This year will be the Super Bowl of trade deadlines! A lot of desperate playoff regulars are struggling this year (Phoenix, Miami, Golden State, Clippers), some teams who made big moves to set their roster but not working out (Chicago, Minnesota, Atlanta, Lakers). Toronto needs a shakeup, Dallas may be in the mix to make another move. Feels like there are more buyers on the market than normal.
I know Mitch normally schedules his 2 week vacation during this period. But this year is different. Instead of trying to figure out which piece could get us over the play-in hump, we’re actually rolling out the price tags on half (3 quarters?) of the roster. Maybe not a garage sale where we’re open to any price, but a nice eBay store where we can take bids on whoever to see what to accept.
3 and a half weeks until the madness is complete. I wonder when the first domino drops, maybe 1 1/2 to 2 weeks out this year. But throw your trade rumors, hopes, and dreams in here.
My singular, sincere hope is that there’s a coherent plan and that action is taken. Sounds flippant, but until there’s evidence that the front office has appreciated the position this franchise is in and that a pivot/reset is the only viable course of action to take, I’ll remain hopefully and slightly fearful.
Mason must be moved, and there really ought to be suitors for him.
Kelly, maybe?
PJ, Mitch knows what his demands are. If he’s not happy to meet them, try to move him on.
Terry, I doubt they move him, but maybe there’s a team out there in need of a 6th man combo guard. Getting his contract off the books, allied to Hayward’s contract winding down, will give us some much-needed cap flexibility. Maybe we could take on a contract for picks?
To tack onto another thread, you draft for talent and trade for need. Our needs are clear, so over to you, Mitch. Please.
And I feel exactly the opposite. I just can’t see how it possibly benefits us to trade Terry for what would certainly be a less talented player(s) and a late 1st or 2nd that would likely become a role player. Terry is a prolific scorer and one of the best clutch scorers in the league. How is basically just giving him away good for us? And don’t say cap space because we’d likely just use that cap space to turn around and sign a role player to the same number of years Terry has left on his deal. We certainly aren’t reeling in a major FA. IMO, given his age and talent, Terry is one of the few vets that could actually be a part of what we’re trying to build.
because this franchise is a floundering mess. there needs to be a complete roster reset and if it doesn’t happen, melo is surely gone. the team has been unwatchable for the better part of 3 seasons and if it wasn’t for lucking out with melo it would be completely unwatchable.
what you said about terry is true but it doesn’t help the hornets in the least. the hornets need at least 2 other real stars under the age of 25. they are completely cap strapped and cap space is irrelevant because no free agent of star potential would ever sign here with the roster as is.
i know financially it is very difficult but if the hornets aren’t careful, i could see them losing the franchise despite the contractual agreements to the city.
I get the frustration and understand why that would lead some to call for a reset, but resetting with less talented players isn’t the answer. It’s just different, not better. I guess where I fundamentally disagree with you and others is that I just don’t think we’re as far away as some do. We were knocking on the door of being a playoff team with this same group + Miles. Then we lost Miles and had a ton of injuries and we understandably took a step back. But we will have a chance to add a talented young player to this group and I’m still hopeful we’ll be able to get something for Miles. Maybe I’m just the eternal optimist, but I think we have some pieces worth salvaging instead throwing it all away.
And re Melo, if we really want him to get frustrated and bully his way out of town, the hard reset where we jettison all the vet talent and build a roster of Melo and a bunch of 1st and 2nd year players will 100% ensure that outcome.
I hate to be the bearer of this news, but he gone either way. At least if you make a serious run at a top 3 pick this year and top 10 next year, you can try to sell him on a young future vs a capped out old team that nobody wants to watch
Again, I have to disagree. I think if we can show him we’re still committed to trying to be competitive he won’t necessarily try to leave. He may still, but I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion. But I think we can safely assume that he will want no part of a fire sale rebuild that will take several years to come to fruition.
But I do agree with you that this year’s draft pick is critical. If we’re able to bring in a day 1 impact guy via the draft, that would catapult us right back to playoff contention. But that’s only true if we haven’t gutted our roster by giving away all of our current talent.
In Shams Charnia’s latest piece on The Athletic, he says the Hornets will be assured sellers at the deadline.
"Along with the Spurs, the Charlotte Hornets are an organization that many across the league are keeping an eye on as a potential seller as the trade deadline nears. Guard Terry Rozier, center Mason Plumlee and forwards Jalen McDaniels and Kelly Oubre Jr. are among the players expected to receive interest in potential deals.
The Hornets are expected to listen to suitors for Rozier ahead of the deadline, though he has three years remaining on the four-year, $97 million extension that he signed in 2021.
The Hornets (11-34) are the worst team in the Eastern Conference this season and are behind the Houston Rockets (10-34) for the worst record in the league. Charlotte’s season has been derailed by extended absences to key rotation pieces such as LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Dennis Smith Jr., Cody Martin and Miles Bridges. It has the fourth-worst defense in the NBA.
For now, San Antonio and Charlotte are viewed as two of the NBA’s assured sellers in the market. "
It’s interesting he didn’t mention PJ Washington there, but teams probably see Jalen and Kelly as easier to resign from a long term position and with definite consistent results.
Terry while signed 3 more years, it’s also a fixed cost and you know what you’re getting. And we all know Mason is a great backup center/temporary fill in starter for a veteran team.
If we can trade Terry I’ll be fine with it - just from a roster construction perspective as others have mentioned. I’d rather keep Jalen and make him a starter.
Cap space for us does have value in facilitating deals in trades more so than going after free agents right now. If anything, we need a couple of dependable veterans on this team to help the young kids and to help set the right mindset for success.
Yeah, I don’t think the team is as dire as Chef says, but I also completely understand that view.
There is no clear path to be successful, as we’ve seen a lot of different approaches by a lot of teams. But we clearly need some measure of a consistent lineup and toughness.
Consistency has been a real killer. We only have 3 guys who have played more than 38 out of 45 games. (McDaniels, Plumlee, and Washington) That’s really hard to build anything around if can’t keep a core together to build momentum.
Over the past week, there’s been a lot to like about our play, but there’s also been a lot of mistakes in the process: dumb fouls and turnovers playing significant roles in losses where we were still generally competitive.
That being said, I’d I’m hoping for an active trade season.
For Terry to be moved, the front office has to want that to happen. I have my doubts that they do.
Terry’s the one vet player I’m on the fence about. I recognize that he’s not a good fit alongside LaMelo (4th quarter aside) and that he’s on a fairly hefty contract … but, @DemonDeaCat’s point about almost certainly replacing Terry with inferior player(s) and us being put into a similar cap situation, is a valid one.
The only way I trade Terry is if it’s for a young player we like the fit and potential of (3&D Wing ideally) and some draft capital AND we have a plan to use the cap space to maybe be compensated for taking in a contract.
With regard to keeping LaMelo. My personal view is that LaMelo’s more likely to want to stay on a team that has promising young players on it. A team he can develop relationships with, on and off the court, and build HIS Hornets team much more than a team of vets who are unlikely to get into the second round of the playoffs, even in a season of good health.
Saw an article discussing Jalen for Gary Trent. I would want Trent, since he’s a tough guard who’s a good scorer and defender, but not for Jalen. For one, Trent has an opt out and he’s looking for over $20M+ per year. We would have to move Terry then for this to make sense.
Also, I think Jalen’s value and cost is more in our favor than anything we can trade him for. Really young, the glimpses he’s giving us now show another potential level or two he can reach. Maybe a chance to sign him to a cheap Cody Martin type deal before he gets more consistent (and expensive). His size and length and potential scoring ability would make him a perfect role player for our growing core.
Wouldn’t want to have developed him all these years to see him break out for another team.
Saw the same article but the only way we get Gary Trent Jr, Rozier has to be moved in my opinion. He’s 6’5" and defensive 3 & D wing but can actually shoot the 3 ball. If we trade Terry he would be a good replacement but he’s going to come with the same price tag as Rozier.
I don’t see Rozier
limited scorers & creators, FO not moving unless get direct trade returns value and not a dump for cap space for future fantasy free agent/trade
If dumping for cap space & roster spot
Bouknight not even start in G-league anymore,
Similar to Carey last year, move on
Any trade not what can get, but get rid of Bouknight roster spot & 4.5 million guaranteed next year
