The extra contract year might help make the decision. But for me I can see a future where Vernon develops into our backup, designated 5. I can’t see one where that happens with Nick. Not to mention the difference in age.
Wes looks like he’ll stay because of the contract and Cody might just be our ‘break glass in case of emergency’ PG, as well as Wing depth (end of roster, wing depth).
GM plan coming together, coach’s will start. Heavy minutes from 8 core at season start while JB finds out who else he can play. Rotation early not different most last year cause injuries, this year experience and JB trustometer.
Ball, Ish,
Rozier [Bouknight]
Hayward, Oubre, #14 SG/SF
Miles,PJ [Thor]
Pum [Kai,carey, Nick]
Inwundu may be guaranteed but will eat if need, wing need to be non-Oubre with guard skills and non-oubre&boukninght a/to problem.
None from camp, go get someone. Otherwise we end up Cody Martin this year, a GM plan new hope Scottie Lewis next.
#15 guard or leave open to get guard for thin backcourt
I wasn’t able to watch a lot of games last year (thanks Fox Sports for dropping off everything but cable) and I only saw the first summer league game. LiAngelo appears to have a skillet the hornets haven’t had in forever. He came in and knocked down 3s. Forget the “appease his star brother” narrative, but isn’t that a legit NBA skill to have (assuming it wasn’t just 1 hot game)? What other playoff team is rolling into the season with more bigs on the bench than bench 3 pointers that will get made in the season?
I get that we have guys we’ve invested in (time and money) we want to see develop. But we need someone who can come in, spread the floor, and make the shots. Unless of course we expect one of the bigs to become the next Byron Mullens in which case, carry on.
I wonder if the coaching staff uses training camp to let Wes, Cody, and Bouk fight for the backup SG role to start the season. And if they do so, I’d bet that Cody and Wes have a weighting the benefits them to win the spot. My hedge would be on Cody as - despite Twitter-and-HP-grass-is-always-greener view against him, he’s the better player of the two. This would seem to follow the treatment of the role during Monk’s stay.
Bouk will eventually get the role anyway. But I wouldn’t doubt that any other veteran gets a chance to lose the role prior to that happening. And I don’t know that’s a terrible thing. Once JB brings Bouk out of the box, he won’t go back. So all the more reason to want him to be well ready for that.
Looks like Cody’s contract guaranteed yesterday. I don’t if they really intend it this way but we have a lot of imbalance in the 2nd and 3rd string groups. No 3rd PG, No legit backup C but a bunch load of Cs that don’t move the needle, well at least for this year.
Assuming McDaniels’ contract also got guaranteed already, we have 16 guaranteed contracts. Hope they can still sort out this situation before training camp.
I was writing up thoughts on guys … and yeah, cuts this year are going to be interesting.
Here for sure - LaMelo, Terry, Gordon, Miles, PJ, Mason, Kelly, Ish, James, & Kai
Probably here - Vernon, Arnoldas, Thor, Scottie
No idea - Cody, Wes, Nick, Jalen, LiAngelo
guard thin but workable as long as Oubre can be #2 SG…buy yes need a legit #2 center emerge in camp or go get one for this year.
those contracts working out…FO prefer but if can’t make the trade. NO paid us to take inwundu, should have got money to at least cover that contract. would not expect cody and Jalen just resigned, but somebody will have to. nick easily could be this cut, but feel that roster spot end up a swappable for a playable center
Not really worried about center. Mason & PJ will both log big minutes at center. Vern is strictly a 3rd string guy there at this point. Between them and guys who can play the spot in a pinch there is tons of depth even if they aren’t all traditional big men.
I don’t see the guard spot as being particularly thin either. Kelly & James will be a step down from Devonte’ & twin#2 offensively, but hopefully be a bit better defensively.
I’m kinda worried about PJ at center again; well at PF to for that matter. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s doing once camp starts.
Where will LiAngelo end up? Will we trade or waive someone and eat a small salary?
Curious what Biz does, we do generally like the guy you know as a human.
Will follow Devonte and Malik on their new teams and will root big for them. BIG
Happy we didn’t waive Cody. Hopefully he and Caleb both play in the NBA this season. They’ve earned it.
Don’t know if we took Iwundu just to close the deal or if we wanted him. Guess we’ll find out. He’s a K-State guy and as an old Jayhawk my hope is we cut him immediately; ha j/k. Be best Wes!
It is kinda weird that we traded a BELOVED KU alum for an unknown K-Stater. I know around here nobody cares, but where I’m from that’s sacrilege. Devonte is a favorite everywhere he goes.
Devonte was my favorite player for the Hornets. Guess I always pull for the underdog. Felt like he got the most out of his limited physical abilities, played smart, and a leader. Every good team usually has a guy (or two) like that. Will miss seeing him in purple and teal, but, the team talent level has been improved, so I can accept it. Just hope the chemistry comes together quick.
For the reasons why Hornets fans love Devonte, are the same reasons why fans perceived value of Graham is higher than it actually is in the real world.
For example, people were saying that he would get around the same average money as Lonzo Ball…cmon. Devonte 4/47…Lonzo 4/80. I’ve been saying that people over value Devonte, and the money says that is indeed the case.
Did people really say Devonte would get $20 million per? I don’t recall projections being that high. I certainly didn’t think he was worth that and I’ve been one of his most consistent supporters. But I steadfastly believed he was a quality starter and NO’s commitment to him demonstrates that this is in fact how he’s viewed even outside of our fanbase.
What I love about following a team is that you can develop a connection to guys. You get to know something about their personality, their personal journey, etc. That’s what I used to love about college bball back in the days when guys used to be on campus more than 8 months before going pro or transferring.
We all have our favorites and our not so favorites and of course that can make it difficult to be completely objective at times (in either direction), which is why fans shouldn’t be GMs. But I concur with Keetch and TNHF and freely admit that Devonte was absolutely my favorite Hornet. He seems like a genuinely good guy, and I love that he’s a NC guy. But more than all that, he can play. I’m glad for him that he got the money and the opportunity that he absolutely earned and deserves and I wish him the best.
Yeah, I don’t begrudge Mitch not paying Devonte or Monk. I think he likely made the best moves for the team. Still will follow those guys though in their future bball endeavors. It seems both players are happy how it turned out. Monk’s new situation is really pretty exciting for him.
Hopefully neither of them become NBA nomads.
I’m super excited to see Monk play in LA. Happy for the guy and I think he’ll have an opportunity to carve out a significant role if he balls out like we know he can.
That was Hollinger’s metric that people mentioned. It wasn’t something a random fan here came up with. Straight from a former GM / math guy FWIW. Most fan posts I saw were hoping for a $12 mil max or less with a worry that some other team might offer more.
I think pretty much everyone panned the Hollinger Devonte’ 19m $BOARD stuff. His pod-co-host Nate Duncan didn’t buy into it for Tae iirc. I never saw him projected at anything above 15m at the top end and a lot of hopefuls had him tied to 8-9m on the low side.
We had the cap to pay him 52m over 4 years all year long in an extention. The guy left for a bigger role, that’s it. Good for him, good for us, good for NOP IMO.
Im super interested to see what Graham does in New Orleans this season. I hope he meshes well with Zion.
Hope they just barely squeak into the playoffs!