NBA Trade Rumors: 3 players that the Charlotte Hornets should trade away

Since the Charlotte Bobcats rebranded as the Hornets in 2014, the franchise has gained little traction in the NBA. Since the teams rebranding four years ago, the Hornets have been to the playoffs just once (15-16 season), and Charlotte's most notable achievement is that they are the only team in the league that is allowed to sport the famous 'Jumpman' logo (thanks to Michael Jordan being the main owner of the franchise).

The Hornets also entered the current season coming off of a disappointing 17/18 campaign, in which the team finished with a 36-46 record. While there was little excitement surrounding the team coming into the 18/19 season, the Hornets have managed to put themselves into contention for a rare postseason appearance. The team has started the season with a 16-17 record, and despite being one game under .500, the Hornets are currently the seventh seeds in the Eastern Conference.

Nevertheless, the Hornets roster is still riddled with both overpaid and underperforming individuals, and here we will examine the three players that the team should look to offload before the February trade deadline.

#3 Cody Zeller

After serving as back up to Dwight Howard during the 17/18 season, Cody Zeller has returned to the Charlotte Hornets starting lineup this season. Howard departed in the summer after just one year with the team, and Zeller has benefited from a lack of competition to regain his starting place.

Despite this, Zeller has failed to demonstrate his ability to become a valuable player to the team, and he is currently averaging just 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The 26-year-old is also signed to a 4-year, $56 million contract that lasts until 2020, and the Hornets should try and trade Zeller for a more dominant center such as Hassan Whiteside from the Heat.