Two Potential Trades That Could Transform the Charlotte Hornets’ Offseason—and Why They Should Make Them
With the Golden State Warriors’ disappointing exit from the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the team is now looking to capitalize on the remaining years of its core players—Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors are poised to be aggressive in the market this offseason, with a focus on acquiring a playmaking wing defender or a center. One key player linked to potential trade talks is Jonathan Kuminga, and this opens an intriguing possibility for the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets hold the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but there’s growing uncertainty about who they will select. The top two picks—Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper—are considered locks, but picks three and four are still up in the air. Most mock drafts have Rutgers’ Ace Bailey going third and Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe fourth, but Bailey’s stock has been slipping recently, which has pushed Edgecombe higher on scouting boards. If Edgecombe is taken before the Hornets pick, it would be a significant disappointment, as he would be a perfect fit for the team’s current needs.
But there’s still hope—what if the Hornets could trade back to the ninth spot with the Toronto Raptors, grab Duke’s Khaman Maluach, and then trade Mark Williams in a sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga? Let’s break down how each of these moves could reshape the Hornets’ future.
Trading Back with the Toronto Raptors
This type of trade isn’t common in recent NBA history, though the Timberwolves’ trade-up to the eighth pick last season to grab Rob Dillingham provides some precedent. In this scenario, the Hornets would move from the fourth pick to the ninth pick in exchange for future assets. The Raptors would get the fourth pick to choose one of the top prospects, either Ace Bailey or Tre Johnson, while the Hornets would receive the ninth pick, along with a future second-round pick and a top-five protected first-rounder in 2027.
This trade benefits both sides: the Raptors bolster their roster with a high-potential player, while the Hornets gain extra draft capital and position themselves to select Maluach, a promising center, at nine. It would also allow general manager Jeff Peterson to build a deeper war chest of future picks.
Trading Mark Williams for Jonathan Kuminga
The Hornets’ big move could be to trade Mark Williams to the Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga. In this trade, the Hornets would receive Kuminga (still just 22 years old) and a future first-round pick, while sending Williams to the Warriors to fill their center void. Kuminga impressed in the postseason when Steph Curry was sidelined, averaging 24.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 55.4% from the field and 38.9% from three in his four games without Curry.
With the addition of Maluach through the Raptors trade, Williams becomes expendable, and the Warriors, who are aiming to compete in the short term, would gladly take a young, skilled center like Williams to help their championship window.
In this scenario, the Hornets would have a starting five featuring LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Jonathan Kuminga, and Khaman Maluach. They’d also have two additional future first-round picks, setting them up as one of the most exciting and up-and-coming teams in the NBA.
These two potential trades could significantly enhance the Hornets’ roster, adding youthful talent and crucial assets to help them compete in the future. With the right moves, Charlotte could quickly shift from a rebuilding team to a formidable contender.
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