The Charlotte Hornets have been a solid young team all season. They have some good talent like Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball on the roster. However, it’s not as though their roster is perfect, and one of the biggest holes for them all season has been the lack of a starting-quality center.
It seems as though the Charlotte Hornets are looking to address that with a trade. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has recently revealed that the Hornets are targeting Jakob Poeltl of the San Antonio Spurs in a trade, with the rumored trade package being PJ Washington, Kai Jones, and a first-round pick. The Hornets were notably linked with Myles Turner in the past, and it’s clear that they’re looking to add a starting-level center.
The Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs have discussed a possible trade of PJ Washington, Kai Jones, and the inclusion of a first-round draft pick for Jakob Poeltl, league sources told HoopsHype. Currently, both sides are haggling over the potential inclusion of a first-round pick in the trade.
Charlotte has been seeking an upgrade at center and pursued Myles Turner, among other centers on the market.
Washington is owed $5.8 million next season before becoming eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2023. Poeltl is owed $9.4 million next season before entering unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2023.
There is no question that Jakob Poeltl will help the Charlotte Hornets. He is a stout rim protector and would become that defensive anchor they desperately need. He is also a solid finisher at the rim, and he could definitely play well off of LaMelo Ball. PJ Washington and Kai Jones could be solid prospects to develop for the San Antonio Spurs, so this seems like it could be a win-win trade.
It remains to be seen if the Charlotte Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs end up following through with this potential trade. The trade deadline is coming up in a few hours, so we’ll see if any trade with this sort of framework happens.
