Will Hibert joins us in discussing Jamal Mashburn and more on this edition of Hornets Beat.
1. What’s your initial take on the news that Jamal Mashburn wants to buy the Hornets?
Jake Madison: I’m all for it as long as he’s committed to the city and region. The success he’s had since retirement and his ties to the team make him an ideal minority partner.
Mason Ginsberg: At first, I was worried because my gut told me he’d try to move the team if he got involved. After hearing otherwise, however, I love it. Ex-NBA players who find success in the business world are rare, and therefore he would likely be an asset to any NBA franchise.
Will Hibert (At the Hive): Indifferent. If this was anyone much, much richer than Mashburn, I’d be more interested. Good for him that he is successful outside of basketball and wants to own a team, but I doubt he has any local connections or connections with those who will be bidding on this team, so I saw it as kind of a throwaway line.
Ryan Schwan: Horror. I can see him putting his stamp on the franchise and teaching all future Hornets “stars” to post up at the free throw line and shoot long fade-away jumpers.
Joe Gerrity: Sounds like the guy knows what he’s doing in business. Whether or not that would translate to being a successful NBA owner obviously is a different story, but I like the idea in theory.
2. On a scale of 1-10, how likely is it that Chris Kaman will be on the Hornets at the end of the season?
Jake: 2. The Hornets have no need for him after this season and team’s tend to covet expiring contracts, so the likely hood of him being dealt his high. The only reason I see him staying past the trade deadline is because no other team offers anything of value in return.
Mason: 1. Thanks to Eric Gordon’s injury, the already minimal chance that the team had at making the playoffs is virtually gone. Kaman isn’t a rebuilding piece, and the franchise would be much better served by dealing him for younger assets or a draft pick.
Will: Tough one. He has performed well enough to get some interest (especially on an expiring deal), though I think the Hornets are only going for another young player or draft picks offered by a team desperate for frontcourt help due to injury. Whether Kaman is worth that, or if anyone will be that desperate, I don’t know. I’ll go with a 5.
Ryan: 4. The Hornets should be trying to trade Okafor and his longer-term contract first. If they move him, Kaman stays the year and turns into cap space – which may be just as valuable as a late first round pick.
Joe: 3. He has a lot of value for a contending team in need of size and depth. Hornets can get something for him, and likely will if they aren’t in the postseason hunt come mid-March.
3. On a scale of 1-10, how likely is it that Carl Landry is on the Hornets at the end of the season?
Jake: 1. Landry is on a highly affordable 1-year contract. That makes him a prime candidate to be traded to a contender looking to bolster their frontcourt for a playoff run. The Hornets should be able to get an nice young asset or draft pick for him.
Mason: 4. I think it’s more likely that he gets traded than not, but trading both Landry and Kaman would make Jason Smith the starter, and I wonder if the Hornets can afford to strip down their team to that extent from a fan support perspective. I wouldn’t mind it if doing so will better position the team for the future, but some fans might.
Will: A contending team could do much worse than Carl Landry as your backup PF. I think the market for Carl will be very similar to that on Kaman, dependent on who goes down with injuries and how satisfied playoff teams are with their bench. I also think the Hornets might be a little more hesitant to trade Landry if they are even going to attempt to stay respectable, as he is the only one on the roster who remotely resembles a starting PF. I’ll go with a 6 for Carl.
Ryan: 3. Dealer Dell will deal if anything good comes up. The only issue is that Landry can nix any trade if he wants to since he’s on a one-year contract. It would have to be a trade to a contender – and those teams don’t typically have prime assets they are willing to trade.
Joe: 5. Hornets aren’t likely to trade everyone (or are they???), and Carl seems like he might be someone the Hornets are interested in keeping a bit longer than just this year.
4. If the Hornets got the number one pick in the 2012 draft, who would your choice be as of now?
Jake: I don’t watch college basketball so I’m going by what Ryan Schwan says and he likes Anthony Davis. He’s a smart guy; I trust his judgement.
Mason: It has to be Anthony Davis. Regardless of what pick you have, if you’re rebuilding, you take the best talent available, no matter what position that player plays. In my opinion, that guy is Davis. Besides, I can’t think of a player who would be a better fit with Monty Williams’ style.
Will: I haven’t really watched many college games or done any research into the draft yet, so take my opinion with a barrel of salt, but I’ll go with Anthony Davis. Defensive potential is off the charts, and though that slight frame is a little worrisome, I think he has the ability to make an impact in the league immediately. He really does have to shave/wax that bat wing off his face before I draft him, though.
Ryan: Harrison Barnes! Kidding, I just wanted to get a few people’s panties in a knot. Davis. He’s the prize unless Drummond suddenly explodes now that his face mask is history.
Joe: Sounds to me like Davis is similar to a porn star in that he’s a sure thing and that he’s big. Sounds like a real winner!
5. Following a nice win in Denver on Monday, when do the Hornets get their next win on the road?
Jake: January 19th against the Rockets. I fully believe that most of the Hornets’ younger crew simply needs playing time. I’m expecting a big game from Aminu in Houston. At least that better happen because it might be awhile otherwise.
Mason: I’ll say February 4th against Detroit; after their surprising win last night though, who really knows? Hopefully they can get it against the Pistons, because the only other game which could favor them before March is in Cleveland on Ash Wednesday, but that game is on the 3rd night of their lone back-to-back-to-back this season.
Will: I’m going with their very next road game, this Saturday against the Grizzlies. Memphis is missing Zach Randolph and the Hornets can throw the Okafor/Kaman combo against Gasol all game. While we’re all out celebrating a Saints win, I think we get to see the Hornets win their second straight game on the road.
Ryan: January 30th against Miami. It’s the day after a the Heat play their Conference Rival Chicago Bulls, and will be a classic letdown game on a back-to-back for them.
Joe: January 19th against Houston. Frankly I just think the Hornets are better than the Rockets if Eric Gordon is playing. It’s no sure-thing that he will, but I’ll take my chances.
19 responses to “Hornets Beat: Jamal Mashburn, Trades, The Draft, and Winning on the Road”
What about Trading Ariza and Marco as well? Aminu has played better with each game, there’s no doubt he needs to keep getting max mins to develop. Where does Xavier Henry fit in when he comes back from injury? We have some great prospects on the roster Demps will need to move other players for those guys to get PT.
we have to have some sort of veteran presence on this team, you cant just start trading everyone over 24 plus with the new CBA we need to reach a minimum salary.
Anyways, i agree with Will on most questions, the rest of you not so much.
Anthony Davis is far from a sure thing, just wait till the tournament you guys will see. Dude will get pushed around until he beefs up (IF he beefs up)
Gimme Drummond, Robinson, or Barnes. Ceilings are just as high but the risk is much less than that stick Davis.
Barnes ceiling is rapidly dropping
I love this part of PP3istheMVP’s post: “We have to have some sort of veteran presence on this team, you can’t just start trading everyone over 24 plus with the new CBA we need to reach a minimum salary.”
We only trade Kaman or Landry if we can get value for them. If not, we get cap space to use to sign free agents (Remember those, guys? We haven’t had cap space to sign any significant ones in a while!) or to absorb salaries in a trade.
I don’t think Kaman has enough trade value to be traded. I think we resign Landry, and use Kaman’s cap space on Gordon’s extention.
It’s not like the two are mutually exclusive- you can trade those guys for bad players with expiring contracts AND a pick. Example:
Kaman for Jermaine O’Neal, Keyon Dooling, and first round picks.
Those guys come off the books and you have that same cap space plus late first round picks to develop or package in trades
True, but having too many rookies at the same time can be a bad thing. They require more coaching, veteran presence in the line-up, etc.
1- I think it would be a brilliant idea. We need somebody to purchase the hornets, and if he’s willing to deal with this team let’em.
2- I would say a 4. But Me n they should trade okafor
3-1 they need Landry
4- Anthony Davis
5-there next road game I have faith in da Hornets
Great idea and im all for it!!!!!!!!!
Thttp://nbadraft.net/mock-draft-tracker-12
Whoops, that post was meant to read this is why I rate Drummond higher than Davis:
http://nbadraft.net/mock-draft-tracker-12
I really hope that we end up keeping Landry. The way he is playing right now is just awesome. I know it’s early do you think he has a shot at most improved player? Honestly I am so torn between Davis and Drummond that I would happily let a coin flip decide who we get, but Im just hoping that we even get that high of a selection.
But PG wise who would y’all rather see in a Hornets uni?
I like Kabongo cause his name is awesome but he seems pretty small, kinda like kemba walker minus all the scoring. I absolutely love his name though.
most improve player if he keeps up with his stats should be jarret jack, not CL24. If he was starting I know by the of the year Carl Landry would be averaging 16+ ppg.
My 2012 scenarios are: 1. Keep Carl Landry 2. Trade Chris Kaman at the trade deadline. 3. Trade Trevor Ariza at the trade deadline. 4. Amnesty Emeka Okafor after the season. 5. Draft HB! Harrison Barnes is going to be a very good player. We have to draft this guy.
I agree 100% with these, although if we amnesty Mek we need to fill the void at center which means potentially drafting Drummond or picking up a center in the FA are there any good ones this year?
If we had the first pick, i’d draft Anthony Davis. use the 2nd lottery pick to get MKG.
as i’ve always said, both those kids represent what monty wants from players: hard nosed defenders that won’t backdown. Davis is going to be a defensive behemoth and if he continues to develop his faceup moves, he’ll be reminiscent of KG back in his prime. MKG is always 110% on defense. He’s very intense and has nice defensive instincts coupled with his developing offense and he could be a good prospect to have.
The hornets need that “get to the Playoffs now” mentality and worry about the future as well. How do they do that. Simple! in March they definitely should trade Okafor to a team on the Ledge of missing the Playoffs at the trade deadline of course. trade him and D.Summers for (My Best option) a first and 2nd round draft pick. then the hornets would have 3 1st RDP,they get back a 2nd round pick and a lot of free money to spend on last minute free agents, Or the 2nd opt which would be to trade Okafor and other player for Young gun Center with lots of potential like Roy hibbert(IND), M.Gortat(PHO), or my favorite player to trade for….. Javale McGee(WASH). it would also free us up some cap space to get late free agents like Aaron Brooks, Wilson Chandler, or Both in March. by adding them both we will be similar to the Denver Nuggets having a lot of valuable pieces with no real scorer accept for Eric Gordon. Our team Present and future would be secured for next few years!!!!
OPTION #1
PG:Jarrett Jack, Aaron Brooks,greivis-vasquez, Cardell Johnson
SG:Eric Gordon, Marco Belinelli, Xavier Henry, Trey Johnson
SF:Wison Chandler, Trevor Ariza, Al Aminu
PF:Carl Landry, Jason Smith
C:Chris Kaman, G. Ayon
Option #2
Okafor, & Marco Belinelli will be traded to Wash for Javale McGee
PG: Aaron Brooks, Jarrett Jack, C.Johnson
SG: Eric Gordon, T.Ariza, Xavier Henry, Trey Johnson
SF: Wilson Chandler, Al Aminu, D.Summers
PF: Javale McGee, Carl Landry, Jason Smith, D. Summers
C: Chris Kaman, G.Ayon
BUTTTTTTT if I would have to choose I would choose (OPT#2), which OPT would you guys choose????
The reason why I would choose option #2 is b/c we have more depth, better Height, better ways to organize our players and could make a good run for the playoffz and still have (2)2012 1st round DP ours and Minnesota. Plus it gives us the advantage of having a twin towers type of game plan like Monty is currently doing. With the bench depth so great not good and by adding W.C., JMG, and AB to the roster this team will go somewhere in the playoffs!!! but I already know so many people might disagree with me!!! but it is a long shot!!!!
If we could trade kaman and landry for guards and rig the draft for a clevland-like draft, then we could completly start fresh with a Drummond & Davis frontcourt. Davis is gonna be the next D-Howard if he can bulk up
1. Despite his business successes, I can’t see mash buying in as more than a small minority partner. I’m much more concerned about who will be the majority owner and their level of commitment to keeping the team in nola.
2. *7* What do we know about Kaman? He’s 7 feet tall. He has quantifiable skills. He likes louisiana and wants to be here. How many others on the free agent market will we be able to say those things about. I say dell has and will continue to work the phones to unload mek and his slightly egregious contract, as well as shopping landry and maybe ariza (sorry no takers on beli). I think we keep our options open with re-upping caveman.
3. *3* Coming and going, all our recent players have said how much they love the straightforwardness of monty and dell’s regime. I’m sure the conversation between dell, carl, and his agent when the market was light for him this offseason went something like this: come back with us for market value for a year, you’ll get plenty of minutes, and we’ll likely trade you to a contender midseason so you can prove your worth that way as well. the point is carl knows whats up and would likely sign off on a trade-deadline deal
4. As long as washington, charlotte, nj, and detroit are around, it’s hard to see us in with the #1 pick. I know it’s nice to dream of davis and drummond but its probably more productive to zero in on sullinger, jones, henson, or whoever you prefer in the 4-7 range.
5. How could all of you strike out on this softball?!?!? The next win will be in what is arguably our most important game of the year, this friday when we have a chance in front of our home crowd to hang a loss on the not so mighty tumblewolves!!! BEE DAT!!!!