Snidely FC wrote:For years now the Hornets have tried to resurrect the careers of former stars (Al Jeff, Lin, Hibbert, Dwight, even former Rookie of the Year MCW). Those signings/trades involved short-term risk which worked or didn't, but regardless I would argue that the approach has an inherent flaw: try these guys for a year, if they don't work it blocks young player development and disrupts team chemistry; if they do then lose them to free agency (Lin). Either way the short-term risk approach leads to roster instability, to perennial attempts to resurrect another player, to once again patch the roster. It's why the Center and Backup PG positions have been so incredibly unstable.
I hoped that with a new GM the approach would be different. Instead, the team is taking another flyer on an old former star. Is there anyone who has more than 50/50 confidence that Parker is going to stay healthy and be productive in a way that helps Kemba? At age 36, after the season he put up last year with Gregg Popovich as his coach? In a league giving itself fully over to 3 pt shooting? A backup PG who can no longer defend or shoot at even league average level?
This time the risk is huge. Another year of lack of support from the backup PG position will surely weigh on Kemba, and might prove to be the pivot that leads him out the door at the end of the season. Kemba is saying all the right things right now, but would you stick around if your team failed year after year to give you the roster support you need to extend your career?
The ONLY WAY this Parker signing makes sense to me is if mgmt viewed a healthy Devonte Graham as ready to grab major minutes at backup PG. All my fingers and toes crossed
Actually most of the guys we signed have been able to resurrect their careers. Jefferson, Lin, and even Dwight (basing this off stats). Even a guy like Marvin Williams had a small resurgence with us. As far as killing player development, I don't really agree because we haven't drafted very good previously, so besides Monk, Bacon, and Lamb we really haven't hindered anyones development. And, lets be truthful, if we had any other coach besides Clifford last year, MCW would have quickly been benched and Monk given more playtime, so that signing wasn't necessarily the problem, it was just we kept playing him. Guys like Kaminsky/MKG/Zeller have all had their chance to play.
