Charlotte Sent Johnny O’Bryant and Two Seconds for Hernangómez
At the February 7, 2018 trade deadline, the Charlotte Hornets acquired young Spanish center Willy Hernangómez from the New York Knicks. New York received reserve forward Johnny O’Bryant III and second-round selections in 2020 and 2021. Those choices later became associated with No. 38 Saben Lee and No. 42 Isaiah Livers, although the draft-right chains and subsequent owners are separate from the original agreement. Hernangómez had played meaningful rookie minutes for New York in 2016-17 but lost his place in its developing frontcourt rotation. Charlotte sought a low-cost younger big man with touch around the basket and good rebounding instincts. The Hornets were not surrendering a current first-rounder, but two future seconds were real draft assets.
Hernangómez Became a Productive Hornets Reserve
After the deal, Hernangómez played 22 Charlotte games to finish 2017-18. His next season featured a larger bench role, and he averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds across 58 appearances in 2018-19. Those were genuine Hornets contributions from an incoming big man who had been squeezed out in New York. He did not develop into a multi-year All-Star or regular thirty-minute starter for Charlotte, but he offered usable center offense and rebounding. His later New Orleans NBA seasons and work for the Spanish national team do not belong to Charlotte’s direct return. The inherited Hornets C+ grade credits a developing reserve but discounts the two future second-round choices surrendered and the relatively modest ceiling achieved.
New York Obtained Two Future Draft Opportunities
O’Bryant supplied short-term frontcourt depth but was not the main long-term Knicks return. The two second-round selections were more important to future roster optionality, ultimately associating with No. 38 in 2020 and No. 42 in 2021. Both rights passed through additional draft decisions, so the complete NBA output of Saben Lee and Isaiah Livers should not automatically be treated as Knicks playing time. New York’s B inherited grade values the ability to convert an underused center into multiple choices over different years. Charlotte obtained the more visible immediate playing return; the Knicks chose flexibility and potential replacement players. The Knicks Win conclusion reflects the premium placed on two selections relative to a reserve center’s Charlotte tenure.
Final Verdict
Knicks Win. New York earns B for Johnny O’Bryant III and 2020 and 2021 second-round assets linked to No. 38 Saben Lee and No. 42 Isaiah Livers. Charlotte receives C+ for Willy Hernangómez, who provided 22 games immediately and later averaged 7.3 points in 58 Hornets games in 2018-19.