This is our 1st bad news of the season. I didn’t know that we were already at this point.
Not sure of what to do with Nnaji. We moved up to draft him, he goes back to Spain where he underperformed and now we can’t evaluate his progress against new draftees next month.
On the other hand we desperately need him. Maybe we should hedge our bets w a PF/C (for our second pick) in the draft or focus on PF/C priority undrafted free agents after next Thursday. Or just go after a winning vet center in free agency.
Would Malik want to return? I am sure that he feels like he went on to bigger and better things and does not want to look backwards. Did we really treat him well? I do recall a drug incident and him not wanting to play in the summer league. I can’t see him coming back but we could sure use his services and experience.
Would we want him to return? Did Malik really behave that well? No, to both, is the answer. Drugs, falling asleep in his car in, not the best state, and on multiple occasions. Piss poor effort. Turnstile on D. Moaned about not being played enough when coming back from Covid, then a week or two later moaned that he was too tired to play because of only recently getting over Covid.
A classic example of someone who needed to be let go and forced to grow up. Which, to his credit, he did.
Do we though? It’s definitely unfortunate that he’s hurt and we won’t get this opportunity to learn more about his potential, but with Williams and Richards, I feel like C is one of most well-staffed positions. I don’t feel like there’s a glaring hole there that we immediately need Nnaji to fill. But I suppose that need could become more urgent if MW has another injury plagued season.
I think basketball wise he is the same player. However, he seemed to grow up. Which makes me very happy that he was able to do that before he got bounced from the league.
I’d throw Isaiah hartenstein some decent money. Great rebounder, good defender, tough guy.
And work out some package trades to get more assets by trading Nic Richards. Have Hartenstein play backup minutes and split the load. He’d really help with our rebounding issues.
Here’s an example of the type of off season I wish the hornets could have:
OKC just acquired Caruso and are rumored to float a ~25million contract to Isaiah hartenstein. (Nothing to substantiate that rumor) So if they do sign hartenstein after acquiring Caruso: they would have plugged the major holes of their roster: Rebounding and interior defense. Caruso is a great rebounder as well.
Man I wish the hornets could fill team roster needs like that…
Unless it’s a buyout, I want nothing to do with him. I’ve blabbered about my disdain for the guy. God no, please help us.
Edit: well it’s only a year left on the Simmons deal? If we were to get assets back along with Simmons, I could eat that contract for a year. I mean, that would certainly constitute as one of the “lean years” Coach Lee referred to lol.
How do you guys feel about Patrick Williams from Chicago? He seems like a PJ replacement. Or if mikes bridges is traded, he could replace miles as well.
But I’m sensing the same criticism as PJ: consistency and motor issues. But he did seem to have very good stretches last year
To add, I didn’t watch much of Patrick Williams but he seems like a pretty good do it all role player. But the other thing I’ve really heard about him is that everyone wanted him to take the next leap and it never quite happened
I don’t think that Patrick was the same after the injury. I can’t help but wonder if the Bulls are giving up on him.
Harrison Barns?!?! Didn’t I see Harrison on the cover of the AARP magazine? Just kidding - Harrison is older than dust! Wait wait one more - Wasn’t Harrison born during the Lincoln administration?
Bridges signs for 25 mil plus Cody’s 8 mil will match up evenly with Barnes and Huerter (34.8 mil) but we would need more. Miles is, far and away, the best player in that trade and Cody is only guaranteed for one more season. The two players we get each have two years left that would wipe out most/all of our cap, and both are only role players. The earliest 1st round pick we could get from Sac is 2027 but they do have two 2nd rounders in 2025.
