The Charlotte Hornets are rolling into the NBA trade deadline playing their best basketball of the season.

 

During the month of January, Charlotte has been the second-best offense in the NBA, the fifth-best defensive unit with a rating of 108.9, and first in net rating across the league. The Hornets also rank first in rebounding percentage, second in true shooting percentage, and remain a top-10 three-point shooting team while sitting in the top five in three-point frequency.

 

With the trade deadline set for Feb. 5, this raises the question of which names, if any, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson could consider moving.

 

To be clear, before listing any names, I am firmly of the opinion that Charlotte should stay put at this deadline. You do not disrupt a rotation when a team is playing at an elite level on both ends of the floor.

That said, the NBA is transactional by nature. If Charlotte were to be overwhelmed by an offer, a handful of names would naturally surface. If any Hornets are dealt, these are the most likely candidates.

 Collin Sexton

 

If Charlotte were to move someone, Sexton’s name likely comes up first.

Being on an expiring contract makes him a clean rental for a playoff team in need of bench scoring and affordable ball-handling. Sexton fits that profile well. He can organize a second unit, put pressure on the rim and score in bunches, and he has been a genuinely strong offensive addition for Charlotte this season.

 

According to databallr, Sexton owns a +1.2 offensive daily plus-minus, ranking in the 92nd percentile league-wide. His true shooting percentage sits 4.4% above league average, which ranks in the 94th percentile.

 

Sexton’s usage rate of 27.3% ranks in the 81st percentile, underscoring how central he has been to Charlotte’s offense. He also averages 124.3 points per 100 shot attempts, a 91st-percentile mark according to Cleaning the Glass, highlighting his efficiency while carrying a high offensive load.

 

His size limits him defensively, and as an expiring contract, the return to Charlotte would likely be minimal. The odds of Sexton re-signing with the Hornets in free agency also appear low, which makes him a tricky asset to manage.

 

Ultimately, moving Sexton would not be in the best interest of winning games the rest of the season.

 

Prediction: Will not be traded

 Tre Mann

 

Mann is in a very different situation compared to Sexton.

 

He is currently out of Charlotte’s rotation, and the numbers explain why. According to Cleaning the Glass, Mann ranks in the 0th percentile among guards in points per shot attempt this season. When he is on the floor, the Hornets have a -16.2 efficiency differential, placing him in the bottom five percentile league-wide.

 

Simply put, Mann’s production on both ends this season has been significantly negative for the team.

 

Mann is still a young, talented player. He has a good handle and a legitimate offensive bag. A rebuilding team could easily convince itself to take a flyer on him, especially given his manageable contract.

 

If Charlotte can flip Mann for a modest asset, this feels like the most logical move at the deadline.

 

Prediction: Will be traded

 Josh Green

 

Let this be understood: Charlotte should not trade Green.

 

Since returning to the lineup, Green has been immensely impactful on both ends of the floor. He is a low-usage, high-efficiency wing who defends at a high level and fits seamlessly into Head Coach Charles Lee’s scheme.

 

Green is shooting 41.9% from three this season and owns an effective field goal percentage of 61.4%, which ranks in the 91st percentile among shooting guards.

 

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Hornets guard Josh Green shoots from the corner in a previous matchup.

Wyatt Bullock/Niner Times

Defensively, according to databallr, Green holds opponents to -10.4% shooting when contesting, a 98th-percentile mark, making him one of the best shot-contesters in the league. His defensive daily plus-minus of +0.7 ranks in the 81st percentile.

 

The only reason Green appears on this list is that other teams would value him highly. If Charlotte is blown away by an offer, the front office would have to listen.

 

But unless that happens, Green is exactly the type of player winning teams keep.

 

Prediction: Will not be traded

 Miles Bridges

 

Bridges has scaled his role down cleanly as Charlotte has gotten healthy, and he remains critical to what this team does.

 

Some on-off numbers suggest Charlotte has been worse with Bridges on the floor this season, but context matters. Early in the year, Bridges and rookie guard Kon Knueppel were asked to carry the offense while the Hornets struggled on both ends. That stretch skews the data.

 

Individually, Bridges owns a +0.8 offensive daily plus-minus, ranking in the 90th percentile, and is averaging 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists while leading the team in minutes played.

 

More importantly, Charlotte needs his physicality. This is a slight roster, particularly in the starting lineup, and Bridges provides mass, strength, rebounding and matchup versatility against star forwards.

 

Charlotte’s starting lineup of star guard LaMelo Ball, forward Brandon Miller, Knueppel, Bridges and forward Moussa Diabaté is +81 in 146 minutes across 19 games, posting a +29.4 net rating, the best starting five in the league by the numbers. You do not touch that.

 

While it feels likely Charlotte eventually upgrades the four or five spot, that move makes far more sense in the offseason.

 

Prediction: Will not be traded