The 2025 NBA Draft is in the rear-view mirror, but teams are still suffling personnel ahead of free agency.
Following a few recent trades that have included big-name players like Kevin Durant, Kristaps Porzingus and Jrue Holiday, the Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz executed a trade on Sunday that should free up playing time for rookies on both teams.
Utah sent 26-year-old guard Collin Sexton and a second-round pick to the Hornets in return for veteran center Jusuf Nurkic.
Sexton averaged 18.4 points, 4.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 40.6% from beyond the arc during his seventh NBA season. Sexton not only adds another solid ball-handler to Charlotte's rotation, it also opens the door for incoming rookie guard Walter Clayton Jr., the No. 18 pick in the 2025 class.
Of course, Ace Bailey is also in Utah, but as a top-five selection, Bailey was likely going to be a large part of the team's gameplan even with Sexton on the roster. Without Sexton, though, Clayton should get more time on the floor and more opportunities to handle the ball.
Clayton averaged 18.3 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 38.6% from 3-point range as a senior, leading Florida to a national title.
With soft touch around the rim and a strong perimeter game, Clayton should be able to help pick up some of the slack left by Sexton's departure on a significantly less expensive contract.
Nurkic's arrival in Utah also frees up time on the court in Charlotte for Creighton product Ryan Kalkbrenner, who was selected with the No. 34 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Kalkbrenner joins an intriguing group of young guards and wings in an organization that is still searching for a long-term center option. Fortunately for the four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, he should get ample opportunities to make his case for that spot during the 2025-26 season.
Kalkbrenner averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.7 blocks while shooting 65.3% from the field and 34.4% from deep on 1.7 attempts per game in his final season with the Bluejays.
If Kalkbrenner's defensive prowess translates to the NBA and he is able to continue improving as a shooter, the All-American should be able to stick in the league and give Charlotte a stable big man.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.