Suns acquire Hornets' Richards for Okogie, picks

The Charlotte Hornets are trading center Nick Richards and a second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for wing Josh Okogie and three second-round selections.

Richards is averaging 8.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks. In nine starts, he's put up 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. He's expected to become the Suns' starting center once he's acclimated, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

The Hornets receive one second-round pick in 2026 and two in 2031, while the Suns acquire a second-round selection in this year's draft.

Richards, 27, is under contract with a $5-million cap hit this season and next.

The Suns benched starting center Jusuf Nurkic, along with wing Bradley Beal, on Jan. 6. Nurkic played two games off the bench and has missed the last four contests.

Phoenix ranks 11th in the Western Conference with a 19-20 record. After starting the season 9-3, the Suns have gone 10-17 over the last two months.

Okogie is averaging six points and 2.9 rebounds in 25 games. The 26-year-old has played three seasons with Phoenix. He signed a two-year, $16-million deal with the franchise last offseason.

The Hornets are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 8-28 record. They've lost nine of their last 10 games.

Charlotte has acquired two first round-picks and eight second-round selections in trades since January 2024, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.