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.

After dealing away Nick Richards, the Charlotte Hornets are reportedly open to more potential trades as they continue to rebuild.

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.