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So originally I was thinking of an Ariza to Boston, Zeller+ to OKC, S&T to Charlotte. Seemed to work. But there’s a lot of those ideas so...

OKC should have 20 million in cap space, right? I believe it’s more like 25 but honestly, whatever.

Al Horford for Batum, Zeller

Charlotte gets a smart grossly overpaid starting center and doesn’t have to give up any future value while clearing the 14~ million they need to grossly overpay Gordon.

Presti doesn’t get any picks, but does clear all of his long term money.

Terrible move, though given the way this offseason has gone, that probably means our front office would do it

I’ve been kicking this around there’s just no way to make it good value for Charlotte. Horford is a deep negative and while Batum is worse he’s only worse for one year. The 14m gtd on the third year for Horford hurts. And Zeller is someone who should maybe have neutral value, maybe slightly positive. And OKC isn’t going to kick value back. I also don’t think OKC has an exception the size of Zeller and not sure what is going on with cap vs exceptions. I think the Oubre exception comes up 1m short.

KEMBAtheMETEOR wrote:Terrible move, though given the way this offseason has gone, that probably means our front office would do it

Not worse than stretching Batum?

MoneyTalks41890 wrote:I’ve been kicking this around there’s just no way to make it good value for Charlotte. Horford is a deep negative and while Batum is worse he’s only worse for one year. The 14m gtd on the third year for Horford hurts. And Zeller is someone who should maybe have neutral value, maybe slightly positive. And OKC isn’t going to kick value back. I also don’t think OKC has an exception the size of Zeller and not sure what is going on with cap vs exceptions. I think the Oubre exception comes up 1m short.

Just saw you posted this in the Hayward thread. My bad.

jayjaysee wrote:

KEMBAtheMETEOR wrote:Terrible move, though given the way this offseason has gone, that probably means our front office would do it

Not worse than stretching Batum?

Definitely worse. Batum is $9M in wasted salary each year. Horford is maybe a $10-15M player right now ($12-17M wasted), and that's not going to improve at age 35 or 36. And I'm sure we'd end up cutting his age 36 season and eating $14.5M in dead cap just to do that. Rather just draft a center next year and eat Batum than take on that Horford albatross without incentive. OKC isn't getting out of that one without sending what they received, sorry.

This isn't nearly as bad for the Hornets as is being made out. Add Horford and you now have a serious shot at the playoffs over the next couple of seasons. You've essentially paid for him at that point and considering what happens when they have money burning a hole in their pocket, you've protected them from maxing out Dipo next off-season.

This year it's a major win. That plus the potential playoff revenue gets you through next year. Then either he's still playing well and that 3rd is fine or its a $5M bigger hit than than the Batum dead money would be.

We are way too quick to look at Horford and go OMG horrible contract and don't take the time to look at the context year by year. It's the first year of a clear and significant win for the Hornets, one year of an overpaid but likely still quite useful player on a team trying to win and then $5M more than Batum's stretch number.

I like this a lot.

KEMBAtheMETEOR wrote:Terrible move, though given the way this offseason has gone, that probably means our front office would do it

What about..

Powell, Brunson, 2nds for Zeller
- replacement level center. Clear 2021 salary. Need to throw Bey in too?

Batum, Zeller, 2nd for Powell, Ariza
- Clear Gordon money

Ariza for Batum, Brunson, three more 2nds
More 2nds and a cheap PG for taking on 15~ mil this season.

Texas Chuck wrote:This isn't nearly as bad for the Hornets as is being made out. Add Horford and you now have a serious shot at the playoffs over the next couple of seasons. You've essentially paid for him at that point and considering what happens when they have money burning a hole in their pocket, you've protected them from maxing out Dipo next off-season.

This year it's a major win. That plus the potential playoff revenue gets you through next year. Then either he's still playing well and that 3rd is fine or its a $5M bigger hit than than the Batum dead money would be.

We are way too quick to look at Horford and go OMG horrible contract and don't take the time to look at the context year by year. It's the first year of a clear and significant win for the Hornets, one year of an overpaid but likely still quite useful player on a team trying to win and then $5M more than Batum's stretch number.

I like this a lot.

I like it and didn’t know Moneytalks had posted it first.

But even if Charlotte feels it’s bad value as is, maybe a third team gets brought in and Charlotte sends value to them for their player? Like

Drummond for Horford and a first
LMA? Vooch?

Seem possible to make a trade around that idea.

After reading, I guess I am in the minority to think OKC should still get draft compensation in this deal.

Hill and Horford for Batum and Zeller works. It makes a lot of sense for the Hornets too so they don’t have to stretch Batum.

I am sure the Thunder would even throw in a 2nd or 2.

MoneyTalks41890 wrote:I’ve been kicking this around there’s just no way to make it good value for Charlotte. Horford is a deep negative and while Batum is worse he’s only worse for one year. The 14m gtd on the third year for Horford hurts. And Zeller is someone who should maybe have neutral value, maybe slightly positive. And OKC isn’t going to kick value back. I also don’t think OKC has an exception the size of Zeller and not sure what is going on with cap vs exceptions. I think the Oubre exception comes up 1m short.

You can add Georg Hill who can help the point guards and it’s a legal trade.

I think it makes too much sense for the Hornets to not do this when they make the Hayward official.

The Thunder could also take on scary Terry...

The direction is debatable for Charlotte though they seem to have gone in for being good now in acquiring Hayward. I think they should give up some small draft compensation too. Horford is still productive while Zeller and Batum are not. If LaMelo is good in his first year, that team could challenge for the 8th seed in the East.

Ball/Graham/Rozier/Bridges/Hayward/Washington/Horford isn't an exciting top 8, but it's solid.