Former No. 2 Pick emerges as potential trade target for Hornets

Charlotte is sitting in a unique spot heading into the offseason. 

The Hornets hold three of the top 34 selections in next week’s NBA Draft, including the No. 4 overall pick, and have the flexibility to move in several different directions. Whether it’s making a pick, trading down, or getting involved in a bigger deal, Jeff Peterson has options.

Where things get interesting is in the franchise’s ability to absorb salary. 

With one of the league’s largest cap space situations, the Hornets are in a good spot to get involved in multi-team trades. That kind of flexibility could also let them take a chance on a talented young player who might just need a fresh start. 

That’s where Houston’s Jalen Green enters the picture.

NBA analyst Jake Weinbach, who’s been featured on ESPN Radio and NBC Sports, believes the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and Hornets are possible landing spots for Green if Houston and Phoenix make progress on a Kevin Durant trade.

The Suns reportedly don’t view Green as a fit next to Devin Booker, which could set the stage for a three-team deal.

Durant has three preferred destinations, and Houston is one of them. If he does land there, it could open the door to a multi-team trade that reroutes Green to Charlotte.

The framework of a deal like this would be complex, but the core idea sends Green to Charlotte—likely at the cost of Mark Williams and Miles Bridges.

For the Hornets, it could make sense. Building around LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Green, and the No. 4 pick would give the franchise a high-upside young core with real long-term potential.

One important caveat: this scenario makes far more sense if Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe is off the board.

In that case, moving back from No. 4 while acquiring Green and targeting Duke’s Khaman Maluach as a potential replacement for Williams could offer a more balanced long-term roster construction.

Green just wrapped up his age-23 season, playing a major role in the Rockets’ climb to the No. 2 seed in the West and the franchise’s first 50-win season since 2018.

The Hornets need to find a way to be more competitive and make the most of Ball and Miller’s prime years. Bringing in someone like Green could help move the needle—but whether they decide to make that kind of move remains to be seen.

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