The Los Angeles Lakers have added more help for LeBron James by trading for one of the most sought-after 3-and-D wings in Dorian Finney-Smith. The package saw D’Angelo Russell, a trade filler, and three future second-round picks go to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.

With the move, Charlotte Hornets fans can finally heave a sigh of relief as they won’t have to deal with reading trade ideas involving Russell and LaMelo Ball anymore. In addition, with the initial trade dominos starting to fall, the Hornets might start being more active in the market to bring in more help or assets.

The team has several pieces it can send out, the most notable of which include Nick Richards, Vasilije Micic, and Cody Martin. And the Lakers-Nets trade may have helped boost Martin’s stock.

There is now one less wing defender available for contenders

Other franchises were also linked to Finney-Smith, including the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas Mavericks.

If the Hornets were contending, they would have probably shown interest in the veteran forward, too. He has displayed the ability to guard multiple positions and has no qualms about doing the dirty work. On the other side of the floor, he has improved a lot in shooting the ball, sinking a career-high 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts this season.

With the Lakers winning the DFS sweepstakes, other suitors would have no choice but to shift their focus to other available proven wing defenders. It just so happened that Charlotte has a decent one in Martin.

The 2019 second-round pick was able to last this long in the league because of his rugged defense. However, the Hornets would likely be the first to admit that his acumen in that department isn’t as great as that of other players assuming a similar role. Still, in the right system, he can be a reliable role player.

Martin has also shown some offensive strengths over the past years. It was only three seasons ago when he registered a 38.4-percent shooting clip from long distance. Then, in the 2023-24 campaign, he dished out 5.0 assists per 36 minutes, underscoring his capability of handling and distributing the rock in spurts.

Last season, Martin survived the trade deadline, but that may not be the case this time around, especially with how the Hornets’ 2024-25 campaign has disappointingly turned out. And with Finney-Smith now off the market, Charlotte can try shopping Cody around for a cheaper price.