via the draft or free agency.

However, don’t expect Richards to be involved in any deals if Mark Williams isn’t fully healthy. Williams’ health will play a role in dictating the future of Richards in Charlotte.

2) Cody Martin

Cody Martin's career couldn't have gone worse since signing a four-year deal worth $32 million in the summer of 2022. Appearing in just 35 games across the past two seasons, the 28-year-old had been battling a knee, hip and ankle injuries.

Martin appeared to have overcome his injury issues this year appearing in 28 games before suffering another season ending injury, this time an ankle sprain. On the season, Martin achieved averages of 7.5 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Despite the impressive counting stats, he struggled mightily from the field shooting just 38.4% from the field and 31.4% from three.

Before the injury, in the 2021-2022 season, Martin shot the ball well from the field as he shot 48.2% from the field and 38.4% from three.

A multitude of factors could’ve played into Martin’s struggles this season. For instance, there is the rust factor after not playing for practically a full year, as well as, having to take more of an offensive role due to the Hornets’ lack of depth and injuries.

There’s one thing you know you will get when Cody Martin steps onto the floor and that’s his defensive impact. The stats never tell the story when it comes to his defense, but Martin averaged 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.

Cody Martin is an important piece to the team when healthy, but there’s obvious concern with his offensive game and recent injuries. Will the Hornets look to trade the 28-year-old forward this upcoming summer given his lack of reliability to be on the floor?  I believe it’s a real possibility.

3) Bryce McGowens

McGowens, who was drafted in the 2nd round in the 2022-2023 season, has yet to make an impact with the Hornets. After a promising rookie season where McGowens showed intriguing flashes of scoring from the wing, many thought he would take another step forward.

Despite more opportunity, it was clear early in the season he was going to struggle. McGowens statistics look okay, but the eye test tells a different story. His impact was often missing for long stretches of the game, with defensive mistakes littered all over his film.

After the deadline Clifford opted to cut McGowens from the rotation completely, opting for Tre Mann and Leaky Black minutes over the sophmore guard. With Curry returning next year, Mann and potential additions through the draft and free agency, his path for minutes look limited.

Of the young players, Nick Smith Jr may have shown to have a better chance of receiving minutes next year than Bryce McGowens. Ultimately meaning that now is the time for the Hornets to look to trade McGowens.

In 14 games as starter this season, McGowens averaged 9.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, while shooting 46.7% from the field. Those numbers are solid enough to maybe generate some interest from other teams in the summer.