The Charlotte Hornets were considered by most analysts as one of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2014-15 NBA season, but the Michael Jordan-owned team has yet to live up to expectation.
The Hornets started the season with a measly 4-14 record, creating speculation that the team will make trades before the deadline on February 19 with reports indicating that Lance Stephenson and Gerald Henderson as the most likely to be dealt.
Stephenson, who signed a three-year deal worth $27 million with the Hornets during the offseason, was tipped to help the Hornets improve dramatically this season, but the former Indiana Pacers forward is struggling to fit into the Hornets system.
And if his struggles continue in the next several weeks, Zach Lowe, an NBA analyst from Grantland, reported that the Hornets could trade Stephenson before the deadline.
The Hornets are reportedly looking to upgrade their wing and power forward rotation, and Stephenson could be used as a trade bait to acquire the necessary players that they need. Lowe reported that the Hornets are willing to move anyone aside from stars Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson.
"The Hornets are searching for upgrades on the wing and at power forward, per those sources, and they are willing to talk turkey on basically anyone other than Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson," Lowe wrote. "Free agents signed this past offseason can't be traded until December 15, and few would be surprised if the Hornets make and take calls on Lance Stephenson ahead of that trigger date."
Stephenson averaged 13.8 points to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 78 regular-season games with the Pacers last season, but the 24-year-old shooting guard is averaging just 9.6 points with the Hornets this season.
Aside from Stephenson, Henderson could also find himself changing uniforms before the trading deadline.
According to Sam Amick, an NBA insider from USA Today, the Hornets informed rival teams that Henderson is "very available."
Henderson has been struggling all-season long as Stephenson's arrival affected his playing time significantly. The former Duke University standout averaged just 6.8 points on 22.7 minutes in his first 16 games - far from his 14-point production in 32 minutes per game last season.
