# Hornets Cap Situation



## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Alright so I did a little math. I will assume, for lack of any more reliable information, the cap will be at or near the projected $58,044,000 mark this coming season. The Hornets have $36,844,450 committed to 8 players right now. Let's assume the worst case scenario that someone gives Eric Gordon a max contract offer this offseason ($14,511,000). Let's say the Hornets match. After they sign Anthony Davis ($4,286,900) and their 10th overall pick... whoever that may be... I guess for the purposes of this thread we'll call him Mendall Karshall ($1,865,300), they will have $57,507,650 in committed salaries to 11 guys. I could see the rest of the offseason playing out in a few ways.

*Scenario A*
Amnesty Okafor. Resign Kaman and Landry. Add veteran free agent big man, former Hornet Brandon Bass.

*Scenario B*
Amnesty Okafor. Trade veterans Ariza and Jack to contenders for more young pieces.

*Scenario C*
Don't amnesty Okafor. Use him as your third big. Give the MLE to Brandon Bass or maybe even JJ Hickson to start at PF.

All of these are reasonable in the current situation. Depending on which direction they go with the 10th pick, they could be trotting out a competitive team immediately.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

^^ Too cute!


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

How is some other team taking Gordon off your hands a worst case scenario.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Floods said:


> How is some other team taking Gordon off your hands a worst case scenario.


Cause he's good?


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

If you read it right it says plain as day in the next sentence the Hornets match. It would be worst case because you don't get to lowball him like you wanted.

As for the main issue, Okafor probably walks as does Kaman. Landry re-signs, Ariza and Jack stick around and they field like a 25-30 win team.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

R-Star said:


> Cause he's good?


He's not a building block. He's Jamal Crawford. Only a fool would shell out a max for him.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

The Pacers would be foolish like a fox


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Floods said:


> He's not a building block. He's Jamal Crawford. Only a fool would shell out a max for him.


You honestly think hes Jamal Crawford?

Before we further this, please tell me that's a large exaggeration on your part.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

Shit I need to use that line against you next time


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Gordon's an undersized two guard who isn't a reliable ballhandler. Also not a great defender.

Sounds like Jamal Crawford to me.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

I mean that could also be Randy Foye. There's different degrees to the term "tweener", AI is a HOFer and was he much more than a titanically talented tweener?

And Jamaal Crawford is the furthest thing from a tweener, he's a 6-5/6 Shooting Guard who's got notable ball handling and passing ability for his size. Crawford can run the offense in a pinch, most 6-6 shooting guards couldn't.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Tweener was a poor choice of words so I edited it.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Eric Gordon is a much better finisher in the paint and a much better defender than Jamal Crawford. He also gets to the rim a lot easier and isn't afraid of contact.


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## Tooeasy (Nov 4, 2003)

Gordons a quality defender at his position, hes undersized but is certainly strong enough to force people off balance and stop them from attacking the basket the way they normally could. Im a happy camper right now but realistically I have no clue how the free agency will pan out. 

I wouldn't mind the hornets targeting lowry this offseason, he fits the defensive mold and theme of the team... but If the hornets go after lillard with the 10th pick then I dont think thats an option. They could go sg as well in case things dont work out with gordon either through not matching a contract of with his injury concerns. I wouldnt mind seeing Jack get traded for a later first, maybe the pacers would have interest if they dont retain george hill. 

Okafor is overpaid certainly, but I wouldnt mind keeping him around for this seaosn since I feel like he could be very productive next to a long, rangy pf like Davis. Okafor at least gives production when on the court. The team could target a C with their 10th pick, but honestly I think that there needs to be some more backcourt scoring punch and that seems like a great place to do it.

Obviously it depends a great deal on who falls into the teams lap at 10 also, you nevvvvver know how things might pan out, between players falling and rising after pre draft workouts. Guys like PJ3 have been shining apparently, and honestly I wouldn't be that upset coming out of the draft with davis/jones so long as he shows what he needs to with the staff observing. Sullingers fallin like a rock, but he could solidify that 3rd big role and play backup pf with smith playing backup C, they may compliment eachother well in the second unit.


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## Tooeasy (Nov 4, 2003)

RollWithEm said:


> Alright so I did a little math. I will assume, for lack of any more reliable information, the cap will be at or near the projected $58,044,000 mark this coming season. The Hornets have $36,844,450 committed to 8 players right now. Let's assume the worst case scenario that someone gives Eric Gordon a max contract offer this offseason ($14,511,000). Let's say the Hornets match. After they sign Anthony Davis ($4,286,900) and their 10th overall pick... whoever that may be... I guess for the purposes of this thread we'll call him Mendall Karshall ($1,865,300), they will have $57,507,650 in committed salaries to 11 guys. I could see the rest of the offseason playing out in a few ways.
> 
> *Scenario A*
> Amnesty Okafor. Resign Kaman and Landry. Add veteran free agent big man, former Hornet Brandon Bass.
> ...


scenario c doesnt make much sense, considering davis should be slotted as our starting pf, not center. No way does he have the size yet to adequately guard a great deal of the bigs in this league. 

Scenario B is plausible, but honestly there has to be some sort of veteran influence on this team, and both ariza and jack have played admirably for the team, with both having some obvious shortcomings of course. I could see the hornets possibly using their amnesty on Okafor to free room up, and maybe moving one vet for a later draft pick or somethin, but no way they are all going to be gone as thats just too much of a roster turnover.

I like Kaman and Landry, but they really would just be clogging up minutes we can give to other guys and would be getting paid way too much to do so. Jason Smith could get those minutes and I would be a happy camper, hes really coming around and produces pretty damn well in the time hes on the court.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Tooeasy said:


> scenario c doesnt make much sense, considering davis should be slotted as our starting pf, not center. No way does he have the size yet to adequately guard a great deal of the bigs in this league.


Huh? The vast majority of the good offensive bigs in this league that you think he doesn't have the size to guard... are at PF. So isn't that more of a reason for him to play center? If Javale McGee is a center, DeAndre Jordan is a center, Joakim Noah is a center, Tyson Chandler is a center, Sam Dalembert is a center, and Ryan Hollins is a center, then Brow will clearly be a center. He won't get more than 5 minutes a game at PF.



> Scenario B is plausible, but honestly there has to be some sort of veteran influence on this team, and both ariza and jack have played admirably for the team, with both having some obvious shortcomings of course. I could see the hornets possibly using their amnesty on Okafor to free room up, and maybe moving one vet for a later draft pick or somethin, but no way they are all going to be gone as thats just too much of a roster turnover.


This all assumes that they want to win. Scenario B obviously is for tanking purposes. If they decide as an organization to try and make the playoffs this season, they shouldn't choose that option.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

RollWithEm said:


> Huh? The vast majority of the good offensive bigs in this league that you think he doesn't have the size to guard... are at PF. So isn't that more of a reason for him to play center? If Javale McGee is a center, DeAndre Jordan is a center, Joakim Noah is a center, Tyson Chandler is a center, Sam Dalembert is a center, and Ryan Hollins is a center, then Brow will clearly be a center. He won't get more than 5 minutes a game at PF.


Agree with this. He can do just fine at C most nights. The only people that will dominate him physically (until he fills out) are the guys that dominate everyone anyway.


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## Tooeasy (Nov 4, 2003)

RollWithEm said:


> Huh? The vast majority of the good offensive bigs in this league that you think he doesn't have the size to guard... are at PF. So isn't that more of a reason for him to play center? If Javale McGee is a center, DeAndre Jordan is a center, Joakim Noah is a center, Tyson Chandler is a center, Sam Dalembert is a center, and Ryan Hollins is a center, then Brow will clearly be a center. He won't get more than 5 minutes a game at PF.


The smallest guys you mentioned still have at least 20 pounds on him, and a guy like deandre would be essentially 50 pounds bigger. On our own team jason smith... who did a great job as a weak side defender, got abused pretty consistently by other C's and hes considerably bigger than Davis is at this point. Tossing a 6'10 beanpole down in the post seems really counterproductive to me. And aside from all that obvious talk, what about the fact that his game seems like its much better for the pf position? hes got good hands, a decent jumper, and some pretty impressive handles for his size. I would much rather him operating up by the elbow as opposed to trying to bang down low with the likes of pecovic, bynum, jordan, mcgee, etc. Fact is, if you think hes kevin garnett, then it makes sense to put him next to a bruiser center and play more freely. If you think hes marcus camby, then just let him post up in the middle and use his length to be a force.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Dre said:


> Agree with this. He can do just fine at C most nights. The only people that will dominate him physically (until he fills out) are the guys that dominate everyone anyway.


Yep.


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