Charlotte Hornets Planning Another Trade Using Josh Okogie's $8.3 Million Salary

The Charlotte Hornets recently made a move by trading big man Nick Richards and a second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns, getting Josh Okogie and three second-round picks in return. But according to Marc Stein, the Hornets don't plan to keep Okogie around long-term, so they are planning another trade centered around the forward in the coming weeks.

"I've heard a team or two react quizzically to how the Hornets fared in the Richards deal."

"They naturally had little interest in a trade that would have forced them to absorb Jusuf Nurkic's contract — as Phoenix originally hoped — but one follow-up question that has been circulating is thought-provoking: Did Charlotte just pay $3 million for two second-round picks?"

"The Hornets, you see, took back Josh Okogie's $8.3 million salary for Richards' $5 million deal… which also happened to reduce the Suns' luxury-tax bill by more than $20 million. But Charlotte also sent one second-round pick to Phoenix while receiving three, bringing its net return for Richards to two future second-round picks and $3 million in additional salary on this season's books."

"Charlotte, mind you, might have another move planned with Okogie before the deadline to expand on its Richards return."

Clearly, the math of the deal doesn't add up in terms of benefit to the Hornets. Why would they absorb $3.3 million more in salary from the Suns, along with just two second-round picks? They are building some capital, and these assets are not ones that they plan to keep around the team long-term.

One has to wonder who the Hornets could realistically target with Okogie's $8.3 million salary, especially as their team has struggled in the Eastern Conference, despite the initial strong performances from LaMelo Ball. Whoever they land, he has to be enough of a game-changer to help them turn things around.

Hornets Struggling With Their Rebuild

This year marks the fifth season since the Hornets drafted LaMelo Ball with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Compared to how other teams in the NBA have built around star players from the 2020 NBA Draft class, the Hornets clearly have not done a good job.

Superstars like Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, who were all selected in the same class, have had their teams built around them, and have been able to deliver success to their franchises, taking them to the Conference Finals at least once in the last five years.

Even a player like Tyrese Maxey, who was selected late in the first round by the 76ers, has established himself as a superstar in the NBA and found a lot of playoff success. Meanwhile, LaMelo Ball has not made any kind of impact in the playoffs since joining the Hornets.

While he has earned a Rookie of the Year win and an All-Star selection in 2022, he hasn't converted the Hornets to a team of winners, especially due to his injury problems. During his Hornets career, Ball has averaged 21.2 points, 7.4 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.6% from the field, 36.5% from the three-point line, and 83.5% from the free-throw line.

Things must improve soon, which is why the Hornets might be trying to get him some help with a trade before the February 6th deadline.