A mock trade that could help the Hornets win now and build for later

This offseason, the Charlotte Hornets will likely explore another trade featuring center Mark Williams. A few days ago, I included Charlotte in a massive three-team blockbuster deal with the Knicks and Bucks.

Today, I threw a mock trade together between just the Hornets and Bucks, with the main piece being one of the players I had Charlotte getting in the multi-team deal.

The projected trade

Bucks receive: Mark Williams, Josh Okogie

Hornets receive: Bobby Portis, 2031 1st-round pick

Why Milwaukee does it

Portis is getting older, and by trading for Williams, they land a younger center with tons of upside. Yes, he comes with major medical question marks, but if he stays healthy, he will be a key building block for the Bucks moving forward.

Also, they get a rock-solid defender who can shoot the three-ball and provide a spark off the bench in Okogie. The first-round pick may sound steep, but considering they're getting a proven player in Okogie and a potential double-double threat in Mark Williams, it's a pretty cheap ask, especially since it's years down the road.

Why Charlotte does it

The Hornets won't have to worry about the awkwardness that could exist between Williams and the other bigs on the team, or just the team in general. Portis is the type of big man Charles Lee needs to have for this offense to really gel. He can stretch the floor and knock down shots from the outside and would be an upgrade defensively from Williams, who got bullied night in and night out last season.

You could make the argument that Charlotte should target an earlier first-round pick, but they don't need to. They have seven first-round selections between now and 2030. Yes, they'll have to wait a while to get the full value out of this trade, but it's also probably the only way they're going to get a first back in a Mark Williams deal.