Sunday Discussion: The Trade

Because we don’t have someone else. Ariza should be at SF full-time. If the bench struggles early on this season, I could see Bellinelli starting and Thornton being moved to the 6th man spot.

Thornton has proven he can generate his own offense, Everyone else benefits more from CP to get them open looks. Of course, MT and CP will be out there together for a lot of minutes even if he comes off the bench. I think we need to keep 2 of our 3 offensive initiators (CP, DW, MT) on the floor at all times.

Start: Oak, DW, TA, Marco, and CP
Bench 1: Earl Barron, DW, Q, MT, and Patty Mills
Bench 2: Oak, Songaila, Peja, MT, CP
Finish if game is contested: Oak, DW, TA, MT, and CP
Finish if game is really over: Gray, Diogu, Brackins, Pondexter, Mills

Gray is used mainly for kryptonite duty.

He’s not even on the team yet. Plus, I trust Gray at times more than Okafor. He won’t fumble a pass and blow and easy layup or dunk and he will box out, make better passes, and even hit his FTs.

Peja’s offseason has been going well health wise because chances are we’ll have him at least until trade deadline.

I’d really like to see him gone. Problem with that is finding somebody nuts enough to take on his outrageous expiring contract. Plus, getting anything decent for him will be a challenge. I think he probably stays until the deadline, and Id be really surprised if he’s not moved by then. 14.3 million is a lot for an over the hill starter.

And what about Songalia? Also an expiring that’s gotta be worth something to somebody at the deadline.

None of this matters though if the Hornets aren’t going to get something decent in return.

outrageous expirings all the time. If Bower was able to sometimes turn water to wine (or maybe apple juice) then I’m sure Demps will work something out. Not only am I looking forward to this season but also looking forward to next offseason when the Hornets have money to make some nice deals.

to seeing a starting line-up of:

PG: Paul
SG: Thornton
SF: Ariza
PF: West
  C: Okafor

I probably don’t have as much confidence in Thornton as other fans (at least not yet) as I worry that he becomes a guy like Carmelo Anthony or Iverson. Scorers like Wade and even Bryant do more than score in big numbers, (not that Thornton is a Wade, or a Bryant even, but my point is … ) I hope Thornton can focus on and add the other things to his game that equal a better team and more wins. It’s his sophomore year though so we’ll see. Fingers crossed.

West, I think, is actually pretty average with occasional above average years. Here’s to him having a belief in the team this year, a return to his rebounding ways and a little effort on defense. Or that the team can finagle an upgrade.

I hope Okafor returns to form. (I really, really feel like he will) He and Paul are the two players I have the most confidence in right now. (sorry Okafor haters)

We all hope to get the Ariza-as-great-role-player from his time with the Lakers. We probably all really hope he gives us more (just not the Houston sense of more).

and a bench of:

PG: unknown
SG: Belinelli
SF: Pondexter/Peja
PF: Songaila/Brackins
  C: Gray

Outside of Pondexter (who I like very, very much), I do not like this bench (sorry Peja). I think Pondexter projects better out of college than Collison did and (at least) come next year, I feel like he could start over Ariza and develop into a starter at least as good as Collison. I’d also rather see Pondexter get minutes at off-guard.

At least Belinelli, Songaila and Gray (and probably Peja) will be Craig Mack. So it’s not hopeless…

more of stuff like this from Emeka this year….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic82_W7Q8sc&feature=channel

:)

What will we do in 2 years when CP3 pulls the “LeBron” on us??? We should have traded him not Collison.

We’re not a playoff team without CP3 this year. We are with him. Sorry I’d rather try to strike gold while we have a superstar who is actually capable of leading us to the promised land. You take the risk and suck it up.