It’s hard not to feel a let down after yesterday’s deadline.
I know things are never as easy as they seem. Making deals in the NBA requires two parties to get things done, and, of course, both parties want to come out on top. I understand that every one of the Hornets trade pieces came with warts. Gordon is injured, Landry is injured and limited, Okafor is expensive, Ariza is inconsistent offensively, and Rent-A-Kaman is espensive, both in dollars and shots taken.
All that said, I’m disappointed. The Hornets failed to turn minor current assets into minor future assets, which on Dell Demps lists of things to do should be 1B next to 1A – “Bribe Stern to get the number 1 Draft Pick.”
Is it the end of the world? No. Still.
How do you feel?
32 responses to “Disappointment”
I feel good. I rather keep the guys we got another year with the addition of our 2 lottery picks and maybe a tweak here or there, over trading key vets for garbage or 2nd round picks. We have enough solid role players, young players with potential. What we need is some offense and some potential star power with this current team. Keep the team intact…bring back Kaman at half the price, a healthy Gordon, add a top 3 draft pick stud, and add some depth with MIN’s pick and we are fine.
I love our combination of vets and youth. No worries here. Maybe not flipping Landry is disappointing since I don’t see him returning next year (if we draft Davis, Robinson or Sullinger), but I am sure Demps knows whats the plan much better than we do.
Most people dislike Jack at the PG, but the dude has heart, leadership and I’d rather go to battle with him on my team than alot of these other average PGs that may be more skilled than he is. Jack and Vasquez can get the job done, Gordon back gives us a scorer and closer, Ariza is our lock down perimeter defender you need when playing Kobe, Durant, Wade/LBJ, etc. Kaman and Okafor are 2 solid bigs in a league full of scrubs at center for 80% of teams. We got young guys to develop with tons of upside (Aminu, Henry, Ayon), we have energy on the bench (Smith).
This offseason, all we need 2 things: 1.) Starting PF (with star potential to pair with Gordon), 2.) a bench guy that can be a go to man on offense with the 2nd unit.
Did not want to see them trade ariza or gordon, I strongly hope they’ll be a part of our future. Surprised and a little disappointed that we couldn’t find a suitor for landry and or kaman. If we’re in full fledged tank mode what’s the point of having so many competent big men around.
One thing I thought about to hedge my disappointment is that Dell has many more deals to make in this league and has to show he is a man of his word and that he won’t crumble and take crap back if he’s said there was a bottom line that needed to be fulfilled.
Least that’s how I rationalize it to myself, but damn, I wish we would have made a deal. Hard to believe noone would need jack landry kaman okafor and offer us something acceptable in return. Was really holding out hope someone would even take aminu off our hands in a package (not crazy enough to think they’d take x-man).
But still the future is bright, new lease, nice future direction for the team, my hopes now turn to focus on dunleavy not getting the team and screwing dell and monty up, I love those guys!
New Ownership will get trades done no more league interference.
Wish you would’ve asked me to do a point/counterpoint, because I couldn’t disagree more after looking at all the trades made yesterday. It is obvious that to get these ‘minor assets’, you would have had to take back bad contracts (Fisher, Walton, Richard Jefferson, etc.) I guess we could have gotten a 2nd round pick in the mid 40’s from Houston or Indiana, but I would prefer Kaman’s Bird Rights
I don’t see a trade we could have done that I wanted to do.
Gotta say, the Portland explosion written on the wall, but wow. I guess they were looking for the NJ pick to set it off?
Any word on whether it was this draft or next, the first round pick?
I heard it was this summer. NJN even released a statement justifying why they did it. They were only high 3 guys: Davis, Robinson, and MKG. Thats why they made the pick top 3 protected. They rather have Gerald Wallace than any of the other guys out there.
edbresearchin!
You got those Clippers tickets I sent you a while back, right?
Yup, I got them! Looking forward to next week!
Would Portland had said no to the same deal but the Houston pick instead? Or even the same deal, but Portland has to take back the Petro and/or Morrow contract? Portland would have taken either of those deals for a player they have no use for- NJ were the idiots of the deadline and only one team reaped the benefits.
My question is: How much worse is Ariza than Wallace? I would have traded Ariza and Landry for all their bad contracts (Petro, Morrow, and Farmer) and that pick. If you are NJ, would you rather have Ariza and $15 million extra in cap room or Wallace?
That reminds me, I need to work on that pick calculator this week.
Eyes turning to the draft.
NJN were definitely idiots! Esp when D Will leaves this summer and they could have used that pick to start rebuilding. Its amazing how you’d expect all GMs at this level to be smart, then you see stuff like this go down and it’s like “really??” But you’re right MM….too bad the Hornets wasn’t the ones taking advantage of those idiots in NJ.
agree with michael, when I read jason’s comment about not seeing a trade we could of done, I immediatly though about the jersey trade. surely we could have offered a better package for that pick if they were willing to give it up
I’ll see(well maybe not see) you guys next week for the Clippers game. Coming back home for that one. I have to express my disgust that CP3 followed me to L.A..
Need free tickets?
I haven’t made a comment in a while on here. Been reading the site like always. I was really hoping the Hornets would find a deal yesterday. Each ESPN text alert I received I was hoping it would either be me finding out I got another game right on my bracket, or that the Hornets made a trade and acquired a young project player or a pick of some sort.
I was hoping for a new piece or two that I would get to watch the rest of the season and evaluate. It is hard not to be disappointed that a move wasn’t made. However, it’s done. Just have to hope this group of guys grow together and this draft is a good one for the organization. It’s all about hope right now.
I’m fine with no moves. We had chances earlier and took them. Better to do them earlier and reap the benefit for the season?
Also, from my point of view we are just a rooster on a weather vane, blowing with the wind. Anything we start next season with is simply bonus. It’s a lost year.
Do no harm.
Is it possible I’m more Eeyoric than you?
Maybe. I think I just know that my particular most important issue is getting resolved at some point. You have no such likelihood.
it’s because it’s a lost year that we probably should have traded anyone who can help us this year but not is in the future plans
No moves is fine. It’s pretty clear there turned out to not be much of a market for Kaman. Who could we have traded with, Houston? I’m not thrilled by what they got for Camby. Cap space is probably better for an incoming owner, and we’ll have that. As long as we either re-sign Gordon this summer or pick up an equally promising piece through trade or FA to pair with a high draft pick, I’ll be happy
willing to bet that was there standing offer for kaman, when dell wouldn’t bow that low they sent the same pack for camby
The new ownership group might possibly have put a halt on the Kaman trade. If, as reported, the Dunleavy group is going to purchase the team, there is a great relationship between Kaman and Dunleavy (according to Kaman). Now that the lease issue is 90% settled, it shouldn’t be long before we hear positive news about the ownership situation. BTW, there was an Eric Gordon sighting at the Lakers game. Has he been attending the home games regularly?
Still two groups, straight from Sperling’s mouth.
http://www.hornets247.com/blog/2012/03/16/hornets-and-louisiana-discuss-terms-of-new-orleans-arena-lease-through-2023-2024-season/
Couldn’t agree more sir.
Houston just cut Terrence Williams and traded Flynn, Thabeet, and Hill away for nothing more than late draft picks, the right to buy out Fisher and Marcus Camby.
David Aldridge reported that the Wizards came to us 1st for Kaman before dealing Javale McGee and Nick Young away. Would have love to acquired both of those guys.
IMO we aren’t close to being a championship level team. The only two guys on this roster I feel comfortable with being on this team long term are Vasquez and Ayon. Gordon is by far our greatest asset, but he has to want to be here. Aminu and Henry have the raw skills, but the jury is still out on those guys.
Just a question for everybody how want to re-sign Kaman. What do we do with Okafor?
I have said this a million times. The only way a small market team will put together a championship level team will be to blow up the current team and re-build through drafting the right personnel. We have a leg up with the rights to Gordon and the ability to match any offer this off season or do a sign and trade. We just have to have patience. Trying to be good next year IMO is the worst thing we could do.
If I am Demps, I am calling both ownership groups and telling them I will put in a good word with Stern if they promise me that they will amnesty Okafor on July 1st. It just has to be done. Hornets could re-sign Kaman and get a guy like Omer Asik for less than what Okafor will make the next two years.
Eh, winners? No. Losers? By no means.
We still have 2 large expiring contracts, which can be used to sign free agents or resign young guys like Gordon. I like what we did a lot more than some teams.
Edbballin504, I agree 100%!
Great out look and great knowledge of the game
Okafor only has 2 more years on his contract. He is overpaid, but he is a serviceable big and we could do much worse. We have plenty of young talent to develop and will likely acquire some frontcourt talent in the draft, which we will need to develop alongside Gordon to give us a solid rebuilding base. I would like for there to be a solid veteran example for the young bigs to learn from, and I can think of few bigs better than Okafor to teach a professional approach to the game. It’s important to have veteran presences (who must be contributors) like Jack, Ariza, and Okafor to help develop young picks and keep them from becoming Javale McGees.
I have a slightly different. I think the fact we have not made any move at this time may end up being something good for the future of the franchise.
I even wrote about it in Brazilian Hornet blog: http://brazilianhornet.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/dell-demps-agiu-com-a-razao/
Who has time available, translated into English (Google) and read, ok?
Greetings!
How much would other teams bid for Okafor? it comes off of our amnesty bill right? Id love it if we can amnesty Okafor and resign Kaman for not more than 10m/year
About this the non movement this trade deadline. I am disappointed that we cant make any deals. it somehow gives the impression that other teams find it hard to deal with us because we are owned by the league. Indiana and Houston expressed interest in Kaman way before the deadline, but they settled in getting Barbosa(Indiana) and Camby(Houston) for basically the same package that they were offering us. I would have accepted the Indiana(even if i hate them to the bones) trade of a 2nd rounder+TPE for Kaman because it saves us money this season, and it will give us the option of taking on more salary after we sign/resign our picks and Gordon.
@Jason
Free tickets would be great. I fly in late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Let me know if you need any of my info.
On a side note who thumbed down me getting free tickets? Don’t be like that! LOL.
Ha.
I’ll just email them to the account you used to register (live.com).
Cool?
A pair will do you?
Yeah a pair is fine. Good looking out Sir!