Hornets draft picks haul from KAT-Julius Randle trade revealed
According to Shams Charania, “The Hornets are receiving three second-round picks (two via Knicks, one via Minnesota), along with DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown Jr., and Duane Washington Jr., to complete the Karl-Anthony Towns-Julius Randle-Donte DiVincenzo trade.”
The Charlotte Hornets were the third team involved in the blockbuster trade between the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks, primarily for salary cap purposes. In return, the Hornets gained some draft capital, though specifics of the second-round picks are not yet public.
The Hornets gathered some decent assets for absorbing contracts
The team now holds 23 picks, tying them for third in the Eastern Conference in draft assets. Despite re-signing key players like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, Charlotte may use these picks to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft, potentially eyeing Duke standout Cooper Flagg.
As for the players the Hornets received, most have played sparingly for the Knicks. DaQuan Jeffries and Charlie Brown Jr. combined for just 25 games with limited minutes this past season. However, both have impressed in the G-League, with Brown Jr. averaging 17.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, and Jeffries contributing 18.3 points and 6.1 rebounds during their time with the Westchester Knicks. The Hornets may also see potential in Duane Washington Jr., who averaged 14.8 points during the NBA Summer League. While none of these players are expected to make an immediate impact, they could provide depth for Charlotte’s bench rotation.
On the other side of the trade, the Knicks acquired James Nnaji, a young prospect who has spent most of his career playing overseas for Barcelona. Nnaji, 20, was originally drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and then traded to the Hornets. Having never played an NBA game, Nnaji could gain valuable experience in the G League with the Westchester Knicks, allowing him to develop further before potentially joining the main roster.
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