NBA trade grades: Phoenix beefs up frontcourt by acquiring Nick Richards from Hornets
By Quinn Everts
The Phoenix Suns have acquired center Nick Richards and one second-round pick from the Charlotte Hornets for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
The second-round pick going to Phoenix is a 2025 Nuggets second rounder, while Charlotte gets Denver's 2026 second, plus a 2031 Denver second and a 2031 Phoenix second.
The league might never be the same.
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
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Trade grades after Phoenix acquires Nick Richards for Josh Okogie
This is a classic "we both need to make a move" deal. Phoenix desperately needed center help as Jusuf Nurkic been pretty rough this season, and Richards gives them a big body who can rebound, set screens and catch lobs if nothing else. Richards doesn't have a particularly developed offensive game, but he has given Charlotte some good stretches during his five years there. This season, he's averaging 8.9 points and 7.5 rebounds a game in 21 minutes a night.
The 27 year-old will get plenty of minutes in Phoenix, where he'll likely split time with Mason Plumlee and rookie Oso Ighodaro.
This is a fine move for Phoenix, which needed to do something and fast. It fixes one of about 100 problems... but you can only fix one at a time, right? Sure!
It's also rational for Charlotte; Nick Richards wasn't serving much purpose on an 8-28 Hornets team that already has a center they really like in Mark Williams. Josh Okogie will play a bunch on this team, maybe even challenging Josh Green for a starting job. This year, Okogie is averaging 6.0 points and shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point.
The Hornets need as many NBA-level guards and wings as possible. Plus, Okogie is under contract through next season, so they could either try to develop him in Charlotte or look to flip him again to a contender. Sure X2!