The Charlotte Hornets are trading Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns for Josh Okogie and draft capital according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Charlotte Hornets are trading 7-foot center Nick Richards and one second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RwPGJH5lzo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 15, 2025
According to Bobby Marks, the Hornets are sending away Denver’s second round pick this season and are getting back three future second rounders.
Here are the second round pick details sources tell @ShamsCharania and myself.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 15, 2025
To Charlotte
2026 Denver 2nd
2031 Denver 2nd
2031 Phoenix 2nd
To Phoenix
2025 Denver 2nd
The Hornets don’t need the Nuggets second rounder this year. It’s currently in the mid 50s, and the Hornets already have two second round picks in the early 30s–their own and one from the Pelicans.
The Suns have long been rumored a destination for Nick Richards to the point where I’ve seen Suns fans talking about acquiring him almost as a foregone conclusion. They finally got their guy, and he just played their the other night, so he pretty much just got to stay in Phoenix.
For the Hornets, they clearly have an archetype they’re chasing. Josh Okogie is a hard nosed defender, but he’s fallen out of the rotation in Phoenix. He’s a tremendous athlete, but he’s struggled as a 3-point shooter. He’s been better in that regard this season on a small sample.
All that said, the Hornets might have only acquired Okogie because of his contract status and the draft picks that came with him. Nick Richards’ contract was set up the same way, so this doesn’t get the Hornets any more cap space. It’s just a little reshuffling of the deck and asset stockpiling in a lost season.
