Doug Branson here, the host of the daily Locked On Hornets podcast, with your daily Locked On Hornets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Hornets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Hornets GM Jeff Peterson Reveals His Trade Deadline Philosophy
Locked On Hornets
🏀 The Big Picture
The Charlotte Hornets are making moves, starting with trading Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Josh Okogie and a set of valuable draft picks. General Manager Jeff Peterson laid out his vision for sustainability, emphasizing flexibility for the future. While his words echo those of former GM Mitch Kupchak—focusing on sustainable success rather than short-term playoff runs—his actions reveal a willingness to actively execute on that vision. This trade could be the first domino to fall as the team looks to reshape its roster for both the immediate and long term.
đź’ˇ My Take
Jeff Peterson’s approach feels like a continuation of Mitch Kupchak’s philosophy, but with one critical difference: he’s backing up his words with action. While Kupchak’s tenure was marked by hesitance at trade deadlines, Peterson has already shown more aggression in reshaping the roster. By acquiring Josh Okogie, Peterson is adding defensive toughness to a team that has struggled with depth. However, the bench remains a glaring weakness, and injuries to key players like Grant Williams and Tre Mann have only exacerbated the issue.
The bigger story lies in the Hornets’ core, where LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller must develop into a dynamic duo capable of carrying the franchise. Mark Williams continues to shine as a reliable presence, but his physicality and consistency need improvement. Peterson’s actions indicate a readiness to shuffle the deck further if it means building a sustainable contender, making the trade deadline an exciting prospect.
đź“Š Key Stats
Mark Williams: Averaging 10 rebounds per game over the last five contests, with improved free throw attempts indicating a more aggressive style of play.
LaMelo Ball: Shooting efficiency remains a concern, but his ability to dominate with usage and playmaking keeps him central to the team’s strategy.
Bench Scoring: Among the league’s lowest, the Hornets’ lack of depth is a persistent issue.
đź‘€ What to Watch For
Starting Lineup Chemistry: How well LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller complement each other on the court remains the biggest factor for the Hornets’ future.
Josh Okogie’s Role: Okogie adds defensive grit, but his offensive consistency will determine how much he can help a struggling bench.
Trade Deadline Strategy: With Peterson’s focus on flexibility, expect players like Josh Green, Nick Smith Jr., and Cody Martin to feature prominently in trade discussions.
🔥 My Predictions
Peterson’s willingness to execute on his vision bodes well for the franchise’s trajectory. While challenges like depth scoring and injuries persist, the Hornets appear more committed than ever to building a sustainable contender. Mark Williams and LaMelo Ball are foundational pieces, but the key to success lies in how Brandon Miller develops alongside them.
Jan 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives for a shot past Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. | Bill Streicher/Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the rest of the NBA season could just be various instances spent listening to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander go WOOOO to varying decibels and degrees of excitement? It would be, to borrow from a master gone too soon, Lynchian.
If not that, then to watch the Thunder and Cavaliers play each other, over and over, until April 13th. I suspect we still wouldn’t have our fill of these two teams but don’t fret, we’d have a riveting seven game series. Each game a competitive and tight feast for the eyes.
To really get an understanding of how, though relentless pressuring and seamless switching, the Thunder have run away with the first overall defensive rating. That even against a team like Cleveland who pride themselves on the way they’re able to take care of the ball, and their communication skills, OKC can pluck the ball out of the hands of an opponent on a fastbreak, a drive, as if they were walking right up to a kid and taking candy from their hands.
Of course, this all makes it sound like watching these two teams in perpetuity is going to look heavily lopsided for the Thunder. The matchup last night was a wallop for the West, for sure, but Cleveland showed why they’ve been coolly leading the East and the entire league. Rainbow threes from Mitchell, light lobs over the heads of every Thunder player — just then upturned to watch — between Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, and fadeaway shots from the corner care of Max Strus.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Fans LaMelo Ball continues to receive overwhelming support as he leads in the latest NBA All-Star voting results. (Sports Illustrated)
Preview The Hornets head to Chicago to take on the Bulls tonight at 8:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Fantasy Basketball News Roundup: The Tanking In Utah
Jan 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) looks on against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale/Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are taking tanking to a whole new level. The Jazz have been sitting players like John Collins, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler for various reasons. While I understand the incentives for tanking, the odds of getting the number one pick are not high. The NBA has been cracking down on teams resting healthy players, but these two franchises seem to be pushing the boundaries.
As a fantasy analyst, I’ve been advising people to avoid high picks from these teams due to the risk of shutdowns and reduced playing time. It’s frustrating to see this level of blatant tanking, especially when it impacts fantasy basketball managers.
The Memphis Grizzlies are another team to watch, with Ja Morant constantly appearing on the injury report. While they’re not tanking like Utah and Portland, Morant’s frequent injuries are concerning for fantasy managers.
In other news, Donte DiVincenzo is out with a toe sprain for the Knicks, which could lead to increased minutes for Mike Conley. However, I wouldn’t rush to add Conley in most leagues.
