Charlotte Hornets Trade Rumours: 3 things to expect before the trade deadline

Since re-branding as the Hornets back in 2014, the Charlotte franchise has been to the playoffs on just one occasion. The Hornets' lone postseason appearance came back in 2016, and the team were knocked out in the first round by Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

So far this season, the Hornets have performed reasonably well, and the team currently sit 7th in the East standings with a 26-26 record. Kemba Walker has been the driving force behind the Hornets' run to playoff contention, however, a postseason appearance is far from guaranteed, and the Hornets could finish the season as low as 11th.

In terms of trades, the Hornets currently have their hands tied by a bloated wage bill, although the team is still likely to be active in the market next week.

So as we enter the final few days of the trade window, here are three things to expect from the Charlotte Hornets.

#3 The Hornets won't be able to offload their highest earners

A lot of the Hornets' current limitations can be attributed to the number of bad contracts on the roster. The team currently have six players earning more than $10 million-per-season, and only All-Star Kemba Walker is providing value for money.

Among the bad contracts are Nicolas Batum, Bismack Biyombo, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and each of these contracts still have multiple years to run. The Hornets would love to part with at least one or two of these contracts this month, however, rival teams around the league will be incredibly reluctant to take on the contracts.

The Hornets' only realistic way to move their high earners would be to package them with younger players, although with the team in playoff contention, this looks unlikely, and Charlotte will most likely revisit the situation in the summer.