# Not-too-crazy Trade Idea



## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Here’s the idea that sounds nuts, but hear me out. I’m trying to follow the Hornets’ ownership’s current plan to improve the team while shedding dollars over the next 2 seasons.

*Peja Stojakovic* to the Clippers for *Chris Kaman* and *Ricky Davis*

_Why do the Clippers do it?_

They get rid of that all-important third year remaining on Kaman’s contract for 2011/2012 (which they have been trying to do all offseason) as well as an extra headache in Davis. 
They also free up time in the front court for Blake Griffin and their new addition Craig Smith. 
Besides that, Peja instantly becomes their best bench shooter for the next 2 years. He’ll space the floor off the bench like Thornton cannot do with the starting unit. Right now they don’t even really have a bench wing player AT ALL behind Gordon and Thornton that Dunleavy has any confidence playing.
They add a 6th skilled player (one with playoff experience) to their top 8 without having to rework their core (Gordon, Thornton, and Griffin).

_Why do the Hornets do it?_

Financially, it saves the Hornets $592,000 in salaries this year which amounts to a total savings of over $1.18 mil when luxury tax payments are factored in. Next year when Ricky Davis comes off the books and Peja’s contract get’s even more ridiculous than it is now, it will save the Hornets $3.16 mil in salaries which will be crucial because the cap and the tax will be going down drastically next season. If the move does get them under the tax threshold, it could save the Hornets over $7 mil in the next 2 seasons. That’s big. 

On the court, the move frees up playing time for their young wings (Juju and Marcus Thonton) to develop while also forcing Byron Scott to seriously consider starting MoPete (the Hornets’ best perimeter defender by a mile) at either the 2 or 3 position. Also, it gives the Hornets’ bench a post threat in Kaman and a short-burst scoring threat for the short term in Davis whenever unavoidable injuries happen during the season. Look at the 12-man roster after that move (with proposed REGULAR SEASON playing time):

PG Chris Paul (36 minutes)/Darren Collison (12)
SG Morris Peterson (26)/Marcus Thornton (12)/Antonio Daniels (10)
SF Rasual Butler (24)/James Posey (12)/Julian Wright (12)
PF David West (32)/Ike Diogu (12)/James Posey (4)
C Emeka Okafor (32)/Chris Kaman (16)

That puts Hilton Armstrong, Devin Brown, and Ricky Davis in suits (where they belong) unless they are otherwise needed. It also rounds out the 15-man extended roster with 2 full-time PGs, 5 full-time wings players, 5 full-time big men, and 3 guys (Daniels, Brown, and Posey) who will mix and match as needed.

Look at the resulting minutes breakdown:

36 min – CP3
32 min – D West, Okafor
26 min – Mo Pete
24 min – Rasual
16 min – Posey, Kaman
12 min – Collison, Thornton, Diogu, Juju
10 min – Daniels

I’d say that’s a solid regular season rotation. Hopefully by the playoffs Scott will have then settled on an 8-man rotation of some sort. We know it will be CP3, D West, Okafor, Posey and then either Collison or Daniels (whoever proves to be the better back-up PG this season), Kaman or Diogu (which ever proves to be the more reliable back-up big man), and 2 guys out of the MoPete, Rasual, Juju, Thornton mix to play the wing spots.

Is that too crazy to work?


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## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

I like the idea of the Hornets adding size, since Okafor's 6'10 and Armstrong is listed at 6'11, but would the Clips really do it, you think?


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Krstic All Star said:


> I like the idea of the Hornets adding size, since Okafor's 6'10 and Armstrong is listed at 6'11, but would the Clips really do it, you think?


I think the Clippers would love to make this deal. I just wish Bower would propose it.


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