The only players on this team I care about are Melo and Mark Williams.
In addition, I would like to see the PG rotation solidified by bringing back DSJ and Theo on bargain deals.
I’d rather let Oubre and PJ walk to use that salary cap space elsewhere.
I suppose I can see why it happened even if I don’t completely agree with the rationale. Mason was having a career year and was truly playing at a high level. And we know Cliff prefers vets to rookies. So I think that explains it.
It’s just that in a season that was going nowhere, Plumlee being old and expiring and Williams being young and in need of reps, leaning on Plumlee as heavily as we did didn’t make sense. But given who the decision makers were, I completely see why it happened.
I get why PJ is polarizing, my issue was always consistency and aggression. But it has been getting better, I know its due to injury circumstances, but growth is still growth.
Is it enough, is it too late, maybe some think so. But the team is better when he’s playing. As basically the only true vet playing the Thunder, it was very apparent how much more organized everything was when he was on the floor, and honestly kept the game from being a complete cluster.
I don’t like his rebounding numbers, I would like them to get around 7-8. I used to hate him always settling for 3’s and nothing else, but he’s been driving to the rim much more and shooting around 10-15 2’s per game lately.
Is he a star, no, but he’s above average for his position in scoring, shooting, playmaking, defense. I don’t think he’ll get $20M. But $12M is 2010 money. Inflation in the NBA is way higher than regular earth. Marvin Williams got signed for $13.5M per year at age 30 a whole seven years ago, and he never had a better season than PJ.
I’m guessing he’ll get around the $17-18M range. He’s just 24, and I’ve seen him get better as a leader and playmaker, though very incrementally, throughout the year. I don’t think I’d just want to get rid of him at all costs to save cap money for… whatever non impact free agent that only the hornets can attract. If Gordon cost a premium to get him to come, we’re not getting anybody much better than PJ at that sub $20M, so for the cost, I think we should keep him.
I agree with your entire post, but this is the part it really comes down to for me. My question to those who favor letting PJ and Kelly go with the thought that we would better use that money elsewhere is, who are we going to go get that’s better than them for the money we’d be willing to pay?
And I also agree that it became fashionable to criticize PJ’s consistency. I have myself. And it’s been true at times. But I think once that became the default critique, it became easy to keep saying it even after it wasn’t as true anymore. Agreed, he’s always been a subpar rebounder for a pseudo-big, but offensively he’s been good more than not this year and his leadership and overall maturation has improved as well.
My biggest issue in terms of where we land on a price tag is what his role will be going forward. If Miles comes back or if we get Wemby, he’s a back up, and I’d have a problem paying a back up starter money (i.e.high teens). But if we’re saying he’s our guy going forward, then I think he would be a solid starter and would, in turn, deserve starter money.
I have zero issues giving PJ a high teens, 4-5 year deal. He’s shown an improved handle and a want to be a point of attack defender. He’s shown recently that he can be that Godonesque calming factor when he’s out there with a bunch of youth. I value him more than Terry or Kelly and think he can come in several million less per year than the former.
This is the big question. It has draft and free agency/re-sign implications. If Bridges is going to be brought back, then I can see PJ being offered less, Oubre allowed to walk. If Bridges is let go, then PJ becomes more important to keep, and possibly Oubre too. Draft wise, I can see Cam Whitmore being a Bridges replacement.
I’ve been frustrated with PJ at times as we all have. Future star? Well very likely not. But he’s grown into an impact scorer from three. He’s becoming a reliable veteran player. I hope we don’t have to give that away because some other team is willing to overpay.
How he fits going forward with Miles is up to the coaches to figure out. We know they’re different as Miles is more physical and athletic. He doesn’t shoot it like PJ can. PJ is big enough to play small 5 rather effectively. You need experienced players like both them. Especially after they’ve paid their dues and are ready to roll.
Sorry no intentional bad karma on Miles being physical or paying his dues. Just basketball.
At this point I’m just figuring Miles will be back. But the complete radio silence on his status is well past frustrating and now just smacks of “Well…Hornets.”
I like the idea of Cam Whitmore, but after seeing some of his freshman year at ‘Nova, I don’t see him replacing anyone next year. I think it’s going to take time for his game to match his build.
He is fully Batuming us before our very eyes.
PJ talent & $ doesn’t fit cap.
In addition to free agents, many bargain basement PF for 8-12 million trade, and got 3 2nds to work with too.
Olynk, Covington, Young, Kleber, Tucker, et al
Tbh Batum was worth the contract when he got it. Almost every single fan on here were happy to bring have him back and glad Batum even took a bit of a discount to stay here.
100% this, no one was complaining that we got him for a price point below a true max. We weren’t upset by the Marvin contract either. Only time made those look worse, that and Nic’s impact drop-off
Was never a fan of Batum as his fit here never made a lot of sense to me. He was extremely well rounded (not sure if you’d call him a GREAT roleplayer type on a championship contender or what) but that was not where we were or really what we needed for the money we spent IMO and he looked really inconsistent with us (other than maybe one season) and that is I think the big concern with PJ as well.
Batum has played that way in every single contract year he has ever had thiugh even predating the Hornets. That is more what I was referring to
What!? No, didn’t want to give Batum that contract. Marvin either. Moved on now. Hornets History.
Locker rooms are going to be lit, literally lol
April fools? Right?
I don’t think so…CBA was agreed to last night. Multiple guys are saying it
Like a lot of people here I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Svi. I was a huge fan of Jalen and was disappointed when we dealt him, but in 16 games, Svi is averaging nearly 9 ppg off the bench on 45% shooting from 3. He seems to be a high IQ player who could be the 3-pt sniper we’ve needed on that second unit. Plus we got 2 2nds to boot. Questions for the group:
