I’d be on board. PJ still has much to learn, clearly Thor is at the early stages of his development, and Rudy ought to be good for both.
Four moves need to be made:
If they are serious about this year, they need to move either Hayward and/or terry for real players. At pg, pf. Players that can legitimately lead to points and wins. Ideally mature personalities also
I think the core for this team that can lead to wins is Ball, Miller and Williams.
PJ, Hayward and Rozier are fine rotational pieces and trade assets. Not valuable as dependable starters for many reasons unique to each.
Thor and Richards are okay as 3rd level deep bench or defensive specialists worth a few fouls if told that’s their role.
NSJ and Bailey - Greensboro.
I think we need upgrades at 2 and 4. I don’t know who or how. But bigger, hungrier and winning pedigree come to mind.
Unfortunately we have a FO that doesn’t pursue winning as a priority. That’ll remain the primary problem until when and if it turns over. That depends on the seriousness of the new owners which is unknown for now, but it’s gotten exhausting.
My word and theme for this team and front office this year is “accountability”. The time of reckoning is nearly upon us as this team begins its final season before some potentially major changes occur.
The organization chose to say nothing and stand by Miles throughout all of this-largely wasting two years. And Miles has rewarded them with more despicable behavior.
They chose to hang onto rozier and others. Not that I think Gordon Hayward has ever been remotely tradeable.
They wasted draft capital on Bouknight and even more draft capital for Kai Jones.
Last year they elected to continue to not address the backup point guard role, and if we’re being honest, got lucky with DSJ. Despite DSJ being a mini revelation and low key fan favorite, elected to let him walk for a 1 year/2.5m contract.
They’ve elected to not address the backup point guard role, and have tried another dart throw with a less talented, more limited player in Frank Ntilikina.
Now Frank is injured and it’s time for some accountability. They elected to not really address a big need, and here we are. That’s karma. And “if Lamelo is injured we’re screwed anyways” does not cut it. This is a professional NBA basketball team. You need a back up PG.
Now, with new ownership, Cliff on his final year, and Mitch on his way out they have no one to blame but themselves. There is no kicking the can down the road. There are no more excuses for decisions. There’s no more weekly terry rozier commitments to playing better defense. This is it.
The year of accountability is upon us.
Whatever happens this year is a win to me. Because after this year things start to change. There’s no more Running It Back.
Of course there will be many familiar faces on the roster next year, but I believe we’ll look back on the beginning of changes to start around this season.
I’m not saying everything will be completely different and better next year
I think the problem currently is that we are the embodiment of the Spiderman pointing meme. There is no one “they” that can be held to account. Owners can feel warmed in the sense that they made none of these decisions so they are “assessing things” for now. Mitch can bathe in the sense that he was answering to one ownership mandate and he’s now waiting on the next one to appear. And Clifford can - reasonably - rest on the sense that he just came in to help an old friend save face (some friend that canned him years prior). So I am not sure who can or will be held to account and PlotSchnall has not done anything to really announce their presence. Perhaps the 30th will be their debut.
What’s ironic is that two years ago, coming off the 43 win season, we had every reason to think things were trending up. We had a budding young star in Lamelo and an exciting potential co-star in Miles who was fast becoming one of the most exciting players in the league. Add to that a clutch vet in Terry, a long awaited competent center in Mark on the way and solid rotational pieces around them. There was reason to hope and believe……then Miles happened and it just seemed to suck every breath of life out of the whole organization.
It’s crazy how one act can completely redirect the trajectory of a franchise.
Exactly, it’s a culmination of decisions and issues that don’t necessarily stem from one person or one issue. Nor would I suggest otherwise. It’s pretty nuanced and complex. I feel that the front office’s approach to figuring things out have been to organically allow things to figure themselves out and naturally settle. Which hasn’t really happened.
It’s been a culmination of poor decision making and a lack of action/decision making.
I hope I didn’t come off as “blaming”, as accountability doesn’t necessarily have to have a negative connotation to it.
Regardless, we’re here. This year may not see a lot of changes, but it will mark the beginning phase of changes to come.
The new ownership group is wise to be slow to act and allow this year to play out. They just got here.
Honestly, the way headlines have been the last 2 years, I read that at first as Lamelo resigned as in he just quit. Had to reread a couple times just to make sure.
But I don’t put anything past the HL curse these days. He could retire just to join Mr. Beast on a YouTube tour around the world.
After only one year with Ball, Rozier, Devonte, Monk…guards depth fell apart.
Not Argue against not overpaying Devonte & getting a first, great 
move.
But Monk, for all problem with drugs, attitude, injuries, disappointment, not a Fan. Started show maturity final 4th contract year.
Sure lesser talent, At his price and team need, Why FO burned that bridge and gave up on him while not the beater?
And If moving on from both key guard back ups, b4 dumping both bring in one so not only end up with Old man Ish & bust Bouknight…and here we are again…
Hadn’t thought of Monk for a while. For sure would be nice to have him. I think he was leaving one way or the other though. He’s happy with his buddy Fox.
My overriding hope is that ownership has clearly mandated what they want from this season. Put simply, they should be prioritizing player development over win total and should be scouting for a new GM. That new GM needs to be in the seat as soon as is practically possible. I don’t want the guy leading the draft and free agency for next season to still be finding his feet during the process. They should be fully settled into their role, so they can be active at the trade deadline.
Beyond those two clear organizational doctrines, we know we need a viable backup PG, to get rid of Miles and sign both a vet PF & a vet C. The last three being relatively simple to accomplish.
I think it’s too early to make that call. (And it may be a bit unfair to the new owners.) I think we are in an assessment year. Too bad that things are headed south but that makes the decision making easier.
I expect colossal changes in April.
Oh d@mn I forgot about the drugs!
Monk was an immature train wreck in Charlotte. He had two choices grow up or be left out of the league. It really appears he chose to grow up. I am going to go out on a limb I don’t usually go out on but I am willing to bet LeBron helped him with that.
That aside, monk is succeeding on the court in large part because of the system. I know I am in the minority here but the systems of both cliff (1st and 2nd gen) and borrego were lousy. Both were stagnant and didn’t play to roster strengths.
The only time was the one good year of al. When kemba was entering his all-star form. After that, it was kemba not the system that produced baskets.
One of the reasons I have largely quit watching with positive expectations since 2017 is because I noticed this and couldn’t un-notice it.
I don’t think there’s all that much left to assess.
I don’t have the patience anymore for further justification for losing. It’s been far too long. It’s Hornets culture. Kind of like Heat culture, but different.
I get it, I really do. The only thing I would say, as a slight counter, is you have to have a foundation upon which success and/or culture can be built. That, to me, is what this season should be about. I think the talk of development over winning can be a distraction, of which I am guilty.
For me, it’s as simple as stating that new ownership must put their foundational pieces in place, namely GM and HC. From there, a culture, an identity can be built.
LaMelo, Miller & Williams look like the key pieces on the court with Richards, PJ, Thor, Bryce and NSJ, possibly Bailey, Theo and Nnaji too, all potentially part of the present and future. Let’s supplement those young players with high character veterans, state-of-the-art training facilities, great coaching and a front office that makes moves to consistently advance the franchise.
Let’s also, please, not go into another season without a true backup PG again! Every roster needs three Centres and three Point Guards. FWIW, I’m very happy with Theo in the #3 role.
Hey folks, as it’s the general discussion thread, hopefully no harm posting this here. looks like I’m going to be in Miami for the first time in January, and will be there when the hornets are in town on the 14th.
Any recommendations on the arena? Also best site to pick up some tix? Looks like resells only online.
Thanks 
No idea but eat at Versailles
Appreciate the recommendation 
- will do!
