Phoenix now has three former Cats in Booker, Richards, and TyTy Washington.
A trio of former Kentucky Wildcats will now team up for the first time in the NBA.
On Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets stuck a trade that features Nick Richards heading to the desert to team up with NBA All-Star Devin Booker and reserve TyTy Washington.
The deal also involves second-round picks and Josh Okogie.
The Charlotte Hornets are trading 7-foot center Nick Richards and one second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RwPGJH5lzo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 15, 2025
The 42nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Richards has become a quality center during his time in Charlotte. After two seasons of barely seeing the floor, Richards had his breakout in the 2022-23 season and has become a fixture in the Hornets rotation.
This season, the 7-foot Jamaican is averaging 8.9 points (56.1% shooting), 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game in 21 games (nine starts). He’s started in 60 of the 88 games he’s played in dating back to last season.
Richards will be a welcome addition to a Suns lineup largely carried by Booker and Kevin Durant while having very little to speak of at center. Richards’ 8.9 points per game is more than Phoenix’s top two centers — Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro — are averaging together (8.2 points).
Should be fun watching Booker and Richards team up in the Valley of the Sun.
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