Myles Turner trades are being shopped by the Pacers as Indiana looks to rebuild and this Hornets trade that would land the big man could be perfect.
The Charlotte Hornets dropped their second game in three nights to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, dropping the franchise to 14-13 on the season and the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. Yet, hopes remain high for Buzz City.
For one, the back-to-back losses to the Sixers have come with LaMelo Ball and a litany of others out of action in the NBA’s COVID protocols. More importantly, even without the young star on the floor, Charlotte has fought valiantly with Philadelphia, a playoff team in their conference. And frankly, this has the look of a young team on the precipice of making the leap.
If there’s one thing holding the Hornets back, though, it’s a lack of interior presence as Mason Plumlee is their primary big in the rotation right now. That’s where the Pacers fire sale that could potentially have Myles Turner on the move could come into play.
Turner, set to turn 26 years old in March, has been connected to Charlotte before but no deal has every materialized. But now, with the Pacers wanting to do business and the Hornets potentially needing the exact piece that’s on the table, the pieces could all come together.
Hornets: Myles Turner trade to become a threat in the East
Turner’s improved offensive game combined with his rim-protection — averaging 2.8 blocks per game this season — could be the key to unlocking Charlotte’s potential. And there’s a clear framework for a Myles Turner-Hornets trade that could get this done.
Hornets Get
Myles Turner
Pacers Get
James Bouknight
Mason Plumlee
2022 First-Round Pick (from Pelicans)
2024 Second-Round Pick
Some fans may not like the idea of Charlotte giving up Bouknight, one of the team’s 2021 first-round picks. Despite his talent and potential, though, the reason for this trade is that the team is thick in the backcourt and thin in the frontcourt. Thus, for a trade that needs valuable assets to lure Turner out of Indiana’s grasp, the Hornets would have to part with a piece such as the rookie guard.
With that said, though, it might well be worth it. Again, Charlotte clearly has the right mentality, mojo, and even a lot of talent — especially with the emergence of Miles Bridges this season — to be a threat in the Eastern Conference in the regular season and playoffs.
For that to fully come to fruition, however, the franchise needs to address their biggest weakness on the interior. The Pacers have now opened the perfect avenue for the team to do exactly that and, if their smart, they’ll start with something like the trade above and work out a deal to bring Myles Turner to the Hornets.