NBA Free Agency 2017: One trade every team should make

May 21, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) reacts after a three-pointer during the first half against the Boston Celtics in game three of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 22, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe (23) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are slated to have the third-highest payroll next season but are miles away from being the third-best team. They reside on the dreaded “treadmill of mediocrity” cul-de-sac. Their ceiling tops out at low-seeded first-round patsy, and their floor isn’t quite low enough to bring them great lottery odds. Their acquisition of Dwight Howard raised both of those, but this isn’t a group putting fear into hearts around the league.

Michael Jordan is clearly trying to put a winning outfit together. With Howard now in the middle and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in tow, they’re gonna need some shooting to space the floor around Kemba Walker. Having Malik Monk gracefully fall to them in the draft helps a ton, but they’ll still need another marksman to keep defenses from sagging into the paint.

Allen Crabbe is sneakily one of the best 3-point snipers in the NBA. Among qualified players this past season, Crabbe posted the third-highest 3-point shooting percentage. The Trailblazers were a little overzealous in giving him his last contract and his top qualities are redundant for them. This trade gives Portland a chance to cut long-term salary and get out from under that deal.

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