Hornets send Howard to Brooklyn for Mozgov, picks

The Charlotte Hornets’ experiment with center Dwight Howard lasted a single season, with the team agreeing to trade him to the Brooklyn Nets, an NBA source confirmed Wednesday.

The Hornets will acquire Russian center Timofey Mozgov, plus two second-round picks, from the Nets. Mozgov’s current contract with the Nets was originally signed with the Los Angeles Lakers when new Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak oversaw the Lakers.

This trade can’t become official until at least July 6 when the NBA’s new fiscal year begins. That’s because Howard’s salary for next season ($23.5 million) far exceeds Mozgov’s ($16 million). The Nets can’t absorb that difference in salary until the 2018-19 salary cap takes effect.

The Hornets will get some much-needed payroll reduction in the short run. Also, the Nets will send a second-round pick in Thursday’s draft (45th overall) and in the 2021 draft to the Hornets. The Nets will have to make that pick Thursday on the Hornets’ behalf, since the trade will not yet be official.

Sixers trade second-round pick to Lakers for future pick

New York: The 76ers unloaded one of their second-round picks in Thursday’s NBA draft.

ESPN reported that the Sixers traded the 39th pick Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a 2019 second-rounder and cash. As a result, the Sixers will make the pick for the Lakers.

The Sixers are left with picks Nos. 38, 56 and 60 in the second round in addition to the 10th and 26th pick in the first round.

Timberwolves mulling draft night options

Minneapolis: The Minnesota Timberwolves are taking a pair of picks and a flexible approach into the NBA draft.

The Wolves own the 20th overall selection in the first round as well as the 48th overall choice in the second round on Thursday night.

In a draft that’s considered deep in wing players, the Wolves could stay put and use one or both of those picks at a position where defense and 3-point shooting are critical and depth is needed behind Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins. Cap space would help, too, so trading out of their spot to seek salary relief would not be a surprise, either.

President and coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Wednesday that “all options are open right now.”

Detroit’s new coach says Pistons have enough talent

Detroit: Dwane Casey looks at the roster of the Detroit Pistons and sees a core of players capable of a lot more than the team accomplished last season.

Casey said Detroit’s time is now after he was introduced as the Pistons’ new coach Wednesday. The news conference came over a week after the team hired Casey to replace Stan Van Gundy.

Casey inherits a team built around Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, but the roster has little flexibility and the Pistons gave up their first-round draft pick this year to acquire Griffin.

Wizards, Knicks to play in London next season

London: The NBA will return to London next year with a regular-season game between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks.

Tickets for the Jan. 17 game at the O2 Arena will go on sale in the fall.

It will be the NBA’s ninth regular-season game in London, all sellouts. The Knicks have played there twice, facing the Detroit Pistons in 2013 and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015. This will be the first game in London for the Wizards.