Ranking the Charlotte Hornets' Bench Pieces by Potential Trade Value

This offseason, the Charlotte Hornets may be active in the trade market, looking for ways to upgrade the frontcourt. This fee agent class isn't necessarily one that will be full of options, so Jeff Peterson may have to give up some assets to fill that need down low.

With Miles Bridges being the only member of the Hornets' starting five who could be available on the trade market, I figured we should take a closer look at the bench and rank the players by expected trade value.

For this exercise, we are not including Coby White because he is a free agent, and the Hornets have his Bird rights and plan to re-sign him. Also, I'm not suggesting the Hornets trade any of these players. Just ranking them based on what would likely help bring the organization the most value back.

No. 7: Tidjane Salaün

I get that he is a former first-round pick and someone out there may think they are the right organization to unlock his potential, but it would be a huge risk for anyone to make a straight-up trade for him. Because of that, the only way Charlotte would be able to move Salaün is if he were a part of a bigger package going out. He's shown some flashes, but those have been few and far between.

No. 6: Tre Mann

It didn't take long for everyone to realize that Tre Mann had lost his spot in the Hornets' rotation. Missing the majority of last year with the back injury probably played a part in his struggles this year, trying to get reacclimated, regain his shooting form, and get back in game shape. The shot was never there this season, hitting just 36% from the field and 32% from three. His $8M salary can help facilitate a multi-player or multi-team trade. I don't think we'll see anyone just make a move for him, even if Charlotte sends out second-round picks to try to offload him.

No. 5: Liam McNeeley

McNeeley is a work in progress, and I have a hunch the Hornets knew it wasn't going to happen right away for him. The efficiency was a bit of a problem in his lone season at UConn, and that was the case in his first year in the Hornets' organization, most of which was spent in Greensboro. There, he was better overall (45%) but still only knocked down 32% from three. I'm not sure he'll have a spot in Charlotte's rotation next year, so maybe another year with the Swarm is what's in store. Like the previous two, he would need to be a part of a package to be moved.

No. 4: Grant Williams

If it weren't for the knee injury he sustained a year ago, he might have a little more value. While Williams is a good locker room voice, does some of the dirty work, and can knock down threes, he's undersized and isn't going to beat many off the dribble. He's limited offensively, and that is a problem for a lot of teams. That being said, I still think he has enough value to be moved on his own, especially if a contender feels he fits a need. Don't expect Charlotte to move on from him, though. Not to mention, his $14.2M cap hit — entering final year of contract — can help salary match.

No. 3: Sion James

Offensively, there's a ton to work on. The three-point shot, however, is in a good spot, connecting on 35% from three as a rookie on 236 attempts. If he becomes a pure 3&D guy, there's nothing wrong with that. There's plenty of room in the league for those types of guys, particularly bench guys who don't need the ball in their hands. He's a menace on the defensive end and is always tasked with defending the other team's best scorer on the floor. I have a hard time believing Charlotte would want to move on from him, but if it helps them land a big fish, there's a chance he could be part of the ask.

No. 2: Ryan Kalkbrenner

This may be a shocker to you, but I almost put Kalkbrenner at No. 1. He was rock solid during his rookie season and excelled in his role as the backup. At some point, he may add more to his offensive bag, but the lob game and offensive putbacks are more than enough for him to be a successful big man. The defense is only going to improve over time, and it wouldn't shock me if he gets closer to an average of two blocks per game. With Charlotte potentially looking to upgrade the center position, he could be the odd man out. Moussa Diabaté brings too much to the table and is not going to be a part of any trade. Give him a couple of years, and Kalkbrenner could be a solid starting center in the league.

No. 1: Josh Green

I have Green at No. 1 for a variety of reasons. He is more of a known commodity at this point compared to Kalkbrenner; you know what you're getting (3&D wing), he's been a part of a winning culture, will be on an expiring deal, and is at a good price tag of $14.6M in 2026-27, meaning he's not too expensive but can help salary match.

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