Two of the most disappointing teams in the NBA decided to do a little business.
Just three weeks before the February trade deadline, the Charlotte Hornets have made a small trade. They dealt big man Nick Richards and one second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for small forward Josh Okogie and a trio of second-round picks, according to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania.
Richards, who is in his fifth year in the NBA, is averaging 8.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Okogie, a seventh-year veteran, is averaging six points in a reserve role for Phoenix.
The Hornets will also get back in the trade the Denver Nuggets’ 2026 and 2031 second-round picks and the Suns’ 2031 second-rounder, while the Suns will receive the Nuggets’ 2025 second-round pick.
According to Charania, the Suns are in the basement in the NBA in points from their starting center. Jusuf Nurkic, who is currently sidelined due to an illness, has started 23 games at the five spot and is averaging 8.6 points per game. Prior to his absence, Nurkic was demoted to a bench role briefly, along with Bradley Beal, before dropping out of the rotation altogether. Veteran Mason Plumlee started 16 games at center, putting up a modest four points per game.
Richards is expected to battle it out with Plumlee and rookie Oso Ighodaro for the starting role, per Charania.
Embed from Getty ImagesRichards, who is averaging 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in his nine starts this year, should be a slight upgrade with scoring in the paint and around the basket. The 7-footer has also shot an impressive 65 percent from the field over the past four years, which is the fifth-best mark in the league during that span, as Charania reported from ESPN research.
The Suns started the year red hot but have cooled considerably in recent weeks. They currently sit in 11th place in the stacked Western Conference at one game below .500, 19-20, with a crucial road trip ahead of them.
The Hornets are one of the bottom feeder teams in the league at 8-28 despite an excellent MVP-level year from LaMelo Ball, who is accumulating ridiculous numbers, with 29.7 points and 7.4 assists per game. While Okogie will not be the difference-maker in Charlotte being a playoff contender, he joins the roster on an affordable two-year, $16 million contract.
For the Hornets, the exchange was likely more about adding more draft capital as they continue their rebuild. Charania went on to say that Charlotte has landed two first-round picks and eight second-round picks in trades since January 2024. That number of picks is gold for a team looking to compete in the future.
