Hornets Consider Waiving Ryan Nembhard One Day After Acquiring Him in Hield Trade

Ryan Nembhard arrived in Charlotte on Tuesday, but his future with the Hornets is already in question. The team is considering parting ways with the point guard, who came alongside Buddy Hield in the deal that sent Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta.

Why This Isn't Just Any Waiver

The case is noteworthy because the player has shown clear signs that he knows how to do one thing very well: run an offense.

His performance with the Dallas Mavericks included a game with 23 assists, a figure that places any point guard among the names to watch. Court vision, ability to orchestrate an offense, and facility for involving teammates are the qualities he's recognized for.

What he doesn't have, for now, is a team willing to give him consistent minutes.

The Background of the Trade

Nembhard was a secondary piece in a deal designed for something else. The Hawks traded Hield and Nembhard, along with financial compensation, to shed a guaranteed salary of around $9.7 million and receive Finney-Smith, a defensive wing who better fits their needs.

Charlotte, for its part, was seeking outside shooting after losing LaMelo Ball this summer. Nembhard came in the package without his arrival addressing a specific need for the team.

The European Route

If he doesn't find a home in the NBA, European basketball appears as a natural alternative. The EuroLeague has spent years absorbing profiles like his: young point guards with court vision who in the United States get stuck at the bottom of a rotation and who here find minutes and responsibility.

It is, in any case, a hypothetical scenario. There is currently no club linked to his name.