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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That is why the more practical answer may already be on the roster. Rather than chase Russell, Denver could lean on DeMar DeRozan as a backup point guard option, banking on his experience and scoring touch to steady the second unit. It is not the cleanest positional solution, but for a team trying to balance roster flexibility against financial penalties, it may be the one that makes the most sense. [Read more 🡒]