The Charlotte Hornets could be a name to watch if Karl-Anthony Towns winds up on the move.
Charlotte has spent the summer adding depth and reshaping its roster, and the front office has clearly tried to build a team that can do damage on both ends of the floor. After dealing away LaMelo Ball, the Hornets have leaned into players who fit that broader identity shift, especially on defense. The offense was already one of the league’s better units last season, but the next step is obvious: the defense has to come with it.
That’s where a player like Towns starts to make sense.
The Hornets have wing depth, but the frontcourt could still use another established piece. Charlotte has bodies there, sure, but bringing in a proven star would change the ceiling of the roster in a hurry. Towns, now with the New York Knicks, is one of the names that fits the bill.
He just helped New York win the NBA title, but contract talks between the two sides have reportedly stalled, and that has fueled trade chatter around the six-time All-Star. The Knicks do not appear eager to commit to a big long-term deal, which could create an opening for a team like Charlotte to jump in.
From a basketball standpoint, the fit is easy to see. Towns has been one of the league’s best offensive big men since he entered the NBA, and his scoring punch would immediately raise Charlotte’s offensive ceiling. He’s not a lockdown defender, but he can hold his own enough that he wouldn’t be a glaring problem for the Hornets.
There’s also a cleaner frontcourt pairing on the table. Charlotte received Naz Reid back in the Ball trade this summer, and Reid’s defensive presence could help cover for some of Towns’ shortcomings.
Offensively, the two would be a problem. Both can stretch the floor, and they already have experience playing together with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Towns’ numbers from last season underline why he remains such a valuable target: 20.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, along with a 36.8 percent mark from three-point range.
If Towns becomes available, Charlotte would have every reason to at least check in and see what it would take. With Towns alongside Reid, Brandon Miller and the rest of the roster, the Hornets could be looking at a much higher level of team than they have right now.
In Other News...
Hornets Already Have A Point Guard Problem After Moving LaMelo
Moving on from LaMelo Ball was always going to reshape the Hornets backcourt, and the early returns have only made the point guard picture look more unsettled. Charlotte tried to patch things up by re-signing Coby White, drafting Christian Anderson Jr. and bringing in Dennis Schrder, a group that was supposed to keep the position steady while the franchise moved into its next phase.
Instead, the preseason has already brought more questions than answers. Anderson struggled in Summer League and is dealing with an injury, while White is sidelined with a calf issue and will miss preseason games, leaving Charlotte thin at the spot before the games even count. Ball, meanwhile, opened his Minnesota preseason looking comfortable in his new uniform, which only sharpens the contrast for Hornets fans still waiting to see whether the team's next answer at point guard is actually in place. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Injury Creates An Early Hornets Concern
Brandon Millers preseason has already hit a small snag for the Hornets, with the second-year wing dealing with a shin contusion he picked up in practice. Charlotte has been taking the cautious route, keeping him day-to-day as the team works through the opening weeks of exhibition play and prepares for its next preseason test against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Millers absence from the recent game against the Brooklyn Nets added a little more early-season concern, especially for a player whose development remains central to Charlottes plans. There is already outside buzz about a possible long-term extension down the road, but for now the Hornets are focused on getting Miller back on the floor and making sure a preseason bump does not linger. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Already Feels Like A Huge Part Of Charlottes Reset
Before Charlottes first preseason game against Brooklyn, Charles Lee was already talking about Naz Reid like a player who can help steady the Hornets new direction. The big man arrived from Minnesota as part of the LaMelo Ball trade, and his first taste of a Charlotte uniform offered a quick glimpse of why the team wanted him in the mix as it starts over with a reshaped roster.
Reid wasted little time showing he can bring scoring and activity in short bursts, and that matters for a Hornets group still sorting out how its pieces fit together around young talent such as Miller and Knueppel. With the season just getting underway, Charlotte is trying to establish roles and identity, and Reids early return has at least given the coaching staff one more reason to believe the reset can take hold sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]