After quietly building an interesting core over the past few seasons, Buzz City exploded with a couple of splashes this summer. Between the writing of LaMelo Ball and the signing of Gordon Hayward, the Hornets finally had some real reasons to be excited about their present and ecstatic about their future.
But the central location remains a weak point. Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo weren’t signed after this season, and PJ Washington may not have the bulk to hold up like a big little ball.
Randle, however, could add another dimension to this strike zone and was reportedly on Charlotte’s radar in the latest trade deadline. It wasn’t worth a first-round pick then, but given the rise of him and the Hornets, maybe they would pay that price now.