Hornets trade Chris Paul to Clippers for Gordon, Aminu, Kaman, 1st Round Pick
by GeauxHornets on Dec 14, 2011 8:10 PM CST
in Analysis
Email
PrintAt long last, a trade has finally been passed through that will send Hornets' superstar point guard Chris Paul, along with two 2015 2nd round picks, to the Los Angeles Clippers. In return, New Orleans will receive 23 year old all-star shooting guard Eric Gordon, second-year small forward (and the 8th overall pick in the 2010 draft) Al-Farouq Aminu, veteran center Chris Kaman, and the Minnesota Timberwolves' 2012 first round draft pick which was owned by the Clippers.
While no player in the league apart from either LeBron James or Dwight Howard adds the kind of talent and value to a team that Paul provides, the Hornets absolutely made the best out of a bad situation by getting this deal done. The trade gives them 1) a young star in Gordon who is under contract for at least two more seasons, 2) a wing player in Aminu who has loads of potential, 3) a solid big man in Kaman in the final year of his contract who could potentially be dealt to a contender for other assets near the trade deadline, and 4) the draft pick of Minnesota's which will almost certainly be a top-10 pick, hopefully even top-5.
What does the deal mean for the Hornets in the short-term? Unfortunately, it'll be a rough year or two for this team in the standings. By making this trade, though, New Orleans set itself up very nicely to hit the ground running on its rebuilding process. This trade is just the first phase in what is likely to be a series of moves by the Hornets' front office in order to properly position the team to succeed in the long-term. The best pathway to long-term success, especially for small-market teams such as the Hornets, is by building through the draft and creating a young core that can grow together (just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder). Every player on the roster will likely be made available if it can bring back younger talent and additional draft picks in order to really rebuild this team from the ground up. It's hard to predict anything at this point, but there are a ton of possibilities now, and it will be incredibly exciting to follow as it all plays out.
To sum things up - I am really excited with the trade. We are about to see a total overhaul of this Hornets franchise, from a new owner all the way down to totally new players. Are we more than likely going to miss the playoffs this season? Yeah, we'll probably be near the bottom of the standings. The result, however, is two top-10 first round draft picks in a deep 2012 draft class - and that's just the worst case scenario. Depending on the lottery and the records of both the Hornets and the T-Wolves, we could be staring at the top two picks in the draft next summer. Obviously, the chances of that happening are slim, but regardless, those two picks will be very solid and will likely go a long way in helping New Orleans turn things around as quickly as possible.
I am certain it will be a focal point of another post in the future, but best of luck to Chris Paul (except when he plays against us). I cannot wait to see what he and Blake Griffin can accomplish together, and would love nothing more than for that duo to turn the Lakers into the irrelevant Los Angeles team. It's been a phenomenal six years, and he's done more to help revive professional basketball in the city of New Orleans than any of us could have ever hoped. From all of us to you, CP3 - thanks for everything, and good luck.
194 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Excited about the trade.
As much as I wanted to keep Paul and try to make that work, I don’t know what he said to Dell and Monty. So if we were going to trade him, this is likely about as good as we could have done. Bledsoe would have been nice too, but so be it. WAY better than proposed HOU/LAL/NOR trade that Stern nixed.
No it's not
It is way better than what I expected us to get after the first trade was nixed though. I gotta believe Stern was holding a gun to someone’s head because there is no way the Clippers should have made this deal with all the leverage they had.
Dude
Staying competitive would NOT bring the fans in. We were competitive last year and nobody showed up. You have no basis for your argument. This generates excitement which can bring sustainable fan support. I get what you’re saying about staying competitive in the short term but this is seriously the best move the franchise could make.
"You play to win the game."
by MrWayneKeller on Dec 14, 2011 8:51 PM CST up reply actions
Wow
First of all, you seem to be responding to points I have made in other posts rather than this one. I agree with you that this was the best move we could have made at this point, but it is not WAY better than the Lakers trade.
We didn’t have a lot of fans last year because we weren’t that good the previous season. You know which team was 3rd in attendance last year? The Cavs, because they expected to have Lebron. That is precisely my point, that it takes sustained success to keep people interested in smaller markets. People jump late to a bandwagon, meaning that while attendance this year may be high as we have a lot of new season-ticket holders, I wouldn’t hold out hope for next year after people have had a bellyful of watching a bad team without a true star.
Finally, I don’t see how your theory that the excitement of watching a team lose most of its games will draw more fans has more “basis” than mine.
agree
I agree. The Lakers trade would have been better and apparently, Demps also thought so.
The fact that we got Gordon and Minnesota 1st round pick is good, though not getting Jordan and now not having Bledso included is a minus.
Also, two of the major players included in the deal are major injury risks and we’re only getting Gordon for one year before we’ll have to engage in a bidding war for him with other teams because Gordon is only firmly signed through one season.
I’m glad that we’ve moved on from the CP situation. After the Lakers trade was nixed, this is apparently the best that we’ll get so we just have to move on.
competitiveness
I think from a competitive standpoint, we probably won’t be at the bottom (we might be at the bottom of our division, only because our division has been a rough house recently).
If all things fall into place, i.e,. Gordon and Kaman (or player received for Kaman)avoid major injury issues, Aminu surprises with faster development than expected, Jarrett Jack shines leading the team, and we continue our defensive focus from last year, it’s not inconveivable that we could be 0.500 and even be an outside shot for a playoff spot, though that scenario is a unlikely.
But anyway, although a playoff spot is far fetched, I don’t expect we’ll be one of the 2 or 3 worst teams in the NBA with the current squad.
Regardless of current player value
This trade had to also be good for our future value of the organization. I’ve always understood it’s still very important we attract an owner so if it’s not gonna be CP3, it better be fantastic but cheap youth.
At the time of HOU/LAL deal, I really didn’t think we’d land a package like we did from LAC. That’s why I threw my support for it, but now, I’m happy to say it worked out the way it did.
considering how things were looking
this is amazing for the Hornets! So glad we could finally end this. Good luck as a Clipper CP3!
Congrads from a Kings' fan
I’m glad to see you guys got great value for Paul. I hope that pick is very high.
"We're like Tim Duncan and David Robinson. But a younger version. I really feel that." - Charlie Villanueva about himself and Chris Bosh.
From a Magic fan
WOW I hope we can get this value when we trade Howard. In the NBA if you’re not good, then you need to be really bad. That way, you can get those top 10 draft picks. There’s nothing worse than being mediocre and either getting middle of the line picks and getting swept out of the first round as the 8 seed.
Anyways, good luck in the draft this is supposed to be a good one.
Agreed 100%
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Best of luck to you guys in getting good value for DH12.
by GeauxHornets on Dec 14, 2011 9:14 PM CST up reply actions
It is what it is...
This is bittersweet BUT no use crying over spilled milk. I believe like Jordan says about every team needing “that guy” to keep the market competitive so even the smaller market cities/teams make money too. Gordon is a good player who is just as good or a little better than M Thornton and happy about the height/hustle assets of Kaman. IF Jack steps his game up which he’s capable of and has shown flashes but consistency is his problem and IF Belinelli & Ariza finishes better & IF Okafor is moved to PF like he supposed to be and I know he’ll do much better than as a Center, this could be a pretty good team #6 or 7 spot in playoffs. We have a good Defensive minded coach in Monty so if not anything else, we’ll be exciting at least. Alot of games(more than half) will be close but alot will be heartbreakers. All the while, before or after our highlights, we’ll be reminded of who we had and how great his team is doing…. What’s really crazy is D West went to a team with the same amount of talent as Hornets saying how he wanted to “help this team win a championship”…. pls…..
RE D-West.
Pacers are going to be legit this year. Bird has build a great team. David’s going to prove a lot of people wrong this year when he is a 20-10 beast WITHOUT Chris Paul.
Yeah
Going to play with Collison, who he has chemistry with, is going to help too. I expect big things from West.
"You play to win the game."
by MrWayneKeller on Dec 14, 2011 10:32 PM CST up reply actions
DWest
I expect about 18ppg and 7rpg from West this year.
A solid year, but not quite All-Star level. I think the ACL issue will not affect West too much, but it may hit him in the rebounding area a bit.
Just my thought. Also, good luck to West and thanks for some great basketball.
I wouldn't count on the 10..,
But I would love for him to prove me wrong.
by Downtowndave78 on Dec 14, 2011 10:34 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
right
West hasn’t done 10 as far as I can remember, and now he’s got the ACL and age issue as well. Also, I think his minutes will be down this year, because I don’t think Pacers will play him 37+ mins like we used to do when he’s coming off an ACL. Than in and of itself may limit his stats a bit.
But he’s still a very good player.
I thought this was very good analysis of the trade.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2011/12/14/20111214_GT_Hornets_Trade_analysis.nba/
Congratulations, Hornets. (Celtics fan here)
It must be pretty crazy to lose a star of his caliber, but … that’s a really solid trade you’ve got there.
Looking forward to seeing you grow soon, and let’s hope this team gets sold quickly, aye?
- Just call me Dirk!
Twitter: @4Hoopz
very excited!!
While obviously having cp3 was something I always hoped the team could have as an option, I would say this is an outstanding move. When going over possible trades, I never imagined we could get this kind of package. What a great haul for the hornets, gives us a young star, building blocks for the future, and flexibility. I love it! This makes the veto of original trades all worth it.
by aburton531 on Dec 14, 2011 10:22 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Peace CP3...
wish you would have said this last yr and wish you and DWest didn’t hold the Bower regime’s ineptitude over the heads of Demps/Williams, but at least you got us some quality pieces…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qais_eGMnWk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39GH-nzrY_I&feature=relatde
Congrats on the great deal guys
You will love Eric Gordon, and Chris Kaman is an underrated center. I was never that high on Aminu, but the tools are all there.
Hope you guys get to stay in NO and I hope your draft pick is great. Talk to you when we play you guys next!
Great trade
You hate losing an all world talent like Paul, but Gordon has all star potential, the pick should be a great one in a deep draft, Aminu could become at least a solid pro, and Kaman’s expiring gives you wiggle room. This is light years better than the Martin/Scola/Odom deal.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Who do we credit for arm-twisting the Clippers into giving us Gordon and the Minny pick?
Dell Demps or blech David-Stern-and-the-NBA?
In terms of deals, we seemed to have got the best assets we could out of a deal with the Clippers. The Lakers deal might have helped us more this season, but I think this deal will be better long term.
Can anyone enlighten me on Aminu? Back in last year’s draft discussions, he seem to be considered quite a good pick that we would be lucky if he was still available. Now in the trade talks everyone seemed very down on him. Is there a chance he exceeds lowered expectations to make us happy he was included in the trade?
Now are we officially in the position of hoping all the players on the team (including those to be added) do well, while simultaneously hoping we lose lots and lots of games?
#2 Sean Marks fan on the blogs
Aminu
Aminu is young and super athletic, but he’s a tweener. He can’t play too much at PF coz he’s only 215 lbs, though hopefully he’s been hitting the weight room and will fill out a bit more. He played on the perimeter last season – about 40% of his shots were 3-pointers – but he hit only 31% of them. Very limited ball handling ability last season.
He’ll help us on the boards at small forward and occasionally do a jaw dropping athletic play. He can also do well against small forwards in the post at 6’9" and having done some inside work in college, but he’s overmatched as a 4.
By most accounts, he’s a hard worker, so we can hope that he’ll improve. But if he gives another season like last, I think that will be a disappointment.
Re: Aminu
Aminu may not have had the greatest year last year, but I was talking to Basketball Prospectus’ Kevin Pelton about him tonight, and he noted that statistically, Aminu compares decently favorably from a historical comparison perspective to other players. His closest historical comps are Trevor Ariza, Sasha Pavlovic, and Rudy Gay. Obviously Pavlovic isn’t a great player, but that’s not the worst company to be in… basically, there’s a decent chance that he’ll develop a good bit following a letdown rookie year.
More on him soon.
Aminu/Gay
Aminu
Two Pointers: 44%, Three Pointers: 32%, Offensive Rebounds: 6%, Defensive Rebounds: 15%, FTM/36: 2.3, ORtg: 94
Gay
Two Pointers: 43%, Three Pointers: 36%, Offensive Rebounds: 5%, Defensive Rebounds: 15%, FTM/36: 2.6, ORtg: 96
Aminu's
two biggest problems are settling/hanging out on the perimeter for long twos and high turnover rate. Hopefully he can cut at least one of those out this year
Yeah
good comp above though as I hadn’t looked at numbers yet. I remember when Gay hit the league, he seemed to have it. Watching Aminu, I just didn’t see enough. I’m really hoping NOW that I’m wrong.
Oh I agree with you
I feel the same. I was talking to Kevin, and brought up Aminu as an afterthought before he mentioned his comparables. I’ll be pleasantly surprised as well if he pans out.
Monty
Monty had the reputation of being great at player development before he became our coach. A player like Aminu should benefit tremendously from working with Monty.
by Downtowndave78 on Dec 15, 2011 8:00 AM CST up reply actions
I like the trade and I am sooo happy that this whole thing is over. I like what we got, too. I just hope we can build around Gordon and whatever is coming this years draft.
Our starting five actually doesnt look that bad, all things comsidered. And even if we suck, we hav a relatively young team to root for. I am excitede again.
PS:
I love that there faÃnally is a German player on the team! ;-) (hey, Kaman’s got a German passport)
Clips fan here
torn about this trade…cp3s iffy knees and our know injury history…EJ will blow up in NO…he’s a beast…enjoy kaman and his awesome oddness (and tweets!).
"Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime
and too sleepy to worry at night."
Author Unknown
Gordon is great. (Clips fan here)
You guys will definitely enjoy watching him. Already, he is already a top 10 SG in the NBA. He’s a great, great shooter. He’s a great defender. Ball handler is alright. He battles nightly and hits big 4th quarter shots. Enjoy.
Kaman is quirky, but a good Center with an outside shot. He also defends well.
This is going to be my team, and we're going to rise together.
-Clipper Darrell
Simmons is a homer*
..but Eric Gordon is a fantastic player at both ends. A couple months into the season and you’ll be getting nervous about signing him long-term and debating how much north of $10MM/yr he’s worth—that’s how much he’ll impress.
I really didn’t think you’d get it done, but that was quite a coup: Eric Gordon AND Minny’s #1 AND whatever you can get trading Kaman. And don’t forget, your own #1 will be worth a lot more in a strong draft after the 3-way with the Lakers and my Rockets fell through. You should be ecstatic about the first trade getting Stern-inated.
- LeBron is under 30 too, and he’s kind of a 2G
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 2:51 AM CST up reply actions
I've posted my love for Eric Gordon previously
…but i thought that SImmons article was kind of dumb, because the position categorization is a bit meaningless. 2G and SF are probably the most interchangeable positions on the floor. I mean, look at Ariza—can’t he defend 2’s and 3’s? And LeBron could definitely play SG if the roster demanded it.
But like I said, I love Gordon. He’s got the potential to be a really good one. A great basketball player.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:12 AM CST up reply actions
Is this why the guy is a former writer for ESPN?
http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2011/12/14/sheridan-on-chris-paul-trade-no-winners-only-losers/
LAC isn’t a playoff contender? HUH?
Heh
The Clippers side of the analysis is silly!
Unfortunately, there’s a fair chance the NO side of the analysis may be somewhat on point. I do not expect NO to be the worst team in the NBA this season. I think the talent is there to win around 35 games, but missing the playoffs is likely.
Missing the playoffs is likely the next season as well because we’ll be integrating our new first round pick, which will hopefully be either our franchise player or one fo our core players at least.
3 seasons from now, we may have a shot at the playoffs. But it will depend on things going well until then and remaining pieces falling into place quickly, and that’s far from certain.
I don’t agree with the writer’s statement that the Hornets will definitely be out of the playoffs “for years”, but as things are there is definitely that possibility.
I really never wanted EJ to be included in the the deal.
But what’s done is don’t and I am glad we got CP. Here’s a post about Eric Gordon that I think you guys might enjoy or at least something to be optimistic about in the future.
Good luck with both our teams!
Yeah
I remember reading this a week ago. Some good stuff in it for sure but it is a hard comparison to make. While I don’t see Gordon becoming the next Roy, I don’t think it’s necessarily the worst thing. Roy was a very good playmaker but I feel Gordon has a chance to become a better scorer.
Either way, good luck to both squads for sure!
Hope our fanbase
takes to Gordon VERY quickly. Would be awesome to see him fall for the city and want to sign a long term extension.
Haha
The line where he goes “How good is a team with a starting five of Paul, Williams, Caron Butler, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan?” I assumed to be rhetorical (with an answer of SO good).
Then, the very next line he explains that it’s not good enough to be a playoff team. Hilarious.
Chris Sheridan really is a douche
C.Paul will have a nice seat for the playoffs, just like Baron did last year. It’s called a sofa
One more for the road
The original Demps trade was far better than the Stu Jackson/Litvin trade. Value of NOLA for a sale just plummeted.
Beginning to think guy just wanted to be the first naysayer of the deal since he needs to put his hat somewhere after leaving ESPN.
Reposting here
The Clippers side of the analysis is silly!
Unfortunately, there’s a fair chance the NO side of the analysis may be somewhat on point. I do not expect NO to be the worst team in the NBA this season. I think the talent is there to win around 35 games, but missing the playoffs is likely.
Missing the playoffs is likely the next season as well because we’ll be integrating our new first round pick, which will hopefully be either our franchise player or one fo our core players at least.
3 seasons from now, we may have a shot at the playoffs. But it will depend on things going well until then and remaining pieces falling into place quickly, and that’s far from certain.
I don’t agree with the writer’s statement that the Hornets will definitely be out of the playoffs "for years", but as things are there is definitely that possibility.
two lottery picks!
and whatever you can trade Kaman for. Does this fool not realize how much having multiple picks in this draft increases the chances of landing a stud?
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:07 AM CST up reply actions
Yup
This is the ultimate rebuilding package if the eventual goal is playoffs.
If the goal is perpetual 5-8 seeds, then the Lakers deal was better
maaayyybe
But we won’t be a serious threat to make the playoffs anytime soon.
3 to 4 years is my best guess.
Hmmm
Monty Williams style of coaching gives me more hope + I have faith we’ll land a couple of key FA signings.
It will be weird though now we don’t have a PG to get us out of trouble anymore…
isn't Jarret Jack solid?
I thought yall liked him a lot.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:16 AM CST up reply actions
he does make others better too
I figure that’s why yall like Ariza more than Rocket fans do. We didn’t really have anyone to bring out the best in Ariza.
I’ll be real curious to see how he plays this season. Ariza stepping up to be the man offensively was a near-disaster for the Rockets.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:19 AM CST up reply actions
At least
this season with every clang comes an extra ping pong ball
by Rohan on Dec 15, 2011 3:22 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Lol
funny how it’ll be a reversal. Last year, clangs meant CP3’s foot inched closer towards the door. Now, closer to landing the best player in the draft with our pick.
You know what’ll likely happen? Dude goes on to have a career shooting year!
rec'd
"I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man" ~Jay-Z
"Sleeping on me probably in the coffin" - Tyga
Rally Squirrel will steal yo gurl.
SANI BOOOOOY!!!
by OnPointLikeCP3 on Dec 15, 2011 8:54 AM CST up reply actions
haha..
some of your posters like Ariza. a couple weeks ago (man, seems like forever), i suggested a trade offering to take Ariza’s contract off your hands, and i nearly got punched in the face.. virtually punched, of course.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:23 AM CST up reply actions
Nah
once you realize (again) what he brings defensively and see Gordon standing on the opposite wing, it’ll be all good.
man, if your coach is good at teaching D
as some ppl suggest, Eric Gordon is going to be one hell of a two-way player.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:34 AM CST up reply actions
Great point
One guy that we DID lose though was D-coordinator Mike Malone, who I think was a huge, huge part of the defensive system last year.
i hope Landry worked out better for you
we liked him.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:39 AM CST up reply actions
He did
A few more rebounds wouldn’t hurt, but very good player all things considered. I followed him pretty closely at Purdue and got to see him in the NCAA’s so I’ve followed his NBA career before he was a Hornet.
yeah, he's a bit undersized
but you got to love his hustle.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:45 AM CST up reply actions
He really struggled
through significant stretches last season to the point we were clamoring for J. Bayless to return.
it really depends on that pick
who knows what you’ll get the opportunity to draft. Demps seems to know what he’s doing (even though he got completely bitch-slapped by Stern with this whole fiasco).
see… this board is going to get more interesting as the draft approaches. the college season just got more interesting for you too.
hope springs eternal with a couple lottery tickets.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:15 AM CST up reply actions
Why not?
We almost made the playoffs Chris Paul’s rookie year, remember. And the team the year before that was TERRIBLE. As bad as the current one, if not worse.
We have a much better coach in place now (Monty’s defensive system is legitimate), we have a potential superstar on the roster already, AND we’re getting two lotto picks in the best draft since 2003. If we’re on top of our drafting this year, 3-4 years before making the playoffs again is a bit silly.
Silly??
Woah. How confident are you that we’ll land the next Chris Paul in this coming draft? We don’t even know where we’ll be drafting yet.
Landing a CP/Shaq/ Durant type player in the coming draft would be the VERY best scenario, and there’s not much history of players like that taking their teams to the playoffs in their first year (none of those players did it).
So, rather than silly, at least 3 years before making the playoffs is actually the most likely scenario.
I think
I know what Rohan is saying. Our roster should be good enough in the next 3 years where we won’t have to solely rely on the upcoming draft picks to get us there. Anything they give us in that time frame will be part bonus.
I think that's hardly a given though
Chances of playoffs this season are lowish.
Next year, to have a shot, we’ll have to resign Gordon ($12-$14 mill is my guess) which will take up a chunk of our cap space (if he does resign with us). We’ll also have Ariza, Okafor, Jack and I expect that we’ll pick up some solid (but not star) free agents and have our 2 first round draft picks. Does it sound like a playoff team to you? Hardly a lock at playoffs. Would a rookie CP or Durant definitely make it a playoff team? Possible, but still questionable in my opinion.
I can honestly see
at least 1 of those 3 being in different uniforms sometime next season. Hopefully 2.
maybe
But that doesn’t guarantee we’ll get better players in return. I think we’ll have to assume that, although Okafor/Ariza/Jack may very well be moved, barring some brilliance by Demps, the players we get back will be more or less the same in terms of quality/contract.
The whole point
is to avoid Okafor-like contracts. So no, I’d hope we’re not getting back similar contracts.
Even a guy like Jack (at the midlevel) is a bad contract.
Ariza… eh, depends what you feel about his defense/if you think he can ever rebound to his LA style of play
pessimistic? realistic?
I don’t know. I’d like to hope that we could trade Okafor for a better center or Ariza for Rudy Gay, but I think there’s no guarantee that we can do that. We could package of course and trade two average for one better than average etc.
But I think my general point is simply that, if you are stuck with average players, it’s better to assume that you won’t turn them into star players through trades.
Sure it's realistic
but it does have a good amount of negative slant. I tend to always favor the other side if I trust management/coaching staff.
noted
Noted, I understand. I’m hoping for the best too.
Overall, I think Demps has done a solid job overall, but it’s not like Jeff Bower had a monopoly on bad contracts. Jack and Ariza are here coz of Demps.
VERY true
but we have to consider why. Everything was done to keep CP3 here. Build a team around HIS talents. Now without any restrictions, I expect Demps to shine.
I don't think
Red is saying that we’re going to trade those guys for better guys. Rather that we move those guys on for minimal return if need be, and let younger guys on better deals take their places, whether that’s through smart drafting or smart trading/signing of younger guys
that's definitely a possible scenario
That’s definitely possible, but those won’t be moves that get us back to the playoffs in a hurry.
They won't
But building through the draft and building from scratch (ie, the ONLY way small market teams can build title teams) is a slow process.
Consider: OKC missed the playoffs during Durant’s first two seasons (not only that, they weren’t even close – 20 and 23 wins).
strange
Strange, I could have sworn I replied to this post, but my reply got poposted below a different post. Anyway, my response was:
“That’s definitely possible, but those won’t be moves that get us back to the playoffs in a hurry.”
yep, not getting posted in the right place
Anyway, what I mean is that I think there’s a good chance we can swap the “so so” players on bad contracts for younger players on better contracts.
Those kind of moves are quite plausible and would help our long term. but in the short term, those would not be moves that accelarate our playoff chances, and that’s why I come back to the point of 3 years minimum till playoffs.
Nice chatting with you guys in almost real time. Have to go for dinner. Cheers.
For sure
Talk more soon, because this is a great topic.
And you guys are always very fun to talk with.
You're actually being quite pessimistic here
I don’t think we should assume we’ll be stuck with 3 average/below average players in key spots for the next few years.
Haha
comparing rookie CP3 to rookie Durant is funny.
Rookie CP3, along with rookie Tim Duncan and rookie Blake Griffin was one of the top 3 rookies of the last… 20 years. 25 years. He should have been an All-Star, that’s how amazing he was.
Not sure about that...
These days guys in top 10 are closer to being NBA ready. And it may be very likely that we end up with 2 top 10 picks. Say we get an Austin Rivers and Harrison Barnes, to play with gordon, Aminu, Ariza, Belli. Thats an exciting perimeter, capable of scoring a lot of points. Although I think we would be better served to draft a big man with one pick.
Ridiculous...
I think Daryl Morey hijacked Chris Sheridan’s account and is just feeling a little bitter about how things went down.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:04 AM CST up reply actions
Interesting
@SeanDeveney
Sean Deveney
Interesting … NOH has two more years on their arena lease. Stern says they’re looking to extend, and next owner will have to agree to it.
After having my heart torn out stomped on and staked to the ground
over the last 10 days,,,it is nice to have it back. Without CP3, DWest, Graymonster, and others this year, I feel a little like I did when the Hornets first came to town, and I felt like I was rooting for strangers. Going to be weird rooting for the CLippers East.
Someone said earlier that Stern must have really twisted Sterling’s arm to get close to the deal the Hornets snagged. I think he twisted another part of the anatomy.
Excellent deal considering the leverage..
I predict we will have lease extension and new owner within 30 days.
"I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." Groucho Marx
Rocket fan here still feeling heart stomped
I feel better about your Hornets than i do my Rockets. I might have to troll here more often.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 2:55 AM CST up reply actions
Man
I feel for you guys. Have a couple of very good friends and both were excited as hell about the prospects of a Nene/Gasol frontline. My heart goes out to all of you. Hope Morey still has another trick up his sleeve left.
Inconsolable
I don’t think Nene is worth a max contract and I hated the thought of rooting for Pau Gasol, but with that front line, we really thought the Rockets could break out of this mediocrity rut. As much as I disliked those players as individuals, I loved the trade.
The Hornets are definitely on the right course to re-build. Young talent, multiple lottery picks in a strong draft… Sucks to lose CP3, no doubt, but your silver lining is looking awful nice.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:02 AM CST up reply actions
I agree that Rockets got the short end...
and treated like red-headed step child. But congrats on Texans…hope to see you guys in Super Bowl someday.That would be awesome.
"I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." Groucho Marx
On another note
where are the Lakers? LOL. CP3 now traded and DHow off the table? How’s that empty Odom deal looking now?
That was a horrible deal if they can't get Howard
Odom is still one of the better players at his position and getting just draft picks in a salary dump was horrible for the Lakers. They are now Howard or bust.
Right
but as a GM, don’t you say no big deal, you’re still a huge part of the ballclub as evidenced by our recent championships? Now get your ass back to practice.
I think Buss boys forced Mitch to lose him now as they were ready to move in diff direction. Problem is they jumped before looking?
I heard somewhere
That he felt betrayed by the lakers involving him in the CP3 trade and was really pissed off at the franchise so demanded a trade. I could be (and probably am) wrong however.
Perhaps
we trade Jack to LAC next season?
Funny how TOR & NOH acquired Jarrett Jack because he was close with Chris Bosh & Chris Paul. Then both players bounce after 1 year with him
Yup
Getting “friends” of players is always dumb unless those friends happen to be superstars. Orlando trading a better player (Bass) for a worse one (Davis) is so funny.
Getting Charles Haley who was Dennis Rodman's buddy was a smart move
None of yall probably know what I’m talking about.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:21 AM CST up reply actions
the guy was a scrub
just a big white guy who’d wave his towel and never get off the bench. but both the Bulls and Spurs signed him to help keep Dennis Rodman sane. he probably owes the Worm a couple million in additional earnings.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:26 AM CST up reply actions
check out Jack Haley's wiki
He was mainly known for his friendship with Dennis Rodman, and was sometimes referred to as Rodman’s “babysitter”. However, Haley bristled at the label, and argued that he had legitimately earned his spot on the team.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:31 AM CST up reply actions
"legitimately earned his spot" is the funniest part
of course, he might’ve been a great baller. just nobody got to see him play.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:40 AM CST up reply actions
At least Kaman is going to be happy coming to NOH
away from the D. Jordan timeshare AND gets a 1.9 M trade kicker to boot.
Soooooooooooo
Chris Paul beats his season high for assists this year? (11.6)?
Btw, Yahoo already has CP3’s player page showing he’s a Clipper. Can’t say the same thing for Gordon yet though.
Jeezus.. he'll get at least half that in alley-oop dunks to Blake
and let me also say, yeah, it sucks to lose a CP3, but if you are a fan of basketball, it will be a great thing to watch those two play together for a couple years.
by Moochie's Fro on Dec 15, 2011 3:42 AM CST up reply actions
That's a great team now
A great fit for superstars, something that isn’t necessarily true of LeBron + Wade or Amar’e + Anthony (who isn’t a real superstar anyways)
good point...
those guys are big stars, but not the typical ego-driven spotlight stars. I could see those guys becoming a dominant force, and extremely fun to watch.
So I asked this of friend but if you are the Hornets, do you waive/amnesty Kaman and try to maximize your draft pick potential or do you play it out and just let his contract come off the books at the end of the year? I am leaning towards option 2 since it’s not like the Hornets got nothing for Paul and they still have enough to at least compete for a playoff spot, possibly a 7-8 seed.
Ed Snider is a crotchety old fuck.
That is all.
No way
I certainly wouldnt waive him. He has a lot of value, especially to contending teams looking for a vet big man. Not to mention a very valuable expiring contract. We could see decent return on him, or use the cap space next season.
Exactly
He’s a very good asset. I’d say there is a 95% chance he gets flipped for youth at some point during the season.
Im really optimistic...
In all honesty, I think these guys could surprise some teams. I could see this being a .500 club. Not sure if thats playoff material in the West, but its not bad at all considering all the turnover. Our froncourt wont “wow” anyone, but assuming we keep Kaman and Okafor, thats a beefy frontline to clog the paint. Ariza, love him or hate him, had shown the ability to shut down the top perimeter player on opposing teams. I really believe it comes down to PG play, which we just gave away the best in the game. How well Jack, or whoever takes over, fills the void will be key.
I can tell
This team is going to be bad. As a season ticket holder, it’s tough to stomach, but with the goal of long-term success in mind, I’m okay with it. Defensively, I agree with you; Kaman and Okafor should provide better interior defense than we’ve seen from this team. Think about it this way, though – after Gordon, where will the scoring come from on this team? Ariza’s going to feel like he has to shoulder a heavier scoring load and chuck up even MORE bad shots. Kaman may do the same. Without CP, Okafor will have a tougher time getting good inside looks. The Hornets may be the worst offensive team in the league this season, or right there with Toronto and Charlotte. Defensively, the team should do enough to keep them in games, but closing down the stretch will be a chronic problem, as opponents will look to take away Gordon and leave the Hornets with no source for crunch-time offense.
by GeauxHornets on Dec 15, 2011 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
Oh Goodness
Remember how bad our offense was last season? It will be much worse this year.
"You play to win the game."
by MrWayneKeller on Dec 15, 2011 10:14 AM CST up reply actions
You're right...
Unfortunately, as good as I think they can be defensively, every possesion will be a struggle on offense. I think if we can get good production from Landry (assuming we resign), Belli, and maybe Aminu, we could be somewhat of a tough matchup. But you are right, we definitely lack in offensive weapons.
We apparently just re-signed him
Our offense undoubtedly improves by bringing him back, but Landry being our clear-cut 2nd option really shows you how weak this team still is offensively.
by GeauxHornets on Dec 15, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions
Landry is better offensively than Kaman
but Kaman is far better defensively. All-around, Kaman is the slightly better player, but it’s close, IMHO.
by GeauxHornets on Dec 15, 2011 11:16 AM CST up reply actions
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Eric Gordon…I am here to tell you that you are going to love this kid. Most underrated defender in the NBA…especially when he turns up the heat…knee to knee…he can stay with anyone. Check out his career…barely any of the awesome athletes he had to cover for 3 years went over 30. He takes it personally…which I always liked about him. Very very highly skilled elite player…as you will see right off the bat…he just knows what to do…very mature and very level headed. Never loses his temper. Yes he is an undersized 2 guard, but…plays some point…a very willing and able ball handler and passer. But you are going to LOVE when he is on fire from way, way out…he attempts shots from 25-30 and he can seriously hit them. The only reason he turns it over sometimes…he will attempt to slice through 3-5 players. He can take it to the hole on anyone in the NBA…he is fearless.
Off the court…a seriously nice kid…handles himself like Walter Payton. Very humble…very quiet and has a great attitude.
You may be pissed now…but so many Eric Gordon fans will back me on this…future all star main stay…works super hard on his game…barely any weakness. I have seen this kid a ton and Westbrook, Durant, Rose and Gordon WILL COMPETE FOR SCORING TITLES…MARK MY WORDS. Give him the ball and he will make the correct decision with it 90% of the time…he just knows what to do…and just a gym rat. LOVES TO PLAY THE GAME AND PRACTICE. GREAT KID…YOU GUYS WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN SOON.
by Better Call Saul on Dec 15, 2011 4:20 PM CST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on At The Hive
Related FanShots on At The Hive
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
