Woj: CHA making Kemba available in trade talks

[316Hornets]

Anybody think a Lonzo Ball for Kemba trade could be a possibility? Something like Ball + Randle + future 1st for Kemba. Not saying I'd love it, but could see the Lakers looking to make a push now by grabbing Kemba and sacrificing whatever potential Ball has. Lavar Ball would probably go ballistic though, lol.

Then, Lakers could go and grab PG and Lebron in the offseason. That'd be a pretty one of the top big 3s in the league. Shoot, they'd probably have the money to bring in Cousins too. Lakers don't have their draft pick this year so there's no point in them tanking.

[James Gatz]

Anybody think a Lonzo Ball for Kemba trade could be a possibility? Something like Ball + Randle for Kemba. Not saying I'd love it, but could see the Lakers looking to make a push now by grabbing Kemba and sacrificing whatever potential Ball has. Lavar Ball would probably go ballistic though, lol.

Then, Lakers could go and grab PG and Lebron in the offseason. That'd be a pretty one of the top big 3s in the league. Shoot, they'd probably have the money to bring in Cousins too.

0% chance

[Braggins]

I know this is going to sound crazy, but we could have just done our rebuild last season and this season and we'd have both good picks/prospects AND not have any pressure to trade Kemba, but no, we just HAD to chase those eighth seeds and ignore the future. I told you guys this was going to happen.

[Robot Rock]

It's been fun, guys. Well at least it was fun posting here on occasion. Being a fan of this dumpster fire wasn't fun very often even though I trudged through it for more than 20 years. I'm off to Laker Land, where I lived as a kid and where mediocrity is the new norm but there's hope of future success through spending money wisely and being committed to keeping good players instead of selling them for more lottery tickets.

Peace out, girl scouts. See you when the Lakers come to town.

[bwgood77]

Timing seems so weird with this. Played the 4th toughest schedule, just beat the Pistons on the road by double digits, crushed the Wizards, have an all star who loves it here and the teammates and fans love him.

What am I missing?

I can see wanting to rid yourself of bad contracts, but usually talents like him only get traded when they want out or might not re-sign.

Tanking doesn't make sense this year since the number of teams tanking is strong, so it's hard to even get into like bottom 5 or even 7.

This team probably has an easier schedule going forward and could get into the playoffs. I know to some treadmilling or being a low seed playoff team every year isn't fun but you can also find yourself stuck out of the playoffs for years and only hope you can get a draft pick that isn't a bust and someone who turns out to be as good as Kemba.

I won't be surprised if you hang onto him if you end up making a playoff push.

[Braggins]

Fultz is a #1 overall draft pick from one of the stronger draft classes in a while and Johnson is a $11 million expiring that'll relieve cap space to avoid Jordan from going into the luxury tax. I honestly don't even know if the Sixers would do it, but if I was personally the Sixers GM I would do it if Charlotte was willing to

Like I said it's basically just a swap and you're betting on Fultz getting to Kemba's level. It would put us in the exact same position we are in now 2 years from now.

I understand that but I think the thesis should be "is having multiple late lottery picks better than having one top prospect?". The Hornets are looking for top-end transcending talent. Fultz was labeled as such

I don't think Fultz is a transcendent talent. I was skeptical before the draft and this bizarre issue with his shot randomly completely breaking does not help change that perception for me (I've been following this closely, and I don't think its simply an injury). I don't think hed go top 10 in a redraft and I wouldn't trade Monk for him straight up.

I think Colangelo might have seriously threatened the 76ers rebuild with that insane draft trade.

[catch20two]

I think Fultz got nerve damage in his shoulder. He obviously can’t lift his shooting arm above his head. Prolly got injured in a freak accident riding a dirt bike and won’t tell the front office because it’ll violate his contract.

[catch20two]

Something tells me that if we trade Kemba for a draft pick that we’ll end up drafting two players that’ll follow similar career paths statistically as Elfrid Payton and Ben Mclemore. So much of what will make or break this franchise has been the lack of developing players properly.

[Eoghan]

Can we not trade for another French guy that everyone likes at first but then completely turn on because he'd rather pass than shoot? Nothing against French players, I'm just tired of you guys not learning your lesson.

I don't think it really matters, when it comes to brass tacks, whether Kemba wants to be here. Gerald Wallace was also our lone All-Star and also loved it here and he got traded too (the ol' "It's a business" cliche). Unfortunately trading Kemba is our only "Get out of Jail Free" card so it's got to be on the table.

Whatever, just fire Cho and Clifford before the draft comes around please.

[Braggins]

I've been saying the franchise needs to at least try for a quick rebuild for the last couple seasons and I still think thats the case, but I don't think trading Kemba in that process makes since unless we get a huge haul and are committed to super blatant multi year tank.

Kemba is a legit second tier star and building block in this league. There actually isn't that good of a chance that a top 5-10ish pick will end up being as good as him. He is basically the only thing that gives this franchise any hope of being relevant at any point in the not distant future.

While I do think that the draft is the only way the team can add talent over the next few years, due to the horrible financial situation (lets be honest, its pretty all Batum) and lack of trade assets, I still don't think trading Kemba helps that much. Trading him would leave the franchise with zero major building blocks and probably only one extra high draft pick. If they keep him and tank this season anyways and also look to trade other players for picks or cap relief, then Charlotte still has a high draft pick (and only one less high pick overall) and one major building block already in place. The team already has a bunch of decent role players, so it really just needs to add one major piece if they keep Kemba. Getting one extra top pick and needing to add two major building blocks doesn't seem like a much better position than having one less top pick but only needing one more major piece.

This process should have been started last year, but there still might be time. The franchise has actually had a golden opportunity right in front of it to tank last year and this year, even though the roster is decent, because the head coach is so egregiously bad and basically pseudo tanks for the first half of the season anyways because he really just has no idea what he is doing and takes at least half a season to possibly even come close to figuring his team out.

You could say that Kemba is just going to walk in free agency, but trading him is also losing him and the franchise will be in such a bad position without him that even if they get a good pick for him, the team is still going to be locked into a full on multi year Hinkie style tank. He actually wants to be here, so I think there is a chance that if they get a good coaching staff (still our biggest issue by far imo) and hit on the next draft pick (while developing Monk in the meantime), its possible the franchise could be in a position to sell him on the future by the time his contract ends.

I would just tank super hard this season and focus on player development, fire the coaches and possibly Cho in the offseason, pray we hit on our draft pick and can make a couple smaller moves to help retool, and then try to convince Kemba to resign. You can always put him on the block next trade deadline and probably still get some value if none of this works and he is signaling that he doesn't plan on resigning. Worst case scenario is that he walks and is lost for nothing, but that just delays the super tank for one season and gives the team one less pick to work with, which isn't the end of the world.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Phoenix fan here I would trade for Walker and Others but look to on-trade them.

We can offer 2 Firsts, 3 Seconds and expiring contracts (half this season, half next season).

[Braggins]

I get that it's fun to attack me, all the cool kids are doing it, but maybe don't.

I apologize for both of my posts. I hadn't read into this thread and didn't see that some people were going after you today.

You've sort of positioned yourself as the front office and coaches defense attorney on the board, which sort of frustrates people sometimes (especially when the franchise appears to be in shambles) and the fact that you are literally a lawyer in real life (I believe?) exacerbates the issue because you can seemingly spar with people with arguments ad infinitum.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Timing seems so weird with this. Played the 4th toughest schedule, just beat the Pistons on the road by double digits, crushed the Wizards, have an all star who loves it here and the teammates and fans love him.

What am I missing?

I can see wanting to rid yourself of bad contracts, but usually talents like him only get traded when they want out or might not re-sign.

Tanking doesn't make sense this year since the number of teams tanking is strong, so it's hard to even get into like bottom 5 or even 7.

This team probably has an easier schedule going forward and could get into the playoffs. I know to some treadmilling or being a low seed playoff team every year isn't fun but you can also find yourself stuck out of the playoffs for years and only hope you can get a draft pick that isn't a bust and someone who turns out to be as good as Kemba.

I won't be surprised if you hang onto him if you end up making a playoff push.

Let me answer you with another quote from one of our game threads.

I feel your pain MJ. This team is not stressful but skressful to watch.

[Eoghan]

I don't think there is enough time to show Kemba that we can get the team turned around in quick, re-tool fashion. Given the team's draft record it is very unlikely we draft a player that immediately makes an impact (the higher the pick, the rawer the prospect but the lower the pick, the more of a crapshoot the prospect). The rest of the players on the roster probably have poor trade value so trading them for assets that can in turn be combined with our high draft pick earned by tanking (which Kemba playing makes difficult) is also not likely. Either way you slice it, we seem much more likely to do another J-Rich or Al Jefferson thing which is Charlotte's typical one step forward, two steps back. I just can't envision a plausible scenario where CHA keeps Kemba and completes a successful, short retool.

The other hard truth is that our franchise player, arguably on the Mt. Rushmore of Hornets, is rapidly approaching 30 as his contract ends. That's concerning b/c he is small and hits the floor a gazillion times a game (and has a history of knee issues). This is not the type of player that is going to age gracefully if his quickness and athleticism leaves him. He is a building block player but for how much longer? How much better can he get, realistically?

I am fine with a complete blow up with everybody going except Monk to be honest, with the condition that the coaching staff is completely revamped, Cho and scouts are replaced. If any of the major decision makers are kept then we might as well trade for a J-Rich again or sign another Big Al b/c what difference does it make?

[bwgood77]

Timing seems so weird with this. Played the 4th toughest schedule, just beat the Pistons on the road by double digits, crushed the Wizards, have an all star who loves it here and the teammates and fans love him.

What am I missing?

I can see wanting to rid yourself of bad contracts, but usually talents like him only get traded when they want out or might not re-sign.

Tanking doesn't make sense this year since the number of teams tanking is strong, so it's hard to even get into like bottom 5 or even 7.

This team probably has an easier schedule going forward and could get into the playoffs. I know to some treadmilling or being a low seed playoff team every year isn't fun but you can also find yourself stuck out of the playoffs for years and only hope you can get a draft pick that isn't a bust and someone who turns out to be as good as Kemba.

I won't be surprised if you hang onto him if you end up making a playoff push.

Let me answer you with another quote from one of our game threads.

I feel your pain MJ. This team is not stressful but skressful to watch.

So Kemba not fun to watch?

[BuzzKing60]

Told ya'll while back that we should trade everybody. Giving Nic batum 100M was the biggest mistake this franchise ever made. At a loss of words with how poorly constructed/ managed this team is. Laughing stock of the NBA.

[Eoghan]

Timing seems so weird with this. Played the 4th toughest schedule, just beat the Pistons on the road by double digits, crushed the Wizards, have an all star who loves it here and the teammates and fans love him.

What am I missing?

I can see wanting to rid yourself of bad contracts, but usually talents like him only get traded when they want out or might not re-sign.

Tanking doesn't make sense this year since the number of teams tanking is strong, so it's hard to even get into like bottom 5 or even 7.

This team probably has an easier schedule going forward and could get into the playoffs. I know to some treadmilling or being a low seed playoff team every year isn't fun but you can also find yourself stuck out of the playoffs for years and only hope you can get a draft pick that isn't a bust and someone who turns out to be as good as Kemba.

I won't be surprised if you hang onto him if you end up making a playoff push.

Let me answer you with another quote from one of our game threads.

I feel your pain MJ. This team is not stressful but skressful to watch.

So Kemba not fun to watch?

Not when Dwight is giving him crappy screens, Batum is throwing the ball over his head into the third row, and the rest of the team isn't doing anything off the ball enough to prevent him from being doubled two dribbles over half-court.

[bwgood77]

Let me answer you with another quote from one of our game threads.

So Kemba not fun to watch?

Not when Dwight is giving him crappy screens, Batum is throwing the ball over his head into the third row, and the rest of the team isn't doing anything off the ball enough to prevent him from being doubled two dribbles over half-court.

Understandable, but tough to trade a very good players when you likely have to ride out most of those bad contracts and then just hope you can get high picks...or great guys in the draft...

A couple of #2 picks in the draft ended up being MKG and Marvin Williams. Sometimes withstanding awful years doesn't end up paying off in the least...I've learned this over the last 7 years being a Suns fan...not that I need to tell anyone here that.

I just don't know if I'd trade him and think the team could get better this year and you never know who you may find in the draft regardless of where you pick that may add quite a bit.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

MJ has a rep as being cheap, so what did he do? He spent. Nearly right up to the cap. What did he get in return? A team where Kemba is basically the only guy who shows up on a regular basis and their percentage odds of making the playoffs in a weak eastern conference are in the single digits. On top of that attendance isn't great, especially during the week, since the team isn't winning and isn't exciting to watch outside Kemba.

I'm not shocked that he wants something better and that the only way to get there may involve trading Kemba.

[yosemiteben]

I get that it's fun to attack me, all the cool kids are doing it, but maybe don't.

I apologize for both of my posts. I hadn't read into this thread and didn't see that some people were going after you today.

You've sort of positioned yourself as the front office and coaches defense attorney on the board, which sort of frustrates people sometimes (especially when the franchise appears to be in shambles) and the fact that you are literally a lawyer in real life (I believe?) exacerbates the issue because you can seemingly spar with people with arguments ad infinitum.

I tend to think we made reasonable calculated risks to get here and they didn't turn out the way we hoped. Good for you if you disagree.

I'm kind of **** done being attacked for that opinion, but sure go for it if you think it's fun.