NBA Rumors: Hornets Could Trade For Bradley Beal To Reward Kemba Walker With An Explosive Backcourt Partner
Since the 2018 NBA offseason, the Charlotte Hornets made it clear that they have no intention of making Kemba Walker available on the trading block anytime soon. The Hornets still see Walker as the centerpiece of the title-contending team that they are planning to build and the man who will bring the first NBA championship title in Charlotte.
As of now, Kemba Walker continues to prove that the Hornets made the right decision to keep him on the team. This season, the 28-year-old point guard is currently averaging 29.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.1 steals on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc. However, even if Walker becomes consistent throughout the season, he obviously can’t bring the Hornets to the top of the Eastern Conference alone.
To strengthen their chance of beating Eastern Conference powerhouse teams like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Toronto Raptors in a best-of-seven series, the Hornets must consider adding another superstar to pair with Kemba Walker. According to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, one of the potential trade targets for the Hornets is Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards.
As they continue to struggle in the 2018-19 NBA season, rumors and speculations continue to swirl that the Wizards will consider making a huge roster overhaul before the February NBA trade deadline. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Wizards have made all their players available in trade discussions, including Bradley Beal.
Story on ESPN: Wizards signaling a willingness to consider trade overtures on entire roster, including All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal. https://t.co/LM7PiQvweB
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 19, 2018
In a proposed trade deal, Favale suggested that the Hornets could offer a trade package including Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeremy Lamb, Malik Monk, a 2019 first-round pick, and a 2020 second-round pick to the Wizards for Bradley Beal and Jeff Green. Both teams will be needing to wait until mid-December to make the deal.
“Acquiring Beal gets the Hornets the second star they’ve never slotted beside Walker. He has shimmied between on- and off-ball work his entire career while playing next to John Wall. Walker is a much cleaner fit. He’s a better shooter and just generally more active when not controlling possessions. The East wouldn’t have a better starting backcourt. The Hornets might flinch at what this package does to their wing rotation. They’ll get over it. Rookie Miles Bridges is ready for a larger workload, and Green, while not a game-changer, can soak up the power forward (and center) minutes left behind by Kidd-Gilchrist.”
The suggested trade will be more beneficial for the Hornets than the Wizards. Pairing Bradley Beal with Kemba Walker will give them a higher chance of making a deep playoff run this season. After spending the past years playing alongside John Wall, Beal won’t have a hard time building a good chemistry with Walker in the Hornets’ backcourt.
