As we look deep into this ongoing drama, it is clear to see that something just doesn’t add up
It has been four days since Hornets247.com caught up with Eric Gordon and got his perspective on how he has been treated by the Hornets organization. In the interview, he made it a point to showcase the fact that the Hornets have made no effort to give him an idea of their long term plan, including but not limited to, whether or not he was a part of it. He claims that they talked to his agent, but not to him and he has no idea whether or not the Hornets will match the offer, nor does he know why the Hornets drafted Austin Rivers as opposed to going after a big man.
Something about this just doesn’t add up in my opinion. Dell Demps has yet to go on record to answer Gordon’s allegations, but what we do have are a series of statements by credible sources that show that what Gordon alleges is not Dell’s typical M.O. Both Chris Paul and David West have said that they were included by Dell Demps with regard to the moves that the Hornets made in their final year in New Orleans. Anthony Davis stated after he was drafted that he had long conversations with both Dell and Monty about how this roster will be built and he was excited about the plan. And even Ryan Anderson’s agent has come out and said that Anderson had long conversations with Dell and Monty about the future of this team.
Both Dell and Monty have gone on record and said that Gordon is the team’s best player and they will bring him back. There is plenty of evidence that Dell and Monty go out of their way to inform their great players about the plan for the franchise and include them in the process. Yet, they both call Gordon a great player and according to him, he has not been included in the process at all.
I don’t buy it.
Somebody here is lying, or as Roger Clemens might say, they are “misremembering.” It just doesn’t add up, which leads me to believe that one of the following two things is true:
1. Dell and Monty said everything they said about Gordon being a great player and their willingness to match so that they could get the most value possible for him in a sign and trade.
2. Eric Gordon is twisting the truth with the sole intention of getting to a city where he can be the face of a franchise
I can be convinced of either scenario, honestly. I am biased to #1 because I have long said that I would do anything to avoid giving Eric Gordon the max. His injury history is a red flag that I can not personally overlook and a small market team can not afford to have a player who eats up 25% of their cap space sitting on the bench for 25-30 games per season. If Dell and Monty agree with me, then they have done a masterful job executing their vision. They can actually sign and trade Gordon now without upsetting the fan base, in large part due to Gordon’s immature comments.
I can also buy #2, because a precedent has been set that appears eerily similar. Joe Johnson could have been a part of a potential dynasty with Phoenix, but instead, he wanted to be the face of a franchise in Atlanta and he talked his way out of town by saying similar things. Don’t think that players and agents don’t remember what works. If Gordon wanted out, these series of ‘untruths’ would have been the perfect way to get what he wants.
Either way, we are being sold a lie by somebody and we will likely know who it is tonight at 11:01 CST. If the Hornets pull off a sign and trade, we will likely know that this was Dell’s master plan all along. If Gordon signs the offer sheet, effectively killing any possibility of a sign and trade with Phoenix, we will know that the Hornets have always intended to bring Gordon back and EJ’s tactics failed miserably.
Personally, I am waiting on pins and needles. I love the slow exposure of a “mis-rememberer.”
185 responses to “The Eric Gordon Saga: Something Still Smells Fishy”
I’m with you on this one. Something is definitely not adding up. IMO, Demps hasn’t said anything but then again he’s usually pretty tight-lipped and it took Monty a long time to make any type of statement too. It’s also strange that Gordon’t agent hasn’t said anything either. Dell is shrewd and Monty trusts him completely so whatever is going on they’re working in tandem. We all are waiting anxiously for this to play out. I would be a liar if I said, I hope EG stays but honestly I hope he doesn’t. He’s a great basketball talent but I don’t think he fits into the long-term plans of our team
im with you too….i hope he doesn’t….sign and trade is the only solution….i don’t want to part ways with him for nothing too…..
I think there is a 3rd option out there. I think Monty and dell told Eric to go out there and find the best deal he can get, knowing most likely they were going to match. It’s no surprise that the other 29 teams also knew that they were mostly being “used” by Gordon in order to facilitate his new contract. So in order for him to get a max deal that the hornets would match, Eric and his agent had to say some things (pretty dumb things, but that is for another time and place) in order to make the suns think that Gordon really wants to be there, and he’s not just using them to negotiate his next hornets contract. And I think based on the silence from dell and Monty, they’ve known this all along and know that once Gordon gets his 58 million, his heart will find a way to be comfortable going to the local bank in new Orleans to cash that big ol paycheck. So I think this is a lot of smoke and mirrors and we’ll never know what the players in this are really thinking.
Yea, but why would he say more things about New Orleans and the Hornets even after he agreed to the Phoenix contract? He already had his 58 mil.
I have to disagree. All of these statements by Gordon came out after the Suns agreed to the 4 year 58 million dollar contract. If he were saying these things before the Suns offer than you might have a point.
He doesn’t even get the actual offer until midnight tonight, had they had their handshake agreement on this potential offer sheet and Eric said, “good, once the hornets match this I can’t wait to get back to NOLA and prepare for next season” the suns would be like “wow, we just got used, let’s scrap this offer sheet and go in another direction. With the moratorium Eric has gotten nothing but a promise that at midnight tonight there will be a sheet waiting for him, if he ticks Phoenix off between now and then there is no reason they can’t say, see ya go find an offer from someone else we don’t wanna be screwed with. Obviously this is giving Eric the benefit of the doubt, but this is a business and if he did wanna get his money AND stay in new Orleans he has to make these teams think he wants to be there, or they wouldn’t waste their time negotiating his hornets contract.
I think Dell is too savvy to keep Gordon as a max player, so I tend to buy in to your conspiracy theory. I think/hope most likely scenario is S-T tonight, and we get Dudley, two picks, and some other asset. Or at least I really hope so because to me, Gordon ain’t worth keeping around after the past week. Yeah he could win games for us, but there are way too many what ifs on and off the court at this point to keep him around. Plus it seems like we’re starting to build in more offensive assets in any event … we ain’t the same team we were at the All-Star break last year.
One way or the other, I think the Hornets will come out smelling like roses. we will either get value for an injured player or get a scorer who will have to step up and be part of the winning equation going forward.
Funny how if we lose him he’s a injured player but if we keep him he’s a scorer.
I hope for a sign-and-trade and the evidence points to one being beneficial to both teams and agreeable to Gordon.
As always, it depends on the deal and the plan. Dell will hold out and not settle. We know that. He’s not infallible.
As for the likelihoods of any of these, who knows?
We shall see soon. A sign-and-trade can be announced at any time. A delay in making the offer or signing it is another sign.
How come everyone wants just Dudley and picks? I think we should also try and get Marshall because if he practices in a couple of years we could have a big three with Marshall, Rivers, and Davis!
Who is everyone?
I listed a deal that Phoenix would do (I think) that fits certain criteria and acknowledge there are others. I’m not trying to list them; I’m showing that it is worth discussion.
I think we want the picks because we want to still build this team. i don’t think the Hornets or the Suns make the playoffs, so if we get their picks for the next two years, we’d have two lottery picks next year, and if they are high enough we might be able to package them and move into the top five.
Excellent analysis of the situation Michael. I just can’t buy that its all business with Gordon. I remember when the CP3 trade to the Lakers got nixed. Chris Paul’s father was interviewed about the situation and he said “Chris Paul was leaving anyway, either through trade or free agency.” But the whole time, CP NEVER degraded the organization, Dell, Monty, or the city! So for Gordon to say these types of things PUBLICALLY, there has to be some truth on his part. Kissing PHX ass to get a max deal does not mean you have to publically bash another franchise. I really feel he really does not want to be here and he never did!
agree……..sir jason calmes can u give us ur package of a sign-trade with phoenix?who do u want in that roster and why?thanks…
Have yet to be knighted.
I answered this in the recent FAQ. At least EJ for Dudley, 2013 first, 2014 first.
I wonder if there is a 3rd scenario, one that doesn’t exactly entail any knowing lies. This scenario is simply that Dell & Monty were simply surprised that a team would offer Gordon a max deal. They were counting on more reasonable heads to prevail, given his health issues. It’s been pointed out that the draft & free agency period have taken up most of Dell & Monty’s attention over the last few weeks, which left little contact with Gordon. Meanwhile, feeling like he was left out of the loop, Gordon gets a lot of attention from the Suns, leaving him thinking the Hornets don’t really have much interest in him by comparison. In other words, because of mis-calculations and mis-placed expectations, the whole situation just got out of everyone’s control, and from the outside looks like someone is deliberately is manipulating the situation.
I don’t think this is a black or white one scenario or the other situation. As with most situations, it’s likely a shade of gray. For those who think Phoenix is crazy to make a max offer, I would just say that their owner is not known to spend dollars foolishly. Plus, he has a very experienced individual as his GM, someone’s who’s been in the GM role for only two years but has worked for many years in and around the NBA.
Dell Demps is in a difficult situation. Gordon was not his first choice to begin with, when David Stern and the NBA cut his legs out from under him by vetoing the Lakers trade. Demps reacted by taking a hard line on negotiating a contract extension with Gordon’s agent in January. Perhaps, it was the wrong lesson to be learned because it meant Gordon would be free to talk with other teams this summer. Gordon is ordinarily very quiet and accommodating. I suspect he surprised Demps by being so vocal about wanting Phoenix.
Now that Benson is the new owner of the Hornets, I’m sure that Demps is feeling lots of pressure to build a team, perform to budget, and satisfy the new owner. Williams is joined at the hip with Demps, because Monty knows a new GM would want to hire his own coach. If Demps is replaced, Monty likely goes, too. A tough situation for both to be in to be sure.
He actually does throw away money at times. Josh Childress is a prime example… He just usually doesn’t spend this much on one player.
I think it’s not impossible that Dell both knows Eric Gordon is probably not worth the max, and would like to assess the S&T market for him, AND that if he doesn’t get something spectacular he wants to keep Gordon. We’ve gone through a lot of amazing changes in the past months, changes that have changed the perception of this franchise. However, we are still a very small-market team. Someone tweeted that 8 of the 12 members on the Olympic team play in Miami, New York, or LA. Eric Gordon is a huge gamble, but there’s no denying that if healthy, he’s an efficient scorer, great defender, and only 23 years old. And if he stays healthy, he has the potential to be a star player, and those types of guys aren’t coming here in free agency, so if you have one, you want to keep them. The gamble works both ways, because yes, if he doesn’t perform, that contract is more of a burden here than in other places, but the risk of losing someone with that potential is also more costly here than in other places.
Small market teams in the last two decades have been able to build competitive teams … we all know the list … Sacremento, Portland, San Antonio, OKC, Indy, St Lake City … etc. I think the whole big stars going only to big markets is a hugely oversold factor among NBA fans for a variety of reasons. I couldn’t care less that guys like Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams have represented the country the last two Olympics. Where are there rings??? What consistently competitive teams have they played for???
And though what you say about Eric Gordon is all true, if I’m a betting man I betting a lot of money that the guy simply doesn’t want to be here and probably never did want to be here. That to me is a distraction for players and for building a fan base that we need; we can’t afford right now that kind of distraction. If Phoenix or another team were to give us the potential for, say, two more first round picks in addition to one or two pieces would you turn that down given what Gordon has given us?? I wouldn’t, especially because I suspect Phoenix wont’ be that good next year with a staring line up that features Dragic, Beasely and Gordon.
I definitely agree that something’s fishy about this whole situation… My gut feeling tells me Dell & Monty wants to get rid of Gordon. Either due to injury concerns or because they realized a while ago that he’s a douchebag. Or both.
Even though I’m in the Gordon-hater-camp, I’d rather have a discontent Gordon on the team next season than s&t him for a bag of doritos (or Dudley and picks, same value).
sorry to sound ignorant but this is my first year following off-season stuff, what exactly happens tonight at 11:01? and at that point will we know for sure the final verdicts on the Eric Gordon saga?
That’s when all the talked about deals become real.
That’s when Phoenix can really put paperword before Gordon and he can actually sign their offer, kicking off the clock for the Hornets to match.
thanks!
You got it.
Stick with us and buckle up…
Given that players can start signing tomorrow, shouldn’t we expect to get some sort of news by this evening or early tomorrow? The game of silence seems to have a deadline.
If I am wrong, please let me know…
I have a reliable friend who works in Sports at one of the local news stations. He has mentioned to me from day one that Gordon clearly doesn’t want to be here, based on conversations they have had. Not that Gordon has directly said it, but he’s not hard to read.
Personally, I believe what Gordon has recently said is really how he really feels. He genuinely doesn’t want to be here for whatever reason that’s yet to be determined. I don’t think he made those negative comments in an attempt to get a max deal, because (correct me if I am wrong) those comments came AFTER it already went public that PHX had put a max offer on the table. I think it was more of a ploy to get us not to match. Little does Gordon realize though, Dell is too smart to let him walk for nothing, if he lets him walk at all.
I am looking forward to the next 10 hours or so to see how all this plays out. But if Dell is really using the Spurs model, he’s not going to pay max money to a guy not worth a max deal. Since David Robinson retired, has anyone besides Duncan earned a max deal on that team? I could be wrong, but I don’t even thing Parker or Manu have. If that’s the case, then the only current player on this team I see eventually getting a max deal is Mr. Davis. With that said, it was nice knowing you Gordon. Good luck in PHX Mr. Cornerstone.
He didn’t want to leave LA. He wants to go to PHX. So it’s either, he doesn’t want to be in NOLA or (more likely) he wants to be “the man”. He wasn’t going to be that with Blake and CP3 in LA and he won’t be that once Skynet has gained full NBA sentience.
And yet, it seems as if it’s the Austin Rivers’ selection that rankles him, which is odd since I have yet to hear anyone say that Rivers could be anywhere as good as Gordon is.
Could not agree with you more Mr. Ballin504
I am willing to believe Dell & Monty didn’t speak to EG directly but talked to his agent and told him to test the market and see what they could get. The idea (conspiracy theory?) behind it being that they would give Gordon the opportunity to see what his market value really was and, if it was a max deal, do the S&T. If it was lower, then EG could be had back in the fold for a much cheaper price.
Really, the only wrinkle in this plan has been EG’s comments, which make it damn difficult for him to come back to NOLA without some sort of contrition (ha!).
If option #1 is true, then it might backfire in Dell’s face. All reports indicate that the Suns are not interested in a sign-and-trade at all. The Hornets will probably have to match or let Gordon walk for nothing.
The suns cant afford his contract if they don’t sign a trade so I’m not sure which ‘all reports’ are saying they’re not interested in that
They can amnesty someone to make room.
So just so I’m clear if he does sign the offer sheet and we match can he still sign the 1 year QO?
No. Once he signs the offer sheet, it’s their max or our max, our choice.
42, can he still sign a 1 Year QO or has that date expired already to do so?
He can do so before he signs their sheet.
Signing the sheet burns that boat.
Whats the odds that he plays for the 1 Year QO? 1%?
As low as you consider sensible.
It’d be a brazen act. I don’t know if he has the risk tolerance.
I think the answer to that is no. If he signs PHX max deal, thats what he’s locked in to get. The only question is will it come from them or us (in a match). I’d be most concerned if he doesn’t sign anything at 11:01pm. That would mean either we are working a S&T or Gordon is considering taking the huge gamble of playing for the 1 year QO.
Correct. Gordon’s agent would never do that. This is as high as EG10 will ever be valued. He’s missed 20+ games for 3 seasons in a row, and can ill-afford to damage his value by signing a QO and getting injured again. He is going to take the $$ either from the Suns or the Hawnits.
Personally, I hope its PHX, becasue the team that gives this kid a max deal is essentially saying that Eric Gordon has the potential to be the next Wade/Kobe/Jordan. Does anyone honestly believe that? And if so, can you give me some of what you’re smoking?
me also. Running low.
What about all of those comments from Monty saying to cut the kid some slack? I think this is more Gordon “mis-remembering” than anything else. Monty seemed to go out of his way to say that young players say dumb things and should be forgiven.
Dell has patiently waited for the DH trade to go through so we then can send EG to Orlando for draft picks.
I think I’m giving Eric too much credit, but the one thing where I think people are missing the boat on is, the he has NOT gotten his money from anyone yet. The only offer on the table right now is the qualifying offer. Yes Phoenix has told him what their offer is, and they may have shook hands on it, the fact of the matter is nothing is on paper and both sides could re-nig on this deal at anytime. While the things he said about NOLA were dumb, of he says he excited about going back after the hornets match the sheet, Phoenix can take the offer away (since technically it’s not a real offer until midnight) and he’s back where he was. The only way to get his money from these other teams is say he wants to be there, or they would be wasting their time, it’s the same situation with batum and the wolves and blazers, with a little more drama.
Re-nig? Instead of using this potentially offensive made-up word, use this real one instead: renege. I believe it’s the one you meant to use (and probably will in the future).
Let’s settle down.
It’s spelled renege. It’s means to back out on a promise. From the Latin renegare, to deny. Renegade is a close English descendant word.
That’s all. Nothing offensive there unless someone is bringing someone to the spelling, either writer or reader.
Case closed.
Back to freaking out at Gordon.
Carry on.
Hey Mike,
I think #1 is not a lie! Even if we sign and trade Gordon, it will be at the price that Phoenix set, so technically it is like matching the offer of Phoenix. 🙂 And that’s what Dell and Monty always said. We will match the offer!
If they really want Gordon, they have to work out a trade for the S&T.
I strongly believe that Eric Gordon is either lying or “misremembering” as you said. Maybe He was spending too much time on twitter and was not listening to what people were telling him. 🙂
No matter what the scenario is; What Eric Gordon did is very selfish, insensitive and damaging considering the fact that he is not an “unrestricted” free agent and He cannot “choose” who to play for unless we let him do it or unless the other team is willing to do the trade for it.
We will find out in the next 24 hours.
But, I am not sure if we can benefit from this disgruntled, unhappy player no matter how good he can be. Yes, he can play great but it is going to take a long time for him to repair the damage he has already done to his relationship with the fans.
The time is now! Trade Eric Gordon!
Gordon seems very immature, but it seems like he’s honest. So if he’s saying he’s out of the loop I believe that’s a genuine statement.
Hopefully this trade conspiracy is true. I’ve been saying for a minute that signing Gordon to anything near a max is much more risk than I care to take.
Just getting a couple of things straight:
1. If we hear EG signed the PHX offer sheet at 11:01, then there will be no sign and trade with the Suns. He either stays in NOLA via match, gets traded to someone else he approves of, or we let him go for nothing. Correct?
2. If we do sign and trade EG, a trade exception can be part of that deal and can free up room for Dell to work on uneven-salaried swaps. Correct?
Thanks!
Correct, as I see it.
Thanks, Jason.
If he signs the deal then he’s a Hornet until midseason. The only trade option right now is Phoenix before he signs the offersheet.
He’s a hornet until the end of the year isn’t he? I thought matching an offer sheet made him untradeable until the next FA period.
We could sign and trade him to anyone in the league at the moment, not just PHO
Incorrect.
If we match after he signs, we can’t trade him to Phoenix. We also can’t trade him without his permission for a year, but we can with his permission, the effect being basically a sign-then-trade.
He would have to sign to do a sign-and-trade now, so he’d have to agree.
He has no say on being a Hornet if he signs with Phoenix or with us outright.
You link an article that compares Eric Gordon leaving to Joe Johnson leaving the Suns. If the Suns could do it over again do you think they would have just let Joe leave just because he wanted too? I don’t. If that Suns team would have kept Joe like they should have then they would have been a far better team and could have actually won a title or two. The same thing could happen to us if we let Eric walk just because he’s dumb and got blinded by the free agency process.
Difference is Joe wasn’t injury plagued.
You won’t find a Suns fan who disagrees. We wound up getting Lopez and Diaw out of it.
I wished we just sucked it up and matched that deal. Likely take a title at the very least in the Nash era.
As a fellow Suns fan, I completely agree. Losing JJ basically took all the wind out of the sails from working Boston in the deal that brought us JJ in the first place.
I would demand Marshall and their 1st rd pick as a min. If not, Match and trade somewheres else.
Marshall and back to back unprotected firsts in 2013 and 14 (they can do that cause they have LAs pick in 2013), Dudley in that deal would be nice as well.
He can’t be traded until the deadline if you guys match.
False, I think.
Source?
i believe I read that they can’t trade him until December if they match the offer.
I don’t know if it has any bearing on Gordon’s situation, but have the Hornets actually renounced Kaman Landry and Beli yet? I’m guessing they would still need to do that, even in a S&T scenario.
I don’t know but they must if they don’t sign and trade. They may if they sign and trade.
OK thanks. I just thought they didn’t need to wait until tomorrow to renounce players, if that was their intention. I think it was Hollinger who presumed it was going to be the case.
As a Suns fan, I hope this works out where neither team gets the shaft. New Orleans has done a nice job cleaning house and building for the future.
The belief amongst Suns fans is that Marshall would absolutely be gone in a s/t. He has yet to sign his rookie deal. If he had, then he wouldn’t be able to get traded for 30 days.
Along with him, probably a protected Suns first and one or both of LA’s firsts.
I’m not sure who else we could offer beyond that where it no longer makes sense for Phoenix to make the deal.
This image might also be an early sign showing that he wasn’t happy (or just a poorly timed pic)
http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/original700/al-farouq-aminu-eric-gordon-chris-kaman-2011-12-17-14-11-4.jpg
Yeah, although I’d say none of them look all that thrilled.
lmao im a hornet fan that’s funny tho… yeah it must suck to make millions and play in the nba (poor EG )
Damn….Gordon is not making me happy!!! i have been a Hornets fan for 20 years now…..and i´m so excited to see how this season works out….hope we s&t EG and get marshall and Gortat and a top pick!!! i´m in iceland so i have to read about the action in the morning…..Let´s Go Hornets!
Say you work in a particular company. Suddenly, a competing organization appears and makes you a mega proposal of $ 58 million in salary to get your services for the next four years. However, your current company solves recognize your value and equates the supply of competition for you to stay where you are. Therefore, you would have some reason to feel disappointed or discredited? No further questions, Your Honor.
Let’s say we do a sign and trade with Phoenix for Marshall, Gortat, and a 1st round pick or two.
What would be the chances of the Hornets signing OJ Mayo?
Or how would you feel of having Lou Williams from the 76ers playing both guard spots?
Would we have enough cap room for any of these guys?
MM, for the love of god, get over it already. He’s a young kid who got his overinflated ego deflated a little bit by our organization treating him as an adult. No one is lying. Nothing smells fishy. He’s coming back. You are making yourself look like a complete jackass with this whole situation lately. This reeks of 690, not 247.
You know, I could be wrong. Monty/Dell/Eric could have staged this whole thing with Eric going to Saints minicamp and watching the rookie minicamps and spending some time with Monty before Team USA tryouts just so that Eric could accommodate the Hornets by getting us max value back from his new team. You realize Eric Gordon has been more involved in our offseason than the majority of our roster right? Jack came down for Essence and flew right back to Atl. Aminu has worked with Monty a little but most of the roster took time off and went their separate ways. Which fricking Hornet have you been hearing about around town? GORDON. People need to get the **** over it already and forgive the guy cause he is going to be our starting SG whether you like it or not and this sensationalist media is OUT OF CONTROL on every single front.
I am so damn tired of this drama and my friends/family coming to me and asking/telling me “Gordon doesn’t want to be here! (?)” I want to watch basketball again. Dude said some moronic statements people. He’s 23. I know I’m worlds ahead of where I was at 23 and I’m 25. Please just forgive the guy.
Lastly, the hypocrisy of your actions, MM, is that you are acting exactly like Eric Gordon. Instead of waiting for this to play out and keeping your mouth shut, you continue to open it and dig yourself an even larger hole should your outcome prove to be wrong.
I don’t know if anyone realizes hat we can sign and trade him to any team. It does not have to be Phoenix. Dell is a smart guy with all the contacts and just because we didn’t hear about it doesn’t mean that no one else is willing to give Gordon the contract he wants and the hornets get enough in return. I can’t wait to see how this plays out!!
If he agrees, yes.
That’s why we’ve discussed Houston’s offering and had their expert on The Swarm
It’s all very interesting.
It’s Eric Gordon.. Not Michael Jordan! You should get Childress and some picks for s/t…that’s it!!! Dudley and marshalll….pffffffffff.
Phoenix and their fans can’t have their cake and eat it to … can’t have it both ways … nosiree. If Eric Gordon is a max player in the Suns’ estimation than we should get value that equals a max player. The front office is looking for a 23- year old cornerstone to take the place of what Steve Nash once was. Then we should get value that a team would have gotten in an S-T for Nash in his upside years/prime. Max player is as max player does. Gordon is just that kind of …. CALIBER.
Exactly. That’s why I think Gortat, Marshall, and the PHX #1 because their combined value still puts you below max player salary…
Exactly like sweetpea said. You consider Eric Gordon the best player for the Suns organisation? Then prepare to pay the price.
We hold all the cards and if you want to play you’re going to have to pay.
I don’t think everybody realizes that we don’t have to sign and trade with Phoenix. We can trade with anybody. Just because we don’t hear about it doesn’t mean that Dell doesn’t have agreements with other teams to fulfill Gordon’s contract wishes and get enough in return. Can’t wait to see how this turns out!!
Yes, but the only team that will agree to a S&T for Gordon is one that will require a commitment from Gordon that he will stay long term. Since no team has visited with him, I doubt a S&T with any other team will come up now.
Hey, NOLA fans, Suns fans here. It’s been fun reading stories on this situation here and on ValleyoftheSuns.com. I’m not an EG fan … didn’t like him in college, don’t really like him now … his on-camera statements Friday were very immature. That said, if the Suns get him and he’s talented and helps us win then so be it. But if we don’t get him, I won’t be hurt and we can spend the money elsewhere this summer or next summer.
My gut is that if there is going to be a S&T then it will have to happen this afternoon. I think your guy, McNamara, here is correct and I tend to think it’s #1 … I just don’t think EG is savvy enough to spin NOLA into his corner and he wouldn’t have been THIS inflammatory if he really wanted to stay … the smart FAs seem to know what to/not to say and they don’t go as far as he has in their statements. EG simply isn’t smart enough to craft statements that he won’t have to apologize for later. He’s burned lots of bridges and going back to NOLA will take so much work I imagine he would/will get booed on opening night with how he’s handled the situation if he indeed he does end up as a Hornet this fall.
That’s why I find it hard to believe, if he really knew the plans, that he would have been as inflammatory as he was on Friday. He could have said plenty on Friday without having to create a lot of bridge rebuilding work should he end up staying with NOLA.
Here’s why I think if a S&T happens it will HAVE TO happen this afternoon/evening. I’ve got to imagine the Suns have him flying to, or already in, Phoenix to sign his offer sheet, giving NOLA very little time to work out a S&T (basically between now and 12 midnight ET). It’s not impossible, but would be a ton of work for you guys to keep EG and stay under the cap given what I’ve read on this site (very informative, btw). And don’t forget that Babby, as an ex-agent, was hired SPECIFICALLY to craft contracts due to his knowledge of how CBAs work. Lance Blanks was hired to be the talent/personnel guy, not Babby. I’ve got to imagine Sarver has told Babby to earn his money by crafting a contract you guys won’t want to match. Again, leaving NOLA little time to work out a S&T. Otherwise, EG signs his offer sheet and NOLA is stuck with those terms should they choose to match.
Again, I’m no EG fan … hated what he did to Illinois during his college days, and I’m not so happy with our apparent plan of ditching model citizens like Nash and Grant Hill for the likes of EG and Beasley. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.
Finnaly an intelligent suns fan who doesn’t come here just to troll.
Booyah. Gotta love the offseason … makes for a ton of fun! If I actually cared more about where EG ends up I might not be so nonchalant about it.
Welcome to our board! Come down to NOLA sometime soon and eat good food and party!
I have to admit … New Orleans is one place I’ve always wanted to visit. 🙂 I actually live in Portland, OR … much better foodie town than Phoenix, really.
Portland fan here.
McMenamin’s is fun. Had the habenero at Salvador Molly’s. Voodoo. Trucks.
Had more I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Great town.
Keep us in mind when you visit… we do recommendations!
Thanks, Jason, will do! And yes, the list is quite long here in PDX. I’m always learning about places I’ve never heard of … I’m sure it’s the same in NOLA. I loved living in Phoenix, it’s a GREAT place for people who are active and love the outdoors … just a bit surprising that it isn’t a better food town since nothing has to be seasonal there. You’d be surprised how well ice cream shops do in the rainy, dead of winter in the Pacific Northwest. 🙂
now that is one true phoenix suns fan…thanks mike for sharing ur thoughts on dis situation
11:59pm can’t get here soon enough. I feel like if there was a S&T there would be more about it. I don’t see any rumors of a deal other than our own speculation. No “sources” about what appears to be a deal. It makes me think that Gordon either walks or comes back (for the time being, at least). I don’t see the Hornets just letting him walk away.
I’ll be eagerly waiting for the official timeline to play out in the coming hours as I play MLB The Show and watch a Storage Wars marathon. To say I’m on edge is an understatement.
i have it on vita. you’re not going to watch the all-star game? me neither, baseball on tv is LAME!
Lol. I have the All-Star Game on one TV. Storage Wars on a TV. And my PS3 hooked up to a tv. I have all bases covered in the mancave tonight!
That’s awesome. i think the al team is going to KILL IT
I just signed a two year deal with the heat. What’s that mean for you guys salary cap?
“You guys” salary cap?! I think you meant “your guyses” salary cap.
I signed for the veteran minimum.
Is is almost certain The hornets will make a decision tonight?
GET THE PICKS NO GET MARSHALL AND THE PICKS!
Hey guys quick question… we are discussing about the possibility of a trade with PHX and I even read a little bit about HOU but honestly those are two AWFUL deals or at the least the ones i’ve read… dudley and draft picks c’mon and the one with HOU did not seem to enticing either. I believe EG can bring in a lot more value and I was wondering if they’re were any other rumors involving other teams out there. I would love to hear from dell and monty about the situation, I just cant wait for all of this to play out. I say we stay away from the PHX deal if we don’t get gortat and/or marshall and picks.
It appears fairly simple to me. If someone is not telling the truth here it is the Hornets. Gordon will sign the offer sheet. He will not turn down $58 million.
To provide the perspective of another Suns fan to this discussion I do not believe the Hornets will receive anything close to what some here have suggested.
What will not be in the trade:
I do not think Marshall is on the table for a number of reasons despite bringing Dragic back. Gortat is a key piece of the Suns franchise and I would be VERY surprised if he were traded. Dudly has been a key role player and high character guy that the Suns will badly need losing Nash (and likely Hill) and bringing in a guy like Beasley. They Suns FO sounds very committed to bringing Lopez back. It sounds like Frye may miss the first part of the season after shoulder surgery and the Hornets have no reason to be interested in an injured player. Morris looked good for a lockout shortened season, but why would the Hornets want another young PF.
I believe any of the other Suns players are likely in a s&t along with two 1st round picks.
If a s&t does not happen, the only thing the Suns actually risk by giving the offer sheet to Gordon is being stuck with a $14.5 million cap hold for 72 hrs. It also been suggested the Suns FO may have put something of a poison-pill in the offer by making the last year a player option (I don’t know if this works with the CBA or not). If the Suns don’t get Gordon they will bring back Brown or get another SG to fill-in for the short term.
My gut feeling on this IF a trade does not happen, the Suns will call the Hornets bluff and Gordon will be a Sun on Saturday morning. If the Hornets actually felt he was a key piece to their future he would have a long term contract already.
IMHO smart GMs don’t let their key players touch free agency, restricted or otherwise.
As a fellow Suns fan, I agree with you. Since we’re on a NOLA board I won’t go into what I think the Suns long-term plans are. But to keep it relevant here, as I stated earlier I don’t think Babby’s role can be overstated. Sarver hired him to be able to help the team be positioned well going into the new CBA. It will be very interesting if the Suns land Gordon strictly us a RFA and there is something in the contract that keeps NOLA from matching, meaning the Suns get EG without losing a single asset. I’m still betting a S&T happens tonight, but if I’m wrong I think there’s a decent chance, though not a great one, that you are right in the Suns calling NOLA’s bluff.
Mike L, you seem like a really cool guy and I’m sure I’m not the only one here in saying that most of the phx guys that have been on this website have been very cool minus a few exceptions. We hope to see you here a lot more on this wonderful site we have here!
You guys will have to come off of something in a S&T. We aren’t bluffing in terms of matching anything provided we can’t reach a deal. We aren’t letting Gordon just walk regardless of whether in the deal. I truly think at this point we’d rather deal him, but we aren’t taking back chicken scratch either.
You guys need a face for the franchise. For us the plan is clearly to make Anthony Davis our “face”. I understand that you guys love some of the players under contract mostly Gortat. However ask yourself is Gortat a franchise “cornerstone” player? If the Suns organization aren’t worried about Gordon’s injuries he’s much more of a player to build around than anybody you currently have. So this deal is equal important for you guys as it is for us to not open the season with a potential malcontent.
I could understand the want to play hardball, but trust the only way Gordon is wearing a Suns jersey next year is through a S&T. There 0 bluffing there.
The only centers that had higher PPG last season than Gortat were Howard, Brook Lopez & Bynum. Granted much of that was to the credit of Nash, but I would still argue that Gortat is in the top 10 of true centers.
I would say that while he is not the face of the Suns, he is most certainly a corner stone for the team going forward. That said I don’t know how the Suns FO would trade Gortat for a player that is a gamble in terms health as well as commit that much $.
I agree that Gordon would be the face of the Suns if healthy.
At the same time he would be the face of the Hornets had they not won the draft lottery, and Gordan would have likely never be a RFA.
Michael,
Love the article but don’t believe scenario 1 and 2 are mutually exclusive.
In scenario 1, the Hornets are looking out for their best interest by letting the market set Gordon’s contract value and trade value. They are trying to minimize Gordon’s contract value by promising to match. They are trying to maximize his trade value by saying ‘Gordon is the leader of our team and best player’.
In scenario 2, Gordon tries to control his destiny by maximizing his contract value (successfully) and trying to use media statements to reduce the chance of a Hornets contact match. Gordon is making a calculated gamble that he can repair the damage if the Hornets match.
We know scenario 2 is true because of all of the time Gordon spent with Dell and watching Hornets draft workouts. Gordon must have heard the Hornet’s plans in that situation. We know Dell well enough to know scenario 1 is always in place.
The Hornets have the upper hand here. They control where Gordon goes. If Gordons stays, if may be because the Hornets wanted him all along. Or it may be no one made a strong enough offer. The only way we know what the Hornets want is if Gordon is traded this off season, or if he holds off on signing the Sun’s offer sheet (to allow more time for a sign and trade with Phoenix). We shall see…
I think it smells fishy because Gordon was eating a lot of seafood back in NOLA.
Personally, I’m tired of all this and the topic has been talked about, re-hashed, re-hashed again, and we’re basically beating a dead horse. Whether #1 or #2 is true, I don’t even care anymore. I’ve set my sights on worrying about Rivers/Davis/Anderson. I just want all of this to end. I don’t hate Gordon, I don’t love him too. Let me enjoy waiting for 2k13. HAHAHA
i know man, so stinkin’ ready for the updated hornets roster. october cant come soon enough. nba2k is the best sports franchise ever!
If the Suns view EG as a a cornerstone than they should give up what it takes to get a cornerstone. Dudley,Marshall, and the suns two unprotected first round picks.
This is my stance on this whole situation. EG said his job was to play basketball. Sign him to the max, and i believe that six games with the hornets will be MORE than enough to make him believe that what the bees have has way more potential than what the suns have…no offence suns fans. you guys have the coolest jerseys in the nba. well, except the BNets. The black and white is dope.
Ric Bucher @RicBucher
Source: Hornets not scared off by Gordon’s comments, will match Suns’ 4-year, $58million offer and plan to keep him. No S&T.
been reading a lot of this back and forth but kept quiet but we be keeping Gordon and when the hornets are in the playoffs this year all will be forgiven!!
If we match the offer sheet and keep him with a max contract I am sure Eric Gordon will really understand what kind of an interest Dell and Monty have into him.
If we really keep him, I hope we can quickly get over this drama…
I wonder how he will feel watching that “caliber-interest-disrespect” video afterwards…
I mean … Caliber …. Aaaah… You know … Interest … I mean …uuugh … Being taken advantage of … You know … I mean … Disrespect …
Silly!
Oh, and this means Phoenix have not knocked on Dell’s door with a good deal for an S&T, right? So, now Gordon should question if the Suns have really shown interest into him. 🙂
Who is more interested? US?, keeping him, or The Suns? not being able to present an attractive S&T offer for him.
Apparently, Suns think some current or future players(picks) on their roster are more valuable than Gordon huh? 🙂
I am sure if they presented a good deal with all those picks, Dell would not miss it.
You are thinking.
What good has ever come from thinking?
Just freak out, ok?
As a hornets fan to all other hornets fans, I have a request: if Eric Gordon comes back we not only must refrain from booing him, but we also have to be 100% behind him. I understand that what he did was wrong and immature, but he is 23. He should be just graduating or a year removed from college. Nothing good will come out of booing him. If you don’t love him as a player, love him as a hornet. I was dreading rivers just as much as the next guy and was praying one of the big 8 would fall or we would trade up or down. But after drafting rivers, I went and watched his highlights from duke and can’t wait to see him in a hornets uniform. If Eric Gordon is a hornet, it is our duty as hornets fans to love and support him
Hornets matched at 9:00 pm local
Impossible.
reported on ESPN at 9:05
Said they will. Offer sheet not signed yet.
You are misunderstanding, or they are.
Where? Espn has said nothing.
Prob me. Had my face in the computer and tv since 10 this morning 🙂
Who knows?
It’s tough to sort all this.
We’ll getcha through.
Exciting to see so many fans interested. Is it possible that at the end of this long night there will be no news? and if there isn’t any updates than what does that mean?
look up
every writer here can u give us ur own proposal for a EG sign and trade?i want to know ur opinion on dis and why…..thanks…..sign and trade to the suns or any other team……(*_*)
Is it official that the hornets will match the offer or just rumors? Nothing about it on ESPN.
Nothing can be official until 11 CDT.
Life is a negotiation.
Okay, but is it at a state where we know it will happen for sure. Ex. Ryan Anderson
No.
We just know what people are saying.
If what is reported is true, both sides don’t mind it leaking.
If it’s not true, the Hornets would say they are matching to try to show the Suns they are serious. The Suns would say they are not getting him to appear disinterested and not rile up the fanbase.
So either way, the report does not distinguish between ongoing negotiations or ceased negotiations. We just know that any sign-and-trade is not agreed on.
Thoughts?
I think we should keep him, but part of that might be my impatience and knowing we more than likely won’t make the playoffs without him. Long term it might be best to take the picks as the suns will be a lottery team for years to come. The extra cap space is also an added bonus.
You are not alone, I think.
Really hope the Hornets don’t match and it has nothing to do with EJ not wanting to play for the Hornets. He’s always injured and he isn’t a max player. With EJ, we won’t be good enough to make the playoffs but our draft pick won’t be very good either. We’ll be committing $14.5 million to a guy who is pretty much guaranteed to miss 20+ games.
This team needs a complete rebuild. Let’s roll with Davis, Aminu, Anderson, and Rivers. That’s a nice young core AND we’d have cap space to add more pieces.
Mind if I ask you something? Are you a STH? Cause personally, I’d like to go for it at some point. We have to start something now so we can build ourselves into a contender before having to extend Rivers/Davis. Last year was excruciating. The year before was downright annoying having to watch a hobbling CP3 give hobbling effort wondering why MT5 was on the bench. The year before we lost CP3 for 50-60 games.
It does cost effort/money to go to the games. I’d like to have something to root for this year, even if it means betting on EG10 to stay healthy.
Valid
Apology accepted. What did you do again?
(Montel Williams maybe)
EJ is coming back. We all love the him. He just made so bad choices. I’m sure this will all blow over when he gets here. Please don’t give him a hard time when he gets here. I was like that when I was 22 too!
(not Monty)
This sight is legit. Where can I schedule an interview?
(Still not Monty)
How about now?
(Nonty Williams)
To 11. 7 minutes to go
I think if the Hornets don’t sign him then we need to get something good out of the sign and trade, but if we do sign him I will be happy too. Eric has not had any long term injurys and high scoring shooters are really fun to watch. I think if he is not injured he is an all star. So I think we win unless we lose him for nothing.
Does anyone remember when he hit that game winner against Phoenix? Good times…
Phoenix does, apparently.
The suspense is killing me . . .
The wai ai ting is the hardest part
Still wai ai ai ai ting . . .
WATS THE LATEST????
The cap did not change.
I want news!
Nash sign-and-trade official if that matters.
wait so if EJ didn’t sign a Phoenix offer since the deadline is passed (was it even officially given to EJ?) does that mean that hes more likely to sign the qualifying offer and play out the year? Or do negotiations start up again from scratch since there are no contracts on the table anymore??? LOUD NOISES
Any of that and more is possible.
Also, they might just take care of business in the morning like civilized adults.
Pacers said they will match the offer sheet and Blazers decided not to extend an offersheet to Hibbert: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8154390/sources-portland-trail-blazers-sign-roy-hibbert-offer-sheet
If something similar happens and Phoenix decides not to extend an offer sheet to Gordon, What will happen? Do we have to make an offer to him, Or, Will he simply sign the Qualifying Offer then to become an unrestricted free agent next summer? During that time we can see if he can stay healthy and make the decision whether to keep him for long term or not, right?
David Aldridge @daldridgetnt
Will have to wait until morning to see if Hornets match Suns’ offer sheet for Eric Gordon. Sheet won’t be officially delivered until then.
https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/222919049343025154
Shut ‘er down, people. Rest up.
Ohh man!!! That sux. So if you guys have to wait till the morning, that means i have to wait even longer, considering its only 10pm where i am.
DOH!
Will have to wait until morning to see if Hornets match Suns’ offer sheet for Eric Gordon. Sheet won’t be officially delivered until then
Read more: http://hoopshype.com/twitter/media.html#ixzz20Htcotu6
what does that meannnnn?? fed ex is slow??
I’m lost, are we saying that the suns offer is no longer on the table and not signed?
These guys are saying that the offer sheet will be here tomorrow, and that’s when we’ll know if we match.
It’s not clear to me if it’s signed, but it seems that way.
How long does he have to sign the offer sheet? I can’t imagine it is an open ended offer.
A long time until the rules say he can’t sign it. The Suns can decide to pick up the offer, I think.
Jason, I know this was discussed recently, but, what effect does Rashard Lewis signing the $2.8MM deal with Miami have on our cap situation? I seem to recall that it wouldn’t be a huge amount, but it helps.
Just under a quarter mil. It amounts to a little sweetener in a contract or a weekend bender for the ownership.
If Phoenix went for the S&T for Gordon, they were probably have to give their two best assets in Gortat and Dudley (cap friendly contracts), cash considerations (mid-level exception), and 1-3 1st round picks. Another thing was Phoenix could have been looking to do a S&T with their two restricted free agents in Lopez and Brooks. In my opinion, besides the draft picks & Gortat, there was no other assets that could help shape the team. In addition, we will have to take on a bad contract like Josh Childress, who has been a disappointment.
If the reports are true that the Hornets will officially match EG’s offer, then they are taking a big risk. Also, EG has to FORMALLY apologize for putting down the city because you can’t have the crowd cheer for you if you put down a city and its organization. As a Hornets’ fan, I can’t support a guy who does not want to be here and talk crap.
If the offer sheet is coming, my bet is it is signed. If so, S&T with PHX is now off the table.
[…] match any offer for. “Maybe if New Orleans would’ve put out a giant yellow carpet, my heart would have been there […]
Just in from ESPN.com:
The Clippers have discussed signing Bellinelli with their mini mid-level exception and various sign-and-trades with the Hornets, one of which involves small forward Ryan Gomes and a pick heading to New Orleans.
This would be great news. Demps at it again.
How does this help us? Gomes is a 29 year old SF with a $4M expiring contract who can’t get off of the bench for the Clippers. Why give him minutes over Aminu and Miller? If the pick is a 2nd rounder, and that is a crap shoot. If we sign and trade Belinelli, I don’t think we take Gomes back (even for a (late) 1st round pick).
Also, Is CP3 saying good things about Belinelli to the Clippers? Quite possibly.
If we sign EG, then getting a pick for Belli seems good. I agree Gomes is no prize, but he is injury insurance, a veteran presence (which Monty wanted) and an expiring contract. Looks like a win to me. I’m gonna guess CP is saying nice things about Belli (who I will actually miss)–I am surprised by that.
I saw this somewhere too. They referred to Marco as a “sharpshooter.” Thought that was funny.
Why isn’t anyone mentioning a sign-and-trade with the Pacers? It seems like a deal that would switch Eric Gordon (an Indy native and Indiana alumni) for Danny Granger (a New Orleans Native) makes more sense than any. We could package Jack in there in exchange for Collison as well. PG Collison, SG Rivers, SF Granger, PF Davis and C Anderson looks like a great starting five to me. Just saying…
oh no please no. no…rather let gordon walk…
Nabbing Granger sounds great but I would have major reservations about starting Rivers in his rookie season. If we lose Gordon I think we need to pick up a quality 2.
Scratch that. I just took a closer look at Granger and realized his production has steadily declined since 2008-09. Not worth it.
I don’t think Indy wants him for the max. Chances are if they did, then his heart would have been in Indy.
There is another perspective that is just a viable.
By Dell stating they would match any offer, he hoped to reduce the number of teams offering to Gordon with the hope of keeping the match below the max level. Looks like it worked. Hornets will re-sign Gordon once the Suns’ offer is officially signed. Story over.
How did it work? Sure, less teams pursued Gordon, but he still got a max level contract.
People are forgetting that this is a business. Both parties are trying to get what they want: Gordon, a max deal, and the Hornets, their star player for as much of a bargain as possible.
Everything Gordon has said to this point leads me to believe his heart is in Phoenix right now. But that’s only because they offered him a max deal, made some early moves in getting Dragic and Beasley, and told him he’d be the franchise guy for years to come. I would be pretty flattered if I were him, too.
And the Hornets have had other business to deal with, such as acclimating their new rookies to the team. With the buzz around New Orleans about Austin Rivers and Anthony Davis, it’s clear that the Hornets will never be Gordon’s team. I have no difficulty believing the Hornets haven’t contacted Gordon, and were letting him enjoy the free agency period.
By the time training camp comes along, Gordon will be more than happy playing here in New Orleans, for one of the rising stars in the coaching ranks, as well as with the most promising #1 draft pick in years.
The only 3 things from Phoenix that I would if I were Demps would have to be Marshall, Gortat, and an unprotected first round pick. I wouldn’t consider anything else.
Update on stalemate:
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2012/07/new_orleans_hornets_general_ma_17.html
I’m curious as to why the two sides are not speaking directly to each other. That seems odd. Might I say it “smells fishy”?
Good bye, Cap’n Jack. You will be missed. Good luck in GS!
They need to S&T him an get the best they can for him or bring him hometo NO.