How the Hornets can totally reshape their roster with shocking mock trades

The Charlotte Hornets roster is not very good. LaMelo Ball is a borderline superstar, although some would argue he's not a winning player and that he only has empty stats on a bad team. Brandon Miller is a rising star, but he's played around 100 NBA games. The roster otherwise is pretty barren and not built to win. It needs an overhaul, and the Hornets could easily reset with a few massive moves this offseason.

Let me state unequivocally that this won't happen. Maybe the Hornets do feel that their roster needs a full reset. They still wouldn't do something like this. They'd trade some of their key players, but they would not get rid of three of their four most important pieces in one offseason. Still, it's one way to pull off a truly hard reset.

First up is LaMelo Ball. The Hornets don't want to part with him, but if they're really resetting, he is probably going to go, leaving Brandon Miller as the younger, cheaper centerpiece. Ball would be highly sought-after, but he's particularly needed in Houston.

To get Ball, they'd have to part with a package that starts with Jabari Smith. Smith, a strong defender and capable shooter at power forward, would be an excellent running mate for Miller. The Hornets would take on Dillon Brooks to match salary, also getting Brooklyn's 2027 first-round pick and Phoenix's 2029 first-rounder, with Charlotte sending a couple of future second-round picks to sweeten the deal.

Next up is Mark Williams. Williams' value is hard to pin down, but it's somewhere less than a rookie and a future first with a pick swap. The Lakers still need him more than most teams, so Jeff Peterson can call and give Rob Pelinka an earful while offering him a new deal.

The Hornets want Dalton Knecht, so in this mock trade, they land Knecht and the 55th pick in 2025 (LA is fairly asset-poor at this point) for Williams. It gives the Hornets a longer rookie contract and a true shooter.