The Charlotte Hornets have had many weaknesses in recent seasons, including a lack of quality depth at the power forward/power forward positions.
This may not be as big of an issue in the 2024-25 season as it has been in the past, as the team has several rotation players who can fill those roles. Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges are expected to start, while Josh Green, Grant Williams, Cody Martin, Seth Curry and, likely, Tidjane Salaun will get playing time in those positions.
Still, had the Hornets not given up a key player in the 2021 offseason, they likely would have another starting-caliber option at either the power forward or power forward position.
In the summer of 2021, Charlotte released Caleb Martin to pave the way for the arrival of free agent Kelly Oubre Jr.
It seemed like the right decision at the time. After all, the undrafted forward had averaged just 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last season. Management didn’t care if Caleb Martin proved he had what it took to be a consistent starter after a productive period following the 2021 All-Star break.
Three years later, the Philadelphia 76ers’ new acquisition was ranked ninth by Bleacher Report in his list of the best players with the best contracts or the most team-friendly contracts and who have at least three years left on their contracts.
Caleb Martin signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Sixers this offseason, turning down a $65 million offer from his former team, the Miami Heat.
The Hornets definitely should have targeted him in free agency and, given his current contract, he could have afforded to bring him back. However, after proving himself in Miami over the previous three seasons, the North Carolina native was likely looking to land a ring.
He almost got a taste of that success when the Heat booked a trip to the 2023 Finals against the Denver Nuggets. And he wasn’t just a spectator, as he put together several standout performances in that year’s playoffs, including lighting up the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals with averages of 19.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 three-pointers per game, while shooting 60.2 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from three-point range.
Obviously, Charlotte I gave up on him too soonIt also didn’t help that Oubre Jr. only played two seasons with the franchise before heading to Philadelphia, where he is now teammates with Caleb Martin.
As a consolation for the Hornets, they still have another Martin in Cody. The defensive-minded winger will have to prove, however, that Charlotte hasn’t given up on the right twin in 2021.
