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.

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.

A team like the Charlotte Hornets loom large over the next month as they await to help facilitate other trades for future draft capital.