Nick Smith Jr. is in the midst of a playing time renaissance. The 27th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has quickly developed from a seldom used bench guard into a key piece in the Charlotte Hornets’ rotation as a key cog in Charles Lee’s attempts to pull his team's offense out of the league’s basement.

NBA rumors suggest the Charlotte Hornets are open to trading their 2023 1st-round pick to reshape their roster.

The Hornets are sending Richards and a second-round pick to Phoenix for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, league sources confirm to The Observer on Wednesday. The Observer reported the mutual interest between the two teams while the Hornets were in Arizona on Sunday.

The Phoenix Suns acquired Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards and a 2025 NBA draft second-round pick on Wednesday in exchange for wing player Josh Okogie and three future second-round NBA draft selections. Richards is averaging 8.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game this season, in 21 minutes of action per game.

A team like the Charlotte Hornets loom large over the next month as they await to help facilitate other trades for future draft capital.

Blockbuster Trade Idea Has Suns Land $53M Forward For Playoff Push. Richards declared for the 2020 NBA Draft where he was selected with the 42nd overall pick in the seco

The Charlotte Hornets traded Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns in a move that was widely panned as a win-win for both sides. Charlotte flipped Richards for an active, defensive-minded wing in Josh Okogie and a handful of future second round draft picks,

The Hornets acquired forward Josh Okogie in a trade with the Suns on Wednesday and they may not be done. At least, not if you listen to president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, who sent center Nick Richards to Phoenix as part of the deal.