The Hornets’ tensely-awaited first move after July 1, a sign-and-trade for the NBA’s 2011-2012 Most Improved Player, strengthens their bid for 2012-2013 Most Improved Franchise.
The Hornets will officially complete a sign-and-trade with Orlando restricted free agent Ryan Anderson, the NBA’s 2011-2012 Most Improved Player.
The Hornets will send the 27 year-old Gustavo Ayon to Orlando in the deal.
Chuck reports that Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the 4-year deal is worth $36m.
Sam Amick now reports that the deal is worth $34m total, not $36m. With the maximum allowed 4.5% of first year salary increases, the deal is approximately structured as $8m initially with $0.36m raises. If the deal is worth more or has smaller raises, the initial figure is larger.
This deal does not affect the Hornets’ ability to match the offer for Eric Gordon, should that offer be signed. We’ll update the salary figures when the salary structure is released, but as of now we have about $36m committed, and about $44m there factoring in the rookies and the roster charge, with Gordon factoring in another $9.6m at this point. This leaves only about $5m left if we renounce our players, at least until the Gordon situation is resolved. Signing him to a max deal will obliterate the remaining potential cap space.
As the salaries do not match, it could be the Hornets are operating under the cap already, forgoing the use of certain exceptions this season. It could also be that the Hornets will create an exception in a sign-and-trade deal for Eric Gordon for a player and a pick or two. Dudley and Warrick have salaries that fit the profile. This would create a net effect of Gordon and Ayon for Anderson, a player, and a pick or two. There may be other scenarios, of course.
Could it be that this deal hints at the resolution of the Eric Gordon situation?
Ryan James Anderson was born in California and played college basketball at UC Berkeley, leading the PAC-10 in scoring (21.6 ppg) in 2007-2008. He was selected 21st overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, earning the starting job partway through his rookie season. He was traded to Orlando in 2009 where he started at power forward in place of . . . Rashard Lewis.
The 6′ 10″, 240 pound power forward has posted WS/48 of .217 and 0.219 in his past 2 seasons, which should be compared to an expectation of 0.1 (or just slightly under). His true shooting percentage over the same span is 0.590. He hit the 3 at over 39% during this span, with over 8 attempts per 36 minutes, and has a 85% free throw percentage of over 85% for his career.
The 24 year-old’s defense has been fine, and his other “forward” skills are acceptable, but his ability to score from different positions is the distinguishing aspect of his game. He is also a very good offensive rebounder (top 30 in the NBA for those playing at least 10 games in terms of offensive rebounding percentage).
The Ryan Anderson Manifesto breaks down what is and is not good about Ryan as of party through last season.
From Joe, who is working on some Lance Thomas stuff:
Anderson will provide the Hornets with a big man who can shoot from deep- something Monty Williams repeatedly stressed he wanted during training camp last season. A player of Anderson’s three point shooting caliber provides the ability to draw defenders away from the paint, creating more space in the middle of the floor.
A front court of Anderson and Davis would ideally do best with a true drive and kick guy. While Eric Gordon isn’t the greatest passer, he’s definitely capable of finding the open man. If the Hornets do retain him, expect to see a lot of the drive and kick in the coming years.
While some will argue that Davis and Anderson are too small to bang with the true big men in the NBA, there really aren’t too many teams with dominant centers on the offensive end. Expect the Hornets to add a relatively low paid center with some girth and height to contain guys like Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. Greg Stiemsma’s name has been mentioned, and he would fit that role well.
This post will be updated as the story grows. Look for a profile of Anderson later by someone else, and I’m sure our own Ryan and Mike will talk about him on the upcoming podcast (unless they did it early).
Updates in the comments are appreciated (appreciate you, Chuck).
Marc Stein and Sam Amick broke the story in pieces, not into pieces.
McNamara Update:
– Ryan Anderson was #2 on my list, right behind Illysova. Once Illysova re-signed with Milwaukee, Hornets got a guy who was just as good offensively and is a better fit defensively. Read that link to see why.
– FT shooting is underrated in this league. Dallas was elite for years and won a title, last year, in large part because Tyson actually started to knock down his free throws. OKC and Miami are two of the best at getting to line and converting. Ryan Anderson is, wuite possibly, the best FT shooting big in the league. He hit 88% of his FT’s last year. Davis will likely be in the 75-82% range, meaning that the Hornets can leave their bigs on the court in crunch time. Huge advantage.
– Top 5 players in the league in ‘Simple Rating’? LBJ, Wade, CP3, Durant, and Howard. Most say those are the top 5 players in the league. Guess who was #6? That’s right, Ryan Anderson. Simple rating basically looks at your performance vs. your counterpart. Impressive. Look at that list.
– Can Anderson play SF? Quick answer, no. He actually played far more center than small forward last year and actually defended that position fairly well. Centers only shot 40.5% when covered by Ryan Anderson last year. You ask me “Who starts at center?” If you know me by now, you know I will answer – Who cares? It’s about who finishes, and it will be Anderson and Davis closing out games at the 4 and 5 position.
– The Magic scored+14 points per 100 possessions when Anderson was on the court vs. when he was off. For comparison’s sake, the T’Wolves were +8 when Love was on vs. off
– Ryan Anderson is not afraid of taking the clutch shot. He hit 61.4% of his jumpers in crunch time last year. Hit 87% of his free throws.
– For those worried about Anderson/Davis combo against players like Andrew Bynum, take the time to reverse the question. How will Bynum cover either of these guys? Anderson was fantastic off the pick and pop, easily Bynum’s biggest weakness, and Davis can take Bynum off the dribble all day, beat him in the open court, etc. Much easier to double the post than to try and make your center agile when he is not.
105 responses to “Ryan Anderson to Hornets in Sign-And-Trade”
In dell we trust 😀
This just in: Eric Gordon just came out and said the his heart is with French and was hoping that the USA basketball team wouldn’t select him because the French really like him and even sent him some croissants. Darn it! what will USA do,. without the great Eric Gordon sitting on their bench in a suit and a walking boot?!?!
I wonder if this had anything to do with Gordon’s comments about the lack of decent big men. And what a steal. A decent role player for a starter.
Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA
The New Orleans Hornets agreement with Ryan Anderson is four years, approximately $36 million, league sources tell Y! Sports.
I hate Y Sports. They need to leave and go to Mexico.
Whats the rationale for doing it via trade and not just signing him outright since the Magic weren’t going to match? Why lose Ayon?
My first thought is it’s a cap issue, if we make the offer to him outright then while we’re waiting for Orlando to match, it would tie up space we need to offer to someone else. But I don’t see why it would tie up more space than his contract through a sign-and-trade would, and we can already match any offer to Gordon…
tl;dr – Good question
Orlando may not have been willing not to match without something in return.
This helps us with cap space (some), and gives a roster spot to use for whatever, if needed, compared to signing outright, etc.
Additionally, this helps us to stay over the cap and maintain our exceptions to use for FA signings.
That makes sense, Jason.
What worries me is that Ayon was one of the few trade assets the Hornets had. If there is a chance you get Anderson without giving up Ayon that would be preferable. But we dont have all the details yet.
Oh yeah. That’s totally fair. Just listing some of the reasons why they’d do it.
It’s fascinating to see how deals are done, not just that they are.
What clues are here? Fantastic.
Yeah we shouldve traded Eric Gordon and Ayon for Dwight and Ryan Anderson
From what I understand, the Magic didn’t want to match but didn’t want to lose Anderson for nothing (I think that is what Jason Calmes was getting at intially, no?)
The reason this is set up as a sign-and-trade is because Ryan Anderson is a restricted free agent to whom a qualifying offer was made by Orlando.
No.
It could have been a sign and trade if he was unrestricted.
You don’t know why. There are many possibilities.
Note well, however: you can sign-and-trade a restricted free agent . . . or do we not believe this?
Can he play the 5?
Not really. Why would he anyway when Davis can play that position? Sure he is thin but he is gaining muscle quick. Besides Dwight and Bynum, how many strong/bulky centers are there?
like 5-13
Pretty much all of them.
Gortat, Perkins, Hibbert, Cousins, Pekovic, etc.
There are only 4 centers worth worrying about. Dwight/Bynum/Nene/Gasol. In our conference, we mostly need to worry bout Bynum, as I think JSmoove can handle Gasol.
yall are really underrating al jefferson
Wow. Really didn’t expect any kind of big trade/signing besides the Gordon decision.
Love Anderson. Not your typical stretch four. He has a nose for the basketball and will get physical.
This won’t be the steal most think it is because Ayon is super underrated, but you have to give to get.
I guess this seems to mean Davis will technically play center. It also tells me that they probably don’t expect to get Gortat from the Suns, because he, Davis and Anderson all have to start, and Anderson isn’t guarding threes.
I think Anderson could guard very slow threes or short centers. This seems like a complicated situation, but I think the Monty/Hornets team defense mindset will have to be there to funnel guys toward AD. Regardless, we will need Smitty to bulk up a bit if he will be backing up the 4 and the 5. If we sign another legit back up center, we may be better off. Either way, I’m sure Dell has a plan.
Im just not sure what that plan is. Could you or someone else explain how the AD RA front court will work? Even if we have Smith bulk up.
I think Anderson is capable of guarding short centers, but not 3s. He isn’t quick enough. I think one of our writers tweeted that we need to get a Gray type.. someone who can guard the bulkier guys when the opportunity comes.
Mac made a good point one podcast.. We worry so much about getting eaten alive in the post by bigger post players, but there aren’t many in the NBA, and most of those guys are horrible at defending the perimeter. As he said, it works both ways. On defense, double hard on them, rotate once they get rid of it, and we’ll be okay. On offense, let Anderson stretch, and suddenly the lane is a lot more open
Good points, Mike. And a solid body like maybe Atlanta’s Ivan Johnson seems to be the missing piece here, but a bulkier Smith might do the trick as well. I’m sure Dell is on it. Also, With a Davis, Anderson, Aminu, Gordon, Jack line up, we have tons of spacing. It will be hard to defend drives when nearly everyone can shoot.
Funny you said the thing about Smith, because I considered that as well.
I also think Aminu is a good fit with a Jack/Rivers/Vasquez, Gordon, Anderson, Davis lineup. Anderson is a great offensive rebounder, but a mediocre defensive one. Aminu can help there, can run in transition, has length to help on defense, and won’t be expected to score in that lineup.
Kevin,
I don’t agree that acquiring Anderson means we can’t, or won’t, acquire Gortat. The reason why is I don’t see Davis starting at Center for at least a year. Right now Davis is a 222lb, 19 year old, who has played only one year of college ball. I think Dell and Monty know this. That is why they keep talking about bringing Davis along slowly, and not placing too much pressure on him.
I actually see Gortat’s two year (remaining) contract as the perfect length contract for a Center who will be needed until Davis starts. Davis needs at least a year before he is a starter.
Add in a pick and dudley. Dudley is a great guy that can again stretch the floor and play the 2 or 3, relieving aminu or rivers. A crafty defender that has learned from grant hill… I’d rather keep EG but if we must, these two guys would really help complete the team…
PS. Anthony Davis is not done growing. He will fill out to at least 240 and may even get another inch or two in height.
I posted the following in the last thread. I would be interested in hearing other folks takes on the logistics of this excellent pick up:
Anderson is a good get. He can stretch the floor more reliably than Belli. I wonder if he will come of the bench or if Monty has now changed plans and wants AD starting at the 5 from day one. If Anderson is coming off the bench, he can spell AD and Chief with slower lineups. Heck, with smaller line ups, he could even spell Smitty. As Shane pointed out, RA hits the boards. That will be welcomed. As far as the price, I’d like to thank Gus for the hard work last season. I also would like to thank the folks we renounced. I understand some may still be back, but Belli gave it all to the Bees, even if he couldn’t always be great, he worked hard. Landry loved NOLA. I will not forget that. And Kaman, despite his inefficient offense, took a difficult situation in NOLA and made it work. At times, he was great. I will root for you four wherever your careers take you. As for RA, welcome aboard.
There is a lot of versatility there for sure. You generally aren’t bringing $9 million per off the bench, though, so I feel like him starting is a safe bet.
Anderson a fantastic shooter and has a phenomenal understanding of how to rotate to the proper spot. If you watch his film, he is constantly making subtle movements to get in the proper position. This either gives him more space or prevents the ball-handler from getting doubled. Fantastic to watch someone that understands all the little things that go into being a premier deep threat. Also a great offensive rebounder. 3.5 a game is really nice.
Will miss Goose. Good luck in Orlando!
Do the Hornets have anyone else’s 1st rounders in coming seasons?
I like Anderson 3pt shooter if we can get Steve Novak another 3pt machine the arena would really be rocking.
Novak is ryan anderson… But without the versatility and rebounding. We don’t need and cant afford doubles of everyone in my opinion.
gonna miss gustavo. could ryan he play the 3? does having an oversized 3 make up for having a small 5? our front court is making me nervous.
kinda looks like a duncan bonner combo…
Except Ryan is wayyyyyyyy better then Bonner
Well i was thinking overall…idk if AD is quite duncan yet aha
The Goose has flown away! I will miss you, Gustavo Ayon. Adios, muchacho.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ZnPDfbVEg&feature=related
Vaya con Dios, Goose.
9 million a year for a 16 and 8 guy with elite 3 pt shooting and offensive rebounding when guys like Asik get almost the same and can’t catch an entry pass, this signing is an absolute steal to me. I hate to part with Goose but his deal was affordable and he is 27 and I’m sure Dell knew eventually this was going to happen. If this team becomes a contender the Gustavo Ayon deal will be one of the best moves of Dell’s tenure. It’s not a stretch to say that Dell can’t find another one stashed in international leagues as we speak. Anderson is a pure shooter with size and regardless of where his heart is if Gordon comes to play, this team is in contention for a 8th seed this year let alone once Rivers and Davis develop more. I’m truly excited as a Hornets fan and I just feel Hornets need a big body and his 6 fouls no matter his skill level. Also random thought, I would keep Jerome Dyson around as a 12th guy as well.
WOW IMMA MISS AYON BUT MAN GOOD MOVE DELL DEMPS..THE HORNETS WILL SCORE ALOT OF POINTS NOW…..Ryan Anderson CAN PLAY 5 ALONG WITH HIS 3POINT SHOOTING AND ALSO ALONG WITH A TOP 10DEFFENSE..WATCH OUT SW DIVISON..THE HORNETS ARE COMEING..
Why are you shouting? And you grammar/spelling sucks.
CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with this
Davis-Gordon-Rivers-Anderson all added to last year’s roster: We can finally score!!!!!!
As far as an Anderson-Davis frontcourt works, who says they won’t start at the 3-4? Davis can guard a majority of the 3’s in this league today. Anderson can guard some 5’s, 4’s, and some 3’s. Offensively Anderson can obviously play as a 3-4 or a 5, he’s an ELITE offensive weapon. I would think it’s all about matchups. I agree I’d like to see one more big signed, whether it’s to start next to Anderson and Davis or to come off the bench. Stiesma would be a good start. Too bad Aaron Gray is off the market 🙁 I miss Graype Ape
I’d rather Davis at the 3. Don’t be surprised if some teams use 3’s to guard him.
Davis guarding the 3?
Davis vs LBJ? Davis vs Granger? Davis vs Deng? Davis vs Melo? Davis vs Gay? Davis vs Iggy? And for a laugh – Davis vs Harrison Barnes.
I’m sorry but there is NO HOPE this happens. Anderson will be our starting C and he and Davis will switch that up in a year or two once Davis gains about 30lbs.
I like the pick up just not the price tag. I’m not a fan of overpaying especailly a rebuilding team. I was hoping we would be patient in this rebuild. This is a win now type of contract.
I actually completely disagree. Him at $9M per year is a great deal. He’s a great shooter, a good rebounder, plays with energy, and is still young and developing. One thing I really liked is you never heard anything out of him in Orlando during all the turmoil last year. There were rumors of Jameer Nelson getting into it with Dwight, Stan Van Gundy losing the locker room, etc. Anderson just went about his business. Seems like a great guy.
I’m with da ThRONe on this one.
When will the NBA learn to not overpay guys after contract years? Let’s pretend that Ryan Anderson’s over-inflated stats (from playing on a team that was completely centered around Dwight in the post) from last year didnt happen. What kind of player is he then? At $9 Million a year locked in for four years? We don’t even know who Davis is yet, if Gordon is staying and if he is, how he and Rivers play together. This next season should be an experiment to see what kind of talent we need to surround our developing players but instead we sprung for yet another big man who shoots long jumpers. I’m bummed.
He’s 24.. How is it a win now contract?
I understand that it’s 9 mil a year, but it’s not like he won’t have 6-7 more years worth of solid ball ahead of him once this contract ends. Espeically with his skill set being so skill/IQ based rather than athleticism based.
Don’t forget that Anderson is, quite possibly, the best FT shooting big in the NBA. Anthony Davis will likely be an 80% type of guy, meaning that the Hornets will be one of the few teams in the NBA who don’t have to worry about substituting their bigs at the end of games due to worries about FT shooting.
Just think about the Clippers last year and how big of a problem that was for them.
If Hornets can get into the penalty early every quarter, they can get a lot of points via FT’s. Huge advantage
And there is where Rivers and Gordon comes in. Besides maybe the Heat there isn’t a team in the league with 2 elite perimeter defenders who can keep Gordon and Rivers with their elite ball handling skills quiet all game long with a 3rd defender to help on Anderson or a 4th guy to keep Davis off the glass. If Rivers and Gordon can get teams in penalty early, this team could be phenomenal in crunchtime.
Exactly, both guys draw fouls. Hornets can get into the penalty and have the shooters to capitalize. Love the signing
Couple of points:
1. It seems like your argument is based of the perception that Eric and his agent are employing a strategy and not plain and simple emotional blackmail. You give him points for being strategic and even praise him for trying to gain power over his destiny but don’t take away points for the udder ineptitude of this “strategy”. In what business world would an employer throw away his most valuable asset over emotions. Donald Trump would never say, “My gold bars don’t like me so I’m going to give them away. That way I won’t have to worry about their feelings anymore.”
2. The lack of a center and the Austin Rivers pick is also a weak argument and can be debunked in 2 math equations. 1. Austin = Point Guard and 2. In the NBA PF > C.
3. Great Players have egos is completely wrong you should write Great Players have pride,. Divas have egos. We did nothing to hurt his pride and treated him professionally. His argument boils down to “the extras weren’t good enough.” That is some Brittney Spears crap.
4. Gordon was just served some humble pie in not being selected the Olympic squad after winning the championship in 2010. His favorite word is caliber but it turns out that his caliber is what he or coach thinks it is. Harden is better. This should go a long way to bringing his “Ego” down some and bringing him back into the fold. Stay strong Monty and Dell and as soon as he is bought in again, trade him to the bobcats!
Just because he didn’t make the Olypics does not mean he is not a “high caliber” player. He is still developing and Phoenix is a perfect spot for him to jack up shots and average his usual 20+ points per game and evertually make consecutive appearences at the All-Star game. I think Dudley is off limits for the trade but Gortat would start center and have AD behind him until he develops and adjusts to the NBA. Some of you are saying “Gortat, Dudley, and 2 picks”. I dont think that is gonna happen. Gotat will be paired with either a Suns (unprotected) 1st rounder next season OR 2 Lakers 1st round picks. If it is dudley who is packaged in a S&T, it may come with a Suns (unprotected).
Love the move for Ryan Anderson. With this move, what are the chances that Eric Gordon stays w/the Hornets? 24 hrs ago, I was ready to bid farewell to him. But now, I say we keep him & make our team truly potent on offense.
If we keep Gordon, I like our chances of winning the SW division.
I like Anderson. He can play the 3 and 4. I will greatly miss Gustavo Ayon, but I think Anderson is a great player.
Anderson fits perfectly with Austin Rivers as a developing point guard. Rivers greatest ability is getting to the lane and Anderson is money from that corner 3. If rivers can look to drive and dish it could be deadly
I think Dell has to address why he traded Ayon away. (Maybe Orlando forced his hand by requiring an asset for this sign and trade, and Ayon plays at the crowded PF position but was below Smith and Davis on the depth chart.)
I think the issue of Anderson’s salary is relative. If we can get a serviceable Center for reasonable dollars, it will make the Anderson dollars less of an issue.
Think of this roster:
PG: Jack, Vasquez, Dyson
SG: Gordon, Rivers, Henry
SF: Aminu, Miller, Henry, Thomas
PF: Anderson, Davis, Smith, Thomas
C: Acquisition, Smith, Davis
I have to assume the reason people are rating this down is that I don’t have Davis starting. Here is why: Right now Davis is a 222lb, 19 year old, who has played only one year of college ball. I think Dell and Monty know this. That is why they keep talking about bringing Davis along slowly, and not placing too much pressure on him. To me this all means Davis will not start.
With Davis, Anderson, and smith we have to have the best shooting front court in the nba. Also I’m just picturing with the way we can space the floor now, rivers penetrating and kicking it out to Davis Anderson aminu or Vasquez for a jump shot
According to Alex Kennedy of hoopsworld.com: “The two teams agreed to the trade on Sunday since Anderson was on the verge of signing an offer sheet with the Hornets. Rather than matching the offer and adding another power forward to their roster, the Magic facilitated the sign-and-trade to land Ayón.”
Where did we hear that bit o’ logic before?
Is this consistent with the idea that the Hornets could do a sign-and-trade of Eric Gordon to the Suns or any other NBA team?
Yes. He has agreed to sign. He has not signed.
Can we call Anderson “The Rainman?”
Meh, I would like it only if Shawn Kemp didn’t have it first
was kemp the rain man or the reign man? and if it was the rain man, isn’t it technically dustin hoffman?
I remembered that someone had that nickname, but couldn’t remember who it was.. Thank you, because it was bothering me. I’ll try to figure out something else that has to do with rain
We could use Darryl Watkins as a big body at the center position.
Think realistic. In 34 min a game, he averaged 16 and 7. He’s gonna be our 6th man most likely, especially if we get gortat. He’ll finish games when he has a hot hand. But Ryan Anderson is more than a stand in the corner three point shooter. He has expanded his offensive game. Tthis doesn’t rule out resigning Carl landry either. A frontcourt of Davis, Gortat, Anderson, landry and Smith is depthful talent. Jarret Jack is a willing passer and even though he is reliable, I’d like Jack to be traded. This team gets better everyday to me. But we still have A LONG way to go. Questions aren’t answered
poor mans dirk
I still see Skynet as a power forward, especially in his first couple of years, so I’m really not sure how this helps us tactically in the short run. Perhaps we’re only getting Anderson as a trade chip for another, larger deal that involves Eric Gordon.
Thanks dell. I’m excited we have done something
Just watched all of Anderson’s iso defensive plays last year. He is disciplined in trying to stay in front of the defender, typically not leaving his feet on pump fakes, but usually timing his jump well enough to at least try and put his hand in the face of the shooter. Played good defense against our old friend DWest and guys similar to him, but struggled against quicker players. Absolutely cannot defend 3’s, unless he has 2 shot-erasers on the floor with him. Can be flat-footed, but smart enough to cover for it and make him a decent defender
Been watching non stop Synergy since the trade as well and I agree with everything you say here; and will additionally say he is very smart when covering the pick and roll.
He will not play ANY small forward, even if the Times-Pic says that is his primary position. Another side note- he is only 24, which is the same age Smith was when he got here. Smith is, what, 250% better compared to 2 years ago? Imagine Anderson actually improving on what he already gives you. This could be a real bargain down the line
Getting Synergy was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I’ve only had it a few days. It’s so much easier to make informed judgments when you can see an entire body of work. I can’t get enough of it. I haven’t gotten a chance to watch his P&R defense, but I imagine it’s much of the same, like you said. He appears to be a very intelligent player. What impresses me most about his Synergy stats is his efficiency in virtually every area of offense, especially cutting and hitting the offensive boards. Everyone knows he can shoot. Looks to be an absolute weapon on offense, and I can’t wait to see what his presence will do for us.
I am also looking forward to his growth under Monty Williams. Jason Smith absolutely astonished me this year with his growth. Anderson also looks like a class act. Really exciting stuff
Hey mike where did you hear we are going to match and keep Gordon. I saw your comment on valleyofthesuns
Monty just spoke about EG to the T-P. It looks like he is doing damage control. My money is on Gordon staying now and on him owing Monty more than ever for his “understanding.” Still, EG has a ton of work to do for the fans to ever trust him again.
Also, with Belinelli possibly leaving, it’s nice to see Monty/Dell looking for someone to fill the stat sheet with pump fakes, because Belly was good for at least 4-5 every game. Anderson pump fakes on almost every cut to the basket. We should be good
In Dell I Trust
I never forget Stiemsma coming into the Hive and Slapping every shot we threw at the Rim..Sign Him Dell!..We have some Bigs Caliber of Player Eric
man i want us to sign that guy soooooooo badly
In the future they might enact criminal charges for coming ahead in moves like this one. It’s a bloody coup, is what it is.
The Supervillain does it again.
“Sources” say the Language barrier was a Problem for the Team..And I watched teams get frustrated with him from not knowing his Game but they caught on later in the Season and he Hit a Wall..My 3’s are already up Ryan!
Anthony Davis is already up to 230lbs from 220 at the combine…Everyone said this kid has to bulk up to be a force in the middle at nba level, and what i like about this guy is that he is working on his weaknesses before he even steps on the floor…
Fear the Brow////…
Would love to know your source for your statement that Davis gained 10 pounds in the month since the NBA Combine.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/nba/06/29/hornets-anthony-davis-austin-rivers.ap/index.html
Gaining 10 lbs in such a short amount of time is either pasta (bad) or steroids (really bad).
The SI article was written on the 29th, about 3 weeks after Davis weighted 222 at the NBA Combine. So for him to gain 8 pounds in 3 weeks seems improbable. I assume this is an exaggeration of the actual gain.
222 is basically what Davis played at in college, so why wasn’t he gaining weight with weight training after the college basketball season ended? During the entire summer?
Lance says he put on 17 pounds since the NBA regular season ended. This both illustrates what Davis could have done with his summer, and that normal weight gain for someone with Davis’s height and weight is more like 5-6 pounds/month instead of 8 pounds in 3 weeks.
This is great. We have our starting bigs of the future (AD-19, RA-24). We just need to add one more big to round out the rotation. Everything that Jason and Michael pointed out was great.
What if AD grows 2 more inches before he makes 21…7foot1 inches…240lbs …
swwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeet..
love how there were not sources for 2 days saying what the hornets were doing…just out of nowhere a signing( a really good one at that)….does this remind anyone of the way the saints do it..it sure does to me
Great acquisition. Fills lots of needs for the team. Now we have a PF who is a starter in the league. Now, we are a threat from downtown. And we have finally started signing free agents! 🙂
Sorry to see Ayon go. Good luck for him! But, Welcome Anderson! You will be part of a great franchise!
I assume Dell Demps used some of the trade exemptions he received from earlier trades (Peja to Raptors). Otherwise getting the contract of Anderson just for Ayon would not be possible, right?
we get the most improve player last year for 36M…..and EG wants a max….
Demps strikes again! This guy is a machine when it comes to making deals to make his team better. I have loved every single trade this guy has made so far as Hornets GM. One could argue that we did not need to trade Gustavo Ayon when Ryan Anderson was a restricted free agent, but just the guarantee that he is on the team next year is good for me. Who knows that come Wednesday, we wouldn’t be in a bidding war for his services? I loved what Ayon brought to the team, but Anderson brings a ton more. 6’10” bigs that average 16 ppg, close to 8 boards, shoots 40% behind the arc, and is in his prime, is really hard to find. He is a perfect fit to play with Anthony Davis. Stretching the D out to the perimeter to open things up for him down low is huge. Adding him with Eric Gordon and Austin Rivers give us what we have been lacking, SHOOTERS! 8.5 to 9 million a year to guy with his talent that is only getting better, i.e. most improved player of the year award last season, is not overpaying at all. I think we can make a Davis & Anderson front court work, especially when your small forward, Aminu, is 6’9″ 215 lbs. to help on D. Having a 7’0″ big in Jason Smith coming off the bench to rest either one is huge as well. I believe he can play both the 4 & 5 in this league. Now we just need to sign another center for the minimum and we will be set. Hearing Greg Stiemsma is a guy we are looking at. I wouldn’t mind that signing, since he proved last year to be a nice find for the Celtics. He is a decent center that would help most teams off the bench with his rebounding. If we could, I would much rather sign Carl Landry back instead. Doubt we could since he could get far more than what we could offer or would want to offer. I know he is a power forward on the small side, but I love what he brings off the bench in scoring and rebounding. I would love Anthony Randolph as well, but he is the same size as Davis and might hurt his development. We probably couldn’t afford him as well. I know Rivers will probably not start the season at the point, but I hope he does by the end of the season. I watched the draft combine and he was by far the best ball handler of all the point guards there. If Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, and Tyreke Evans can play the point and in their rookie seasons I believe he can. Then trade Jack at some time for another big or wing and shouldn’t be to hard considering he has an expiring contract. I was hoping they would just go with Jason Smith at center this year and just sign minimum bigs, cause I really wanted to go after Al Jefferson next year. You never know though maybe it can still happen. I love this lineup of the future minus Jack next year:
C- Davis / Stiemsma
PF- Anderson / Smith
SF- Aminu / Miller
SG- Gordon / Henry
PG- Rivers / Jack / Vasquez
I don’t think this was a good moved, based on cost. This organization shouldn’t be paying any one in this year free agency class 9 million, unless he is a legi center. This guy is not. Nice offense rebounder, but useless on the defensive boards. He has a nice jumper,but that’s why we have Smith. However I do trust Dell so I will give him a pass. As they say, time will tell. I was hoping that Gordon would be the only big ticket item on the books this year. We are not a playoff team, so why raise the steaks? Good luck Mr. Anderson; looking forward to you proving me wrong. If he doesn’t come through you will hear from me loud and clear. If does come through you will also hear from me loud and clear.
Rivers+Gordon+Anderson….. CAN SOMEBODY SAY ISO!
aw man, later Gus 🙁 Welcome white dude! i cant wait to see Smith + Anderson in the court together, whitest frontcourt in the league
[…] However, as I discovered through a late-night conversation with Dr. Jason Calmes from Hornets247, it very well could be a prelude to a Gordon deal. […]
I love Ayon, and think this deal helps him get more playing time than he would have behind Davis and will bolster his career. I hope that is another reason Dell did it this way. When players see that playing for delMonte helps their career (like playing for Poppovich) they won’t mind coming to play here…..
I’m also happy we got a player ranked highly in efficiency. Besides Okafor and Ayon, nobody on our roster (including Gordon, Smith, and Aminu) are above average in Wins Produced. Davis and Ryan should both be way above average….
[…] the Hornets went under the cap to complete the unbalanced Ryan Anderson sign-and-trade, they had to create cap space. This was done by renouncing the rights to other players: Chris […]
[…] his first NBA game and a power forward who had played some minutes at center, but not as a starter. Though the acquisition of Ryan Anderson made the need much less dire, New Orleans was still on the lookout for a player who could serve as […]