Hornets just took a page out of Spurs’ playbook—and it backfired spectacularly

The NBA world was shocked when the Charlotte Hornets traded star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ironically, that trade is eerily similar to the one that sent Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs to the Atlanta Hawks.

However, one important distinction must be made: the Spurs fleeced the Hawks. Meanwhile, the Hornets may have pulled off one of the most boneheaded trades in recent memory.

Sure, there is the Luka Doncic trade but at least the Dallas Mavericks got back an all-star, a first-round pick, and a rotation player. Compare that to the Hornets, who just had their most promising season in years. Unfortunately, they capped it by trading their best player for an underwhelming haul.

The Hornets failed to learn from the Spurs' Dejounte Murray trade

Naz Reid is a fantastic player that gave the Spurs fits in the NBA playoffs, but he isn't as valuable as Ball. Getting a future first is nice, but the three pick swaps they received are a complete joke.

The Timberwolves project to be a playoff team through 2030. That means that the Hornets aren't likely to actually use any of those pick swaps.

Sure, they received three second-round picks in addition to the pick swaps, the first, and Reid. Then again, second-rounders aren't nearly as valuable as they once were.

NIL deals have kept players in college longer, watering down the second round of the NBA draft. All things considered, Charlotte made a disastrous trade while seemingly trying to emulate the Spurs.

The Hornets made a Spurs rival better and themselves worse

Remember, San Antonio had just made the play-in tournament with Murray the season before they ultimately traded him.

The Spurs sold high on their best player, receiving three first-round picks and a pick swap. Thus far, they've turned that haul into Carter Bryant and Jayden Quinntance and still have a 2027 unprotected first to show from that trade.

Not only that, but by trading their best player, San Antonio bottomed out at the right time. That allowed them to draft Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. That's what makes this Hornets trade so strange.

They aren't trying to bottom out; they are trying to build a contending team. Yet, they did so by trading their best player. It's a strange strategy that won't work nearly as well. The Timberwolves fleeced the Hornets, and now the Spurs are left having to contend with that.

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