The Charlotte Hornets boldly decided to reset their rebuild this offseason by trading away franchise guard LaMelo Ball (and Josh Green) to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In exchange, Charlotte received Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. Though a surprising trade, this is likely one that ages well for Charlotte when it comes to raising its long-term ceiling.
But without Ball in the picture, they're trapped in no man's land in the short term. Charlotte sits at 3-4, tied with the Atlanta Hawks for seventh in the Eastern Conference. This team appears on track for a first-round playoff exit, if they even survive the play-in tournament, given how much better the East is this season than in past years.
The Hornets need to continue leaning into that rebuild by flipping 27-year-old veteran Reid ahead of February's deadline. If Charlotte takes that seller's approach, Reid is absolutely someone the Portland Trail Blazers should target.
General manager Joe Cronin tends to trade for players under contract for multiple seasons. Reid is on a reasonable long-term deal, owed a total of $75 million over the next three seasons with a $28.5 million player option in 2029-30.
Blazers should explore a Scoot Henderson-Naz Reid trade with Hornets
Someone who isn't on that long-term of a deal for Portland is point guard Scoot Henderson, who could be an ideal trade chip in this scenario.
The Blazers didn't reach a rookie-scale extension with Henderson before the season, meaning he's now set to hit restricted free agency next summer. That clouds his future in Portland, especially with how well the guard trio of Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Ja Morant was clicking before Morant's injury.
With Morant sidelined for at least a month, this November stretch is a great chance for Henderson to prove he belongs with this young core. He's not off to a great start in that regard, however, failing to emerge as a primary playmaker in this backcourt.
Should those struggles continue, it could make sense for Cronin to explore a Reid-Henderson trade with the Hornets. Henderson has become somewhat expendable in Portland, given how many guards they suddenly have. They are still vulnerable in the frontcourt, given Donovan Clingan's matchup dependence and Robert Williams III's injury proneness.
Reid is that ideal frontcourt solution, not only providing insurance for Williams but also another dimension for head coach Micah Nori. He's the stretch five they've been missing, and he can also play the power forward spot if Nori elects to go big.
It's worth noting that a one-for-one swap doesn't quite work on the Spotrac NBA Trade Machine. Portland's incoming salary apparently exceeds the limit by $0.59 million in this scenario, which I'll let the front office people smarter than me sort out. But as a framework, a package with the Henderson-Reid swap as the headline makes increasingly perfect sense for all parties involved.
Henderson gets that change of scenery and an offense of his own to run, giving him a better chance to break out and Charlotte a chance to find a long-term replacement for Ball. Portland turns Henderson's looming restricted free agency into a long-term contract in Reid, simultaneously addressing their frontcourt depth and shooting woes.
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