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Hornets should have some play money this offseason before signing Miles over the cap.

Consensus seems to be Hornets need to fortify PG2 & C2.

My draft target is Topic. Castle is in the running as a secondary ball handler.

My free agent target is (someone mentioned previously) Jalen Smith.

Jalen is posting a career high FG% and 3 PT% at .588 and .415 respectively.

His per 36 numbers pop off the page. He has a double-double with 21.7 points plus 11.6 rebounds. He's a switchable big who cam play in transition with his athleticism.

I'd consider the offseason smashing if we land Topic/Castle (pick one) plus Jalen Smith.

There is no magic bullet in the draft nor free agent class. But perfect fits like these will lead to better basketball. We don't need to overhaul the roster. We just need to put together the right pieces and give them time/continuity. This is a yiung team but we nearly have a solid blueprint. We need to seal it.

MasterIchiro wrote:There is no magic bullet in the draft nor free agent class. But perfect fits like these will lead to better basketball. We don't need to overhaul the roster. We just need to put together the right pieces and give them time/continuity. This is a yiung team but we nearly have a solid blueprint. We need to seal it.

The foundation is set Ball/Miller/Miles.

Now we need to build around those guys. I like Topic as well, but my preferred choice is Castle simply because he feels like the best fit with Melo/Miller. We need some defenders as our core 3 can do all the scoring. It would be nice if Mark can get healthy because he totally changes our projection as a team.

MasterIchiro wrote:Hornets should have some play money this offseason before signing Miles over the cap.

Consensus seems to be Hornets need to fortify PG2 & C2.

My draft target is Topic. Castle is in the running as a secondary ball handler.

My free agent target is (someone mentioned previously) Jalen Smith.

Jalen is posting a career high FG% and 3 PT% at .588 and .415 respectively.

His per 36 numbers pop off the page. He has a double-double with 21.7 points plus 11.6 rebounds. He's a switchable big who cam play in transition with his athleticism.

I'd consider the offseason smashing if we land Topic/Castle (pick one) plus Jalen Smith.

Jalen Smith has a player option next year so probably won't be a free agent.

CoachinCarolina wrote:

MasterIchiro wrote:Hornets should have some play money this offseason before signing Miles over the cap.

Consensus seems to be Hornets need to fortify PG2 & C2.

My draft target is Topic. Castle is in the running as a secondary ball handler.

My free agent target is (someone mentioned previously) Jalen Smith.

Jalen is posting a career high FG% and 3 PT% at .588 and .415 respectively.

His per 36 numbers pop off the page. He has a double-double with 21.7 points plus 11.6 rebounds. He's a switchable big who cam play in transition with his athleticism.

I'd consider the offseason smashing if we land Topic/Castle (pick one) plus Jalen Smith.

Jalen Smith has a player option next year so probably won't be a free agent.

Not necessarily. He is due for a raise so he will probably opt out. He may go somewhere else for more playing time.

MasterIchiro wrote:Hornets should have some play money this offseason before signing Miles over the cap.

Consensus seems to be Hornets need to fortify PG2 & C2.

My draft target is Topic. Castle is in the running as a secondary ball handler.

My free agent target is (someone mentioned previously) Jalen Smith.

Jalen is posting a career high FG% and 3 PT% at .588 and .415 respectively.

His per 36 numbers pop off the page. He has a double-double with 21.7 points plus 11.6 rebounds. He's a switchable big who cam play in transition with his athleticism.

I'd consider the offseason smashing if we land Topic/Castle (pick one) plus Jalen Smith.

Agree that center needs to be addressed much more intentionally. Richards is fine as a backup, not capable as a starter. Obviously Mark is in question health wise and I'd like to see us go into next season with real expectations of the playoffs. Counting on the current corps is a risky proposition and not having a capable starter is a surefire way of watching in May.

Having said that, would you all consider not resigning Bridges and trying to make a run at Hartenstein? Free agency occurs before the NBA draft, meaning you would know based on the success there where to go with your draft pick. Hartenstein has played at a starter level and brings excellent defense, tied for first in the league in estimated plus minus (EPM) in defense. He's still just 25, so age is on your side as well on a long term deal. I think his passing is an underrated part of his game and would elevate the other players on the floor.

Bridges brings his own level of risk on a long term deal and you could bring in another capable wing via the draft. The downside is you are rolling with Micic/Mann as your ball handlers off the bench, and at this point, LaMelo missing time is an inevitability not a possibility. As of today, the Hornets hold pick 41 in the second round, which could be a good spot to grab another guard who is older and represents a bargain to that point. A guy like Ajay Mitchell comes to mind.

Even if you don't think Hartenstein is the best allocation of money, I don't think it should be an entirely foregone conclusion that Bridges is back on a 30M AAV deal, nor that it's even the best use of money either.

Here would be my plan for center.
1. Absolutely not drafting one in the top 5. I love when Mark Williams plays, but getting a guy that is his clone with that high of a pick feels like a massive waste.
2. Free Agency looks pretty flat and honestly you are going to have to overpay to get a Hartenstein, Claxton
3. The guy I would target in FA is Goga Bitzade. He was really sound this year as a starter and still only 24 yrs old.
4. If I miss on him, I would bring over Nnaji and pray for Mark Williams health.

Worst case IMO. We miss on Goga, Mark goes down. We now have two future first round picks from Heat and Mavs. I would 100% be okay moving one of those picks for a solid starting center like a Walker Kessler, Mitch Robinson, Isiah Stewart, Jarrett Allen, Robert Williams type

or even go cheaper vet like a Capela or Zubac if they are even cheaper to acquire.

yeah I want a proven back up big not a draft pick as insurance.

Topic and hartenstein would be good melo/Williams insurance. I have more hope for Williams than I do Melo though.

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Allen just got extended. Odds they do the same with Miles, or do they wait for the market to dictate his value in June?

Do we have a draft thread?

idc what the stats say, watching Nick Richards play basketball with my own eyes tells me all I need to know. Dude is a big body who can finish at the rim but outside of that, is very much the same player who was drafted in the second round. It's hard to win games with someone like that playing any kind of meaningful mins. Mark is a 25 mpg type C when healthy, maybe a little more so whoever is the backup needs to play decent mins and that shouldn't be Nick. In a draft like this? I have no problem using a top 5 pick on a Sarr or Mark "clone" because quite frankly, we need that.

And in free agency, look at the impact Hartenstein had on NYK last night. I'd be happy to pay that guy even if it's to be the backup.

Rich4114 wrote:idc what the stats say, watching Nick Richards play basketball with my own eyes tells me all I need to know. Dude is a big body who can finish at the rim but outside of that, is very much the same player who was drafted in the second round. It's hard to win games with someone like that playing any kind of meaningful mins. Mark is a 25 mpg type C when healthy, maybe a little more so whoever is the backup needs to play decent mins and that shouldn't be Nick. In a draft like this? I have no problem using a top 5 pick on a Sarr or Mark "clone" because quite frankly, we need that.

And in free agency, look at the impact Hartenstein had on NYK last night. I'd be happy to pay that guy even if it's to be the backup.

Hartenstein is probably getting 20-25 million per year. So yeah would be a big upgrade.

Don't get me wrong, I'm heavily influenced by the fact that we've been hampered by the C position (and backup PG position) for the better part of a decade now. The easy fix would've just been keeping Duren and still drafting Mark but we decided it would be better to invest in Bryce McGowens, Nick Richards, and the 27th overall pick in the following draft.

If the Thunder sweep the Pelicans, I bet New Orleans will be open for business.

Trey Murphy III is due a big raise but he's kind of redundant with Herb Jones.

The Pelicans need a PG of the future given McCollum's crashing window. They also need a center considering Valanciunas' age as well.

They have many holes to fill. They have stockpiled some draft capital but couldn't manage to move up in the lottery in the 2023 draft though they rumoredly pursued Scoot Henderson.

We discuss this lottery pick quite a bit, but we have a stockpile of draft capital all our own from the Rozier and PJ trades.

Mann + Mavs 1st + Heat 1st for Trey Murphy III.

Would you guys pull the trigger?

Herb + Trey is the future for them. Have to think BI is close to on his way out, if they get a decent PG and a SF that actually works with Zion, they'll be in business.

Mann plus draft picks does nothing for them IMO. I'd definitely do it for us though.

yosemiteben wrote:Herb + Trey is the future for them. Have to think BI is close to on his way out, if they get a decent PG and a SF that actually works with Zion, they'll be in business.

Mann plus draft picks does nothing for them IMO. I'd definitely do it for us though.

Yeah this is accurate.

Ingram the odd guy out. I wanted him, but after watching him in the playoffs something seems off with dude. Great talent, but he's not consistent. He should be one of the best wings in the NBA by now.

Disagree 100%. Their future is Zion. They go wherever he takes them.

I agree they could trade Ingram, but believe Murphy III does not move the needle for them.

I think they really like Murphy and he won’t be traded

Kevin Huerter for Grant Williams?