The Charlotte Hornets made their biggest swing of the offseason by moving on from franchise guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green, sending both to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that brought back Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks.
It was a bold reset, and one that could pay off over time for Charlotte. But in the short term, the Hornets are stuck in the middle.
They’re 3-4, tied with the Atlanta Hawks for seventh in the Eastern Conference, and look headed toward a first-round playoff exit if they get through the play-in at all. The East has been better this season than it has been in past years, and Charlotte doesn’t look built to do much more than hang around.
That’s why Reid is the kind of player the Hornets should consider moving before February’s deadline if they commit to the seller’s route. And if they do, the Portland Trail Blazers should be in the mix.
Portland’s front office has shown a clear preference for players who come with more than a short-term rental attached, and Reid fits that mold. He’s on a manageable deal with $75 million owed over the next three seasons, plus a $28.5 million player option in 2029-30.
On the other side of the idea sits Scoot Henderson, who may be the kind of trade chip Portland can actually use here. The Blazers did not come to terms with Henderson on a rookie-scale extension before the season, which puts him on track for restricted free agency next summer. That uncertainty matters, especially with the way the guard group of Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Ja Morant was functioning before Morant’s injury.
Morant is expected to miss at least a month, and this November stretch gives Henderson a real opening to show he belongs with the young core. So far, though, he hasn’t taken advantage of it. He hasn’t stepped forward as the primary playmaker in that backcourt, and that could change how Portland views him.
If that trend continues, a Henderson-for-Reid framework starts to make a lot of sense. Henderson has become more movable in Portland because of the number of guards on the roster, while the Blazers still have clear issues up front.
Donovan Clingan is matchup dependent, and Robert Williams III has injury concerns. That leaves room for help in the frontcourt.
Reid would fill that need. He’d give Portland insurance behind Williams, add a stretch-five element they’ve been missing, and even give head coach Micah Nori the option to play him at power forward in bigger lineups.
A straight one-for-one deal doesn’t quite work on the Spotrac NBA Trade Machine, since Portland’s incoming salary goes over the limit by $0.59 million. That’s a front-office wrinkle to figure out, but as a general idea, the Henderson-Reid swap checks a lot of boxes.
Henderson would get a fresh start and an offense of his own to run, Charlotte would get a chance to find a long-term answer after Ball, and Portland would turn Henderson’s looming restricted free agency into a long-term commitment in Reid while also addressing frontcourt depth and shooting.
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JaMarcus Shephard Sends Clear Message As Beavers Try To Reset
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Texas State is next, and Oregon State will be looking to turn the page in the first meeting between the programs while chasing a sixth win. For Shephard, the message has been less about style points than about urgency and cleaner execution, especially after a game that exposed how quickly small mistakes can snowball. The Beavers still have time to steady themselves, but the margin for error is shrinking. [Read more 🡒]