Charlotte Hornets named top landing spot for former No. 1 overall pick

After a flurry of moves last week, the Charlotte Hornets are in need of a center. Previously, they had a bit of an overflow there with Mark Williams, Moussa Diabate, and Jusuf Nurkic. Only Diabate remains after some trades, though second-round pick Ryan Kalkbrenner has joined the fray.

That doesn't give the Hornets any offense at the five spot, and it gives them two players who don't have a ton of NBA experience. Kalkbrenner has none, and Diabate hasn't played starter minutes very much over his short career. They need a cheap veteran center now.

Enter DeAndre Ayton, a player who has been connected to Charlotte in trade talks for some time now. The Portland Trail Blazers are about to buy him out, making him a free agent. The Hornets couldn't really ask for better timing on that, and Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey thinks Charlotte is one of the best landing spots.

He noted that it suddenly seems like the Charlotte Hornets have one of the "most exciting young cores in the NBA," with shooting, versatility, and playmaking. With Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, and Liam McNeeley, there's a lot to get excited about.

"The size of each of the above should make it possible for all four to play together, but after trading Mark Williams, there's a pretty obvious need at the 5," he said. "Yes, Ryan Kalkbrenner was another one of Charlotte's picks last week, but he's a rookie and doesn't project to be a plus player on offense right away."

Bailey argued that Ayton would easily take the starting center spot, where he could be a "dynamic pick-and-roll target for Ball." Bailey also said he'd be "flanked by the three-point shooting of Miller, Knueppel, and McNeeley" to help space things out for him.

It's easy to see the vision here, especially with such a need. With two young "project" centers in the fold, Charlotte just needs a short-term bridge, and Ayton could be the best possible option. Following the buyout, he's a much more reasonable addition, too. The only problem is that that is true for all NBA teams.

Bailey said that the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Memphis Grizzlies are all good spots, too, and it's hard to imagine the Hornets being picked out of those options. They're all 2024-25 playoff teams, and a few of them were legitimate contenders.

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