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.

The Phoenix Suns have made a trade. No, not that trade. Jimmy Butler remains a member of the Miami Heat for the time being, but even as the Suns continue to try to pry him away, they have managed to make a deal of another sort by acquiring Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards along with a 2025 Denver Nuggets second-round pick for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks: two from the Nuggets (2026 and 2031) along with a Suns original (2031).