It was the timing that surprised fans: Charlotte had gone 33-16 from Jan.1 through the end of the season, with the top-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense in the NBA in that stretch — the Hornets were fun and good. They won 44 games, the most in a decade. So why break things up? Why trade All-Star point guard and fan favorite LaMelo Ball to Minnesota rather than build on that finish?
Jeff Peterson, the Hornets’ president of basketball operations, explained his thinking to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. As a reminder, Peterson and the Hornets got a haul in that trade: Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.
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“These decisions are challenging at times, but when you look at the totality of the season and everything of where we were, it’s important to take an honest look in the mirror of where you guys are as a team. And that’s what I had to do at the end of the season. And it just felt like the goal is never to compete for a play-in spot. The goal isn’t to get to the play-in or even the playoffs for one year.
“I’ve said it plenty of times since I’ve been here in Charlotte: The goal is to get to the playoffs and stay there for a long time. And eventually contend to compete for championships. Getting Naz Reid when you can get a player of his caliber. And of course, the draft capital and the flexibility just felt like it was something that was able to achieve multiple goals in one transaction.”
After years of watching the team struggle, Hornets fans were rightfully excited about how the season ended. Peterson saw a bigger picture: There were a lot of inflated records at the end of last season due to all the tanking teams, and in the play-in his team needed overtime to beat an uninspiring Miami squad, then got run out of the building in the last play-in game by the Magic (who were shorthanded and lost in the first round of the playoffs). Was Charlotte really that good?
We had Charlotte as a winner in this trade. Peterson sold high on Ball and is restructuring a team around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, with Reid now at the four. They also have Coby White at the point and Moussa Diabate at the five. It’s a good team with a lot of shooting and spacing, and now a lot more flexibility to build around them.
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The Hornets likely take a small step back on the court this season — the East is a lot deeper and better — but, in Peterson’s view, they are better positioned to build something sustainable and long-term. It’s a big bet, but if he nails the picks and other moves, this will be looked back on as a turning point for the franchise.
There was logic to the move, even if some fans didn’t like it.
