The Charlotte Hornets’ busy summer took another turn on Tuesday, with the team completing a deal with the Atlanta Hawks that could open the door for Ryan Nembhard to land elsewhere.
Charlotte has already made major changes this offseason, including trading former franchise star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That move signaled the start of a new chapter, one that puts more weight on the Hornets’ younger players.
The latest transaction came after reports earlier in the week that Charlotte and Atlanta were discussing a swap. As Jake Fischer posted, “Among our latest items, Atlanta and Charlotte have held trade talks surrounding Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith, sources say. It remains unclear whether an agreement will be struck before training camps open,"
The deal was finalized on Tuesday. ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported, “The Atlanta Hawks are trading Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith, the team announced on Tuesday. The Hornets are expected to waive Nembhard as part of the trade, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania,”
If Nembhard does clear waivers, he may not have to wait long for a call. According to Marc Stein, Denver is already being mentioned as a strong possibility.
“The Nuggets, meanwhile, remain prominent among various teams with two-way deal interest in Ryan Nembhard, league sources say. Nembhard has not yet been officially waived by Charlotte but is expected to focus on teams with a backup point guard need if he indeed clears waivers,”
For Denver, Nembhard would be joining a situation where he could learn from Nikola Jokic and, especially, Jamal Murray. He’s a crafty guard in search of the right fit, and that next stop could come quickly if Charlotte moves on from him.
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The Hornets were already planning to use the preseason to sort through their depth, but two rotation spots now need extra attention after offseason on-court work left Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams sidelined. Both injuries are hamstring-related, and the timing matters because the team was counting on these minutes to get a better read on how the second unit fits together before games start to count.
Charlotte does have enough roster depth to absorb the losses for now, which should give the staff a chance to look at backup options and keep experimenting in exhibition play. Still, the absence of two players who were expected to factor into the rotation leaves an early-season wrinkle, with both set to be evaluated again in the first week of the regular season and unavailable when opening night arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Hit With Early Rotation Concern After Busy Offseason
Charlottes offseason has already delivered a reshaped look, and now the early rotation picture is getting a little murkier. After sending LaMelo Ball to Minnesota and adding Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard from Atlanta in the Dorian Finney-Smith deal, the Hornets were already sorting through how the pieces might fit as camp approaches.
The latest snag comes with Grant Williams and Kon Knueppel, who are both expected to miss the preseason because of hamstring injuries suffered during offseason on-court work. Their situations will be checked again in the first week of the regular season, leaving Charlotte with a little less time to settle on combinations and roles before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face A Bigger Roster Question As Knicks Circle Moussa Diabate
The Hornets are once again in the middle of a roster conversation that reaches beyond their own rotation, with New York weighing Moussa Diabate as a possible backup center. For Charlotte, that kind of interest matters because Diabate has become the sort of developmental big teams like to circle when they need size, energy and a potential fit who can grow into a clearer role.
New York's pursuit has already taken a couple of turns, and the Knicks are now looking at a different way to get something done. For the Hornets, the question is whether a deal built around guard Miles McBride and a future first-round pick swap is the kind of return that makes sense for a young center with room to rise, or whether keeping Diabate in Charlotte is the better play as the roster continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]