Nick Smith Jr.'s emergence has highlighted Vasilije Micic's recent struggles

Nick Smith Jr. has been balling out for the Charlotte Hornets as of late.

Matt Alquiza | 16 Hours Ago

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In this story:

Charlotte Hornets

Nick Smith Jr. has been balling out for the Charlotte Hornets as of late.

The second-year point guard has been returned from the G-League with a newfound lease on life and an improved game that has bolstered a listless Hornets' bench unit. Tre Mann and Grant Williams' long-term absences have opened up a massive void on Charlotte's bench that has been desperately been looking for a bucket-getter. Smith Jr. has a long way to go to fully fulfill that role, but recent returns are promising.

In Tuesday night's sterling fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns, Smith Jr. was tasked with keeping the Hornets' offense afloat for a six minute stretch in which All-Star hopeful point guard LaMelo Ball received a deserved rest. He delivered with a pair of rebounds, an assist, and a dagger three-pointer that extended the Hornets' lead to double digits with 11 minutes to go.

As Smith Jr. gets more comfortable with Charlotte's senior club, a veteran option in the back court continues to get further phased out ahead of the February 6th trade deadline.

Vasilije Micic has become expendable

Charlotte Hornets guard Vasilije Micic (22) dribbles against Detroit Pistons guard Wendell Moore Jr. (14)

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Offense has been hard to come by for Vasilije Micic as of late.

The Serbian playmaker has connected on three of his last 27 shot attempts, and has as many turnovers (11) as made shots (11) in the Hornets six games since Christmas. Charlotte's offensive struggles don't fall solely on the shoulders of Vasilije Micic, the team's issues run deep, but he has been a net negative for a large chunk of the season.

Micic is in the 5th percentile across the NBA in points per shot attempt and in the 17th percentile in turnover percentage. You'd expect the complete opposite from a 30-year-old former EuroLeague MVP that looked like the perfect backup point guard for LaMelo Ball down the stretch of last season.

The emergence of Nick Smith Jr. and the impending return of Tre Mann make Micic expendable ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. In a lost season that has become more focused on player development than a playoff push, it's time for Vasilije Micic to cede minutes to younger options like Smith Jr., Mann, and K.J. Simpson.

What is Micic's trade value?

Parsing Micic's value across the league is a difficult task. A handful of Western Conference contenders (Houston, Minnesota, and Memphis come to mind) could benefit from a veteran presence in their exuberantly youthful back courts, but what type of return can Charlotte really expect for a player of Micic's caliber?

His recent struggles may have tanked his value, but somebody will talk themselves into the pros of Micic's game. At his best, the veteran is a steady, connective influence on offense that can keep things moving when surrounded by adequate talent. Most of his struggles with Charlotte can be boiled down to the lack of available shot creators on the Hornets, a roster contruction issue that Micic isn't talented enough to overcome.

Realistically, Charlotte's compensation in a Micic trade will look like a protected second round pick or two. Including Vasa's salary as filler in a larger deal centered around some combination of Miles Bridges, Nick Richards, Cody Martin, or Josh Green would elevate that return, but a straight up trade for the Hornets' primary backup point guard will be slim.