NBA Rumors: Charlotte Hornets willing to trade 22nd pick
By Nick Ziegler
Recent NBA rumors are about the Charlotte Hornets looking to unload the contracts of Jeremy Lamb and Spencer Hawes. Will a team be willing to take on one of these contracts for the 22nd overall pick?
With the NBA Draft hours away, the Charlotte Hornets are looking to use their 22nd overall pick to help them create space. The Hornets need to free up some money to try and re-sign players like Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lin, and moving their first round pick will help them accomplish that.
Sources: Charlotte's offering No. 22 - if team will take contract of Spencer Hawes or Jeremy Lamb. Hornets need space to re-sign free agents
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2016
There have been several teams that have been interested in getting a first-round pick, and with the spike in the salary cap, moving either Lamb or Hawes with the pick is very realistic. Both Hawes and Lamb are currently being overpaid by the Hornets, as Hawes has two years left on his contract worth about $6 million annually.
Lamb is also making a lot of money in the upcoming years, as he has three-years left on his contract worth about $7 million annually. Last season, Lamb was eighth on the team in points per game, and Hawes was 11th, as the loss of either of them would have little effect on the Hornets next season.
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Moving draft picks is never ideal for a franchise, but the Hornets are looking to build off what they started last season. If not for an injury to Batum in the playoffs, the Hornets might have been able to beat the Miami Heat, as they pushed them to seven games.
Freeing up some money for the free agency frenzy will be a good thing for the Hornets if they hope to keep their core together.
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