Why the Hornets Do It
We interrupt this parade of stars approaching free agency or with the clout to demand relocation for a scenario that could feasibly be driven by the selling party.
I personally don't subscribe to the idea that Charlotte should trade LaMelo and build around Brandon Miller. The two players are neither functionally redundant nor operating on warring timelines.
However, changes are afoot in Buzz City—new team governorship, new front office, eventually a new head coach, etc. The team's activity at the trade deadline suggests it is (wisely) preparing to follow a more gradual trajectory.
A soon-to-be 23-year-old LaMelo fits that approach. At the same time, with a five-year max extension set to kick in next season and a smattering of ankle injuries plaguing him in recent years, there is a case for moving him in favor of picks galore and prospects.
Full disclosure: I can't tell whether this package too light. LaMelo is under team control for the next five years. But his price point and injury history combined with front offices better understanding the ramifications of passing out ultra-distant first-round picks like Halloween candy should leave prospective offers shy of the Rudy Gobert Special.
This would at least be a good start. Black was just drafted sixth overall last June, doesn't turn 21 until January and already defends his ass off. There is a real feel to his on-ball navigation and facilitation, but he'll need to hone a bankable, moderate-volume jumper to peak as a red-carpet difference-maker.
Three first-round picks and a swap would count as a stockpile. The Hornets could (and should) push for another swap, for one of those firsts to be nudged further out and/or for Jett Howard. But this general framework should at least get their attention, in no small part because it would virtually wipe their cap sheet clean.
Granted, financial flexibility has limited value to smaller markets, particularly ones in the infancy of a rebuild. But getting out from under LaMelo's deal—which, to be clear, isn't an albatross—would open up a world of trade and free-agency possibilities as the Hornets reorient their future around Miller and this year's high lottery pick.
Why the Magic Do It
Because (healthy) LaMelo is perfect for them.
He checks all of their most pressing boxes: shooting, passing, pace-setting and the skill set to play off Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. His injury history is cause for some concern, but his offensive transcendence outweighs the risk.
Orlando should be open to including more if that's what it takes, albeit not everything. There could be a compromise in the amount of outgoing money.
The Magic could guarantee Jonathan Isaac's $17.4 million salary, re-sign Gary Harris at a lateral price point ($13 million), pick up the team option for Mo Wagner or Joe Ingles and complete this exact deal. But they could ask Charlotte to take back more money if they're looking to have leftover cap space or retain more of their own guys.
Bringing in a maxed-out LaMelo could incite financial challenges in the not-too-distant future. Orlando has to start planning around extensions for Banchero (2025), Suggs (2024) and Franz Wagner (2024). But working around multiple maxes or near-maxes is far more doable when they are all post-rookie-scale deals.
And frankly, the Magic are already good enough to start two-syllable spuh-ending. This deal would make them far more dangerous. Because make no mistake, a rotation centered around LaMelo, Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, Isaac and Wendell Carter Jr. has the makings of an Eastern Conference superpower.