For years, Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner was a popular name linked to the Charlotte Hornets to give LaMelo Ball a true lob threat, while also giving the organization a long-term answer at a position they’ve struggled to fill for a very long time.
This was all, of course, before the selection of Mark Williams, in the first round of the draft a couple of years ago, but perhaps Turner can make his way to Charlotte after all.
Williams played exceptionally well down the stretch for the Hornets this past season following the rescinded trade with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played some of the best basketball of his young career, and more importantly, he stayed on the floor.
There is a reason to believe that the last couple of months of the 2024-25 season changed the front office’s view on Mark Williams and his long-term future with the organization. But there’s also a chance that they still have some concerns with his health and feel like they can move on, get a decent return, and find a replacement this off-season.
Although it seems as if the awkwardness of the rescinded trade is officially in the past, Williams could still feel some type of way about the Hornets attempting to trade him. At the end of the day, though, the decision will ultimately come down to Jeff Peterson, considering he is still under contract.
In all likelihood, Indiana will do everything it can to re-sign Turner, but several teams will be in hot pursuit of the unrestricted free agent this summer. If Charlotte moves on from Williams, Turner should 100% be in the discussion. Yes, he’s a little older than Williams and even the rest of the Hornets’ core, but he immediately fixes Charlotte’s interior defense and rim protection, while also offering consistent offensive production.
The two factors Charlotte has to weigh with Mark Williams are obviously his health and how much more he can develop as a defender.
Coming out of Duke, Williams was viewed as a solid room protector who had the potential to grow offensively at the next level. However, it’s been Williams’ offense that has flashed in the NBA. There have been several occasions where opposing bigs have their best night of the season or perhaps month when going up against Williams in the paint. He has to be more physical and get his body in a better defending position, or the Hornets will continue to struggle on the inside.
Riding it out with Mark Williams is certainly the safer option because you’re not having to spend millions of dollars on a proven commodity such as Turner, while also parting ways with a promising center who better fits the Hornets’ timeline to win. A move like this only happens if Charlotte has serious concerns with Williams’ health, and they feel like they are much closer to contending than what it appears on paper.
So, is there a chance that Turner ends up in Charlotte? Yes, but not very likely. If Indiana wants to go younger at center, they could strike a sign and trade where Turner lands in Charlotte in exchange for Mark Williams.
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