Zion to CHA, Bridges to LAL

[MasterIchiro]

Hornets trade:
Josh Green
Salaun
Micic
Martin
'27 DAL 1st
'27 MIA 1st
'25 NOP 2nd

Between Zion and Ingram, I prefer Ingram.

The risk with Zion is injury and bad longterm money while the risk with Ingram is he leaves in free agency, but I'd rather pay for the audition knowing I am not forced to eat Ingram's contract. Both players have availability issues. Ingram has some value as an expiring contract alone. The audition could go well and he might want to re-up with Charlotte. If his demands are unreasonable given his audition, Hornets do not have to eat the new contract. Simply cut ties.

This offer gets the Pelicans under the tax and gives them a pick that's currently 32. I keep Josh Green in the deal here because I agree Grant Williams has negative value. I am adding a 2027 Pelicans/Blazers (more favorable) 2nd rounder.

This is a low risk audition for Charlotte who gets to keep all 1st round picks. Hornets still have pick 35 in the 2nd round of 2025.

Josh Green
Taj Gibson (expiring)
Micic (team option)
Martin (team option)
'27 DAL 1st
'27 MIA 1st
'25 NOP 2nd
'27 NOP 2nd

Hornets receive Brandon Ingram.

Pelicans would be way better off letting Ingram expire and walk at the end of the season.

Totally disagree.

First off, they'd be paying a luxury tax bill. It's not your money but it does belong to someone.

Next, pick 32 and the 2027 Pelicans/Blazers 2nd have monetary value as well.

As for the players Pelicans get here. Martin & Green are rotation wings who defend well. Green started for an NBA finals team.

[doogie_hauser]

Don't think Lebron would want a player with a history of domestic abuse charges and crimes like Miles Bridges as a teammate tbh.

[yosemiteben]

Probably completely unrelated, but I find it interesting that the Hornets completely redid their medical and training staff when the new owners and FO took over, and you also have their coach saying things like this:

Read on Twitter

It does feel like they are interested in positioning themselves as a viable destination for stars with injury issues.

[KembaWalker]

Don't think Lebron would want a player with a history of domestic abuse charges and crimes like Miles Bridges as a teammate tbh.

He sure doesn’t mind having him as a klient so hard to imagine he would care that much

[nzahir]

Does Bridges even help us?

Not a good 3 pt shooter

Does he play defense anymore?

[JMAC3]

--
CHA trades: Bridges, Richards, Salaun, '27 DAL 1st, '27 MIA 1st, a 2nd ('25 NOP)
CHA gets: Zion, Vincent, Theis
--

Nobody is paying this much for Zion.

Whether you like Salaun or not, he was just the 6th overall pick. Feels like he is just a toss in here, which Charlotte wouldn't do.
If he is included he needs to be valued the same as Reed Sheppard, Ron Holland, Clingan would be valued in a hypothetical trade.

Richards is top tier backup center.
The Pelicans 2nd is a near first rounder right now.
Bridges is better than just random filler.

The two firsts are fine but not with all this extra value that Charlotte is having to toss in, then on top they have to take back a bad contract in Vincent? For Charlotte, Zion might be an okay swing but this is way too much value and an easy no.

Whoever trades for Zion, I think the offer is basically 2 firsts+ filler. His contract is completely unguaranteed and there is a chance that NOP or whoever acquires him just decides to waive him in 16 months if he still isn't healthy. For NOP to get 2 future firsts for a guy that could be waived would be a massive win.

[JustBuzzin]

Don't think Lebron would want a player with a history of domestic abuse charges and crimes like Miles Bridges as a teammate tbh.

They have the same agent and literally workout together during the off-season lol

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Does Bridges even help us?

Not a good 3 pt shooter

Does he play defense anymore?

He doesn’t help at all imo. Rather have Rui efficient 12 points vs bridges ineffective 16 points.

[YayBasketball]

--
CHA trades: Bridges, Richards, Salaun, '27 DAL 1st, '27 MIA 1st, a 2nd ('25 NOP)
CHA gets: Zion, Vincent, Theis
--

Nobody is paying this much for Zion.

Whether you like Salaun or not, he was just the 6th overall pick. Feels like he is just a toss in here, which Charlotte wouldn't do.
If he is included he needs to be valued the same as Reed Sheppard, Ron Holland, Clingan would be valued in a hypothetical trade.

Richards is top tier backup center.
The Pelicans 2nd is a near first rounder right now.
Bridges is better than just random filler.

The two firsts are fine but not with all this extra value that Charlotte is having to toss in, then on top they have to take back a bad contract in Vincent? For Charlotte, Zion might be an okay swing but this is way too much value and an easy no.

Whoever trades for Zion, I think the offer is basically 2 firsts+ filler. His contract is completely unguaranteed and there is a chance that NOP or whoever acquires him just decides to waive him in 16 months if he still isn't healthy. For NOP to get 2 future firsts for a guy that could be waived would be a massive win.

Counter points: Salaun was the 6th pick in a historically weak draft. He and all those rookies you mentioned would mid to late 1st prospects in this class, yet because they were in that bad draft they have inflated rookie salaries.

How is Richards a " top tier backup Center?" A Honrets poster here has stated he's mostly terrible with very low basketball IQ, with a 2-way player now outplaying his production.

If you think they Bridges is more than just a random filler, please name which teams would trade value for him and his 3 year contract and what value would they offer? Meanwhile, they would be replacing his salary slot with a potential cornerstone piece whose skillset compliments their two exciting young players, and a soon to be expiring contract, which are valuable in this new CBA environment.

I get Z is a big injury risk, and it's probably not realistic to trade him for value before this trade deadline ( hence the pretend hypothetical trade idea on the forum for pretend trade ideas). But assuming teams could get a good look at his medicals and checks out that his body has no evidentiary chronic structural issue-- it's plausible that a team could take the gamble on his large talent in exchange for relatively minor assets.

[MasterIchiro]

Dear bottom-5 team who just lost to the bottom team, trade us your first round picks.

Pretty, please?

Totally standard.

Happens all the time.

Small market rebuild teams just looking to liquidate lightly-protected first round draft capital they literally just acquired as sellers (Rozier, PJ Washington, Hayward).

Fast-forward to the very next season and the team has the same bottom-5 standing.

POOF, magically buyers.

That is very convenient for the Pelicans.

[JMAC3]

Counter points: Salaun was the 6th pick in a historically weak draft. He and all those rookies you mentioned would mid to late 1st prospects in this class, yet because they were in that bad draft they have inflated rookie salaries.

How is Richards a " top tier backup Center?" A Honrets poster here has stated he's mostly terrible with very low basketball IQ, with a 2-way player now outplaying his production.

If you think they Bridges is more than just a random filler, please name which teams would trade value for him and his 3 year contract and what value would they offer? Meanwhile, they would be replacing his salary slot with a potential cornerstone piece whose skillset compliments their two exciting young players, and a soon to be expiring contract, which are valuable in this new CBA environment.

I get Z is a big injury risk, and it's probably not realistic to trade him for value before this trade deadline ( hence the pretend hypothetical trade idea on the forum for pretend trade ideas). But assuming teams could get a good look at his medicals and checks out that his body has no evidentiary chronic structural issue-- it's plausible that a team could take the gamble on his large talent in exchange for relatively minor assets.

So what the Hornets are just not going to value the guy they took 6th because his salary is high? Be serious if they didn't value him or his salary they would have taken someone else or traded down, they are clearly going to value him as a first rounder in a trade.

Richards is more than solid, problem is some people can't separate that he is starting cuz of injuries so instead of viewing him as a good backup they look at him as a bad starter. I can't help that people want him to be a good starter making 5 million per year, they can't see anything other than 5 inches from their face. The Pelicans pick (currently 32) plus Richards is easily worth a 1st in value.

So we are 4 firsts for Zion, then you have us sending out a decent starter plus taking back a negative contract in Vincent.

So I say again nobody is giving up 4+ firsts in Value for Zion right now.

[spankymoore7]

This Hornets team should be selling, not buying. Even if buying, this is way too high a price for (another) often injured player. Just doesn’t make any sense for Charlotte

[Texas Chuck]

Dear bottom-5 team who just lost to the bottom team, trade us your first round picks.

Pretty, please?

Totally standard.

Happens all the time.

Small market rebuild teams just looking to liquidate lightly-protected first round draft capital they literally just acquired as sellers (Rozier, PJ Washington, Hayward).

Fast-forward to the very next season and the team has the same bottom-5 standing.

POOF, magically buyers.

That is very convenient for the Pelicans.

Huge difference between buying the role players you sold off (nobody is suggesting that here for Charlotte) and buying a co-star for Ball.

Surely you can see this and not need to be so reductive?

[JMAC3]

Huge difference between buying the role players you sold off (nobody is suggesting that here for Charlotte) and buying a co-star for Ball.

Surely you can see this and not need to be so reductive?

Yeah, if the price is right I agree Charlotte could definitely be interested in landing a 3rd building block to pair with Ball and Miller. However paying 4+ firsts in value for a guy that struggles to stay healthy makes no sense. Especially since our guys already have that issue.

If the price was Bridges, Miami pick and Dallas pick I would be more interested, but just depends how much NOP want to wash their hands of the situation.

[Rich4114]

So going back to this and with the more frequent reports that Zion is being shopped... what is his actual asking price? And if you're a team like the Hornets, why would you NOT take a swing if you're not giving up LaMelo/Miller/Mark or 2025 lottery?

[Texas Chuck]

Green started for an NBA finals team.

He started 33 RS games and the team took off when they replaced him in the starting lineup. He started zero playoff games.

I like Josh Green. I'm probably the only Mavs fans who sees any value in him. But you are overselling his role on that Dallas team. And you wouldn't have to do that if the idea had real merit.

[jayjaysee]

So going back to this and with the more frequent reports that Zion is being shopped... what is his actual asking price? And if you're a team like the Hornets, why would you NOT take a swing if you're not giving up LaMelo/Miller/Mark or 2025 lottery?

Yeah, I don’t even think I would stop a tank this season for CLT. Just let Zion rest and go into next season with expectations as high as ever for the team..

Outside of NOP just keeping Zion and tanking, CLT seems the best option to me. But yeah, NOP can really easily trade Murray and tank and just pay Ingram and get a top 6 pick. The deal has to be better for NOP than building off of 2023..