The Charlotte Hornets are clearly not sitting still at the trade table. After pulling off an earlier deal that sent Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, and three second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Coby White and Mike Conley, Charlotte doubled down with another move late Wednesday night. This time, they acquired Tyus Jones and two second-round picks from the Orlando Magic in a trade that cost them only cash considerations.
Let’s unpack that.
From Orlando’s perspective, this was a straightforward salary dump. They’re trimming payroll, and Charlotte was in a position to absorb the contract.
But for the Hornets, this wasn’t just about taking on a player - it was about continuing to leverage cap space into future assets. Two second-round picks for essentially nothing but financial flexibility?
That’s smart business, especially for a team still building its identity.
Now, as for Tyus Jones, it’s unclear whether he’ll actually suit up for Charlotte. With LaMelo Ball and newly acquired Coby White ahead of him on the depth chart, there’s not much room for Jones in the rotation.
Add in the presence of Tre Mann and Sion James - both capable of handling backup guard duties - and Jones starts to look more like a trade asset than a rotation piece. A buyout isn’t off the table, and if it happens, Jones would have the chance to join a contender looking for veteran backcourt help.
The earlier trade for White and Conley is the more impactful move on the court. White brings a scoring punch and ballhandling that the Hornets have lacked off the bench, and he’s a better fit for this young core than Sexton was.
He’s also a year younger, which matters when you’re building something sustainable. Even if White hits free agency this summer, Charlotte gets a chance to evaluate him up close - and potentially re-sign him - without giving up long-term assets they can’t afford to lose.
What’s been impressive is how Charlotte has used its cap space as a weapon. They snagged Ousmane Dieng and a second-round pick from the Thunder in exchange for Mason Plumlee, who was later waived by OKC.
Then they flipped Dieng as part of the package to get White. So when you do the math, the Hornets essentially recouped the three second-rounders they sent to Chicago - one from OKC and two more from Orlando in the Jones deal.
These aren’t blockbuster trades, and no one’s calling Charlotte a title contender because of them. But they’re the kind of savvy, forward-thinking moves that good front offices make. They’re turning short-term flexibility into long-term potential, and they’re doing it without mortgaging the future.
In a season where player development and roster cohesion matter more than immediate wins, the Hornets are quietly stacking assets and giving themselves options. That’s how you build something real in today’s NBA.