Center Options

[Diop]

Sims wasted behind Robinson and Noel on the Knicks:

Watch on YouTube

I definitely don't want to create a narrative that will hurt people's feelings, but I am speculating the Hornets didn't consider Sims an option based on how many picks we had and where he was drafted

That and the amount of prospect bigs they already had

[Roll Tide 09]

Well, Cousins is now off the table.


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[MugzZo]

Put some spekt on Val! Could we trade them their pick back?

[Soul Rebel]

I didn’t realize Jaxson Hayes is in the Pels doghouse. Youngster that I thought was on the verge of exploding has been riding the pine in favor of Hernangomez. Probably wouldn’t take much in compensation potentially. JV would be the preferred big, but I wonder if NO would want to deal the vet C.

[Rays Pompadour]

You know, I remember being excited the Hornets traded the carcass of Marco Belinelli and Mason's older brother's horrible contract to the Hawks for Dwight Howard. Finally, a man in the middle who was actually a real man in the middle.

You can't account for crazy, of course, and clogged lanes and black holes, but it was nice to dream of an on-going structural problem finally being addressed. Howard averaged 16 and 12 that season over 81 games. Good times.

Since trading Howard in 2018 to the Nets (who waived him), the Hornets have been subject to the likes of:

Frank Kaminski
Willy Hernangomez
Johnny O'Bryant (?)
Cody Zeller
Nick Richards
Vernon Carey
Mason Plumlee

Good Lord...

[Sothron]

The hole at center could be shrugged off on a rebuilding team. This is not a rebuilding team. This is a team with a gaping hole that if fixed would immediately elevate it to a playoff team that is still getting better.

[fatlever]

i'll go easier on mason after seeing our defense past 2 games w/out hmmm. still not a fan, but better than nothing.

[yosemiteben]

Am I the only one that feels like we're partially scapegoating our bigs when we blame our defense on them? Feels like a league average defensive C isn't moving the needle on this team, IMO we primarily need a top tier help defender / rim protector because of defensive issues we have at other positions.

[Sothron]

Am I the only one that feels like we're partially scapegoating our bigs when we blame our defense on them? Feels like a league average defensive C isn't moving the needle on this team, IMO we primarily need a top tier help defender / rim protector because of defensive issues we have at other positions.

With the way the game is played with no hand check you need your guards and SF to be able to keep up with the opposing players and defend without hands or fouling. This then falls back on having a shot blocking center with quick feet that can switch and also come over to help. We don't have great defensive perimeter players which puts a lot of pressure on the center to try and make up for it. And when you just don't have that it makes the defense a real issue.

[Diop]

Am I the only one that feels like we're partially scapegoating our bigs when we blame our defense on them? Feels like a league average defensive C isn't moving the needle on this team, IMO we primarily need a top tier help defender / rim protector because of defensive issues we have at other positions.

Agreed and when plumlee drops back to protect the rim we often leave a big hole around the free throw line for open shots.

[fatlever]

well, no secret melo, terry, hayward, miles is probably the worst defensive starting 1-4 in league... maybe in yrs. all are below avg to way below avg man defenders

[Benjamin Linus]

Do you guys get the feeling we're not gonna make a move to upgrade the center spot before the deadline?

Looking back, Mitch isn't exactly Trader Cho. Outside of the sign-and-trades the last time (and only time) he's traded a player that we had under contract was Dwight Howard for Biyombo back in 2018... and going back all the way to 2012 the only in-season move Mitch made was that small trade for Wannamaker. So if I'm looking at that right that's eight straight seasons where Mitch didn't make a single trade during the season besides that one Wannamaker deal

[Benjamin Linus]

I guess looking towards the offseason, how much capspace are we gonna have after resigning Miles?

Do we have enough to go after Bamba, Robinson, Nurkic, etc...

[Sothron]

Do you guys get the feeling we're not gonna make a move to upgrade the center spot before the deadline?

Looking back, Mitch isn't exactly Trader Cho. Outside of the sign-and-trades the last time (and only time) he's traded a player that we had under contract was Dwight Howard for Biyombo back in 2018... and going back all the way to 2012 the only in-season move Mitch made was that small trade for Wannamaker. So if I'm looking at that right that's eight straight seasons where Mitch didn't make a single trade during the season besides that one Wannamaker deal

My response to that would be the team is in the best position it has been in since the mid 90's. You got a superstar with players around him that can score and pass and are unselfish. You can't magically make 1-4 better on defense but an upgrade at center would be a huge upgrade and help the team defense. So while in previous years there might not have been incentive to make a big inseason trade that's not the case now.

In today's NBA when you have a young superstar on a small market team you have to be active to build around him and make a good faith effort to contend.

[HornetJail]

Do you guys get the feeling we're not gonna make a move to upgrade the center spot before the deadline?

Looking back, Mitch isn't exactly Trader Cho. Outside of the sign-and-trades the last time (and only time) he's traded a player that we had under contract was Dwight Howard for Biyombo back in 2018... and going back all the way to 2012 the only in-season move Mitch made was that small trade for Wannamaker. So if I'm looking at that right that's eight straight seasons where Mitch didn't make a single trade during the season besides that one Wannamaker deal

yup, and it's one of many things that frustrates me with Kupchak.

[wilson115]

Sims wasted behind Robinson and Noel on the Knicks:

Watch on YouTube

I definitely don't want to create a narrative that will hurt people's feelings, but I am speculating the Hornets didn't consider Sims an option based on how many picks we had and where he was drafted

That and the amount of prospect bigs they already had

How about trading one of our prospect bigs for their prospect big?

[Soul Rebel]

My response to that would be the team is in the best position it has been in since the mid 90's. You got a superstar with players around him that can score and pass and are unselfish. You can't magically make 1-4 better on defense but an upgrade at center would be a huge upgrade and help the team defense. So while in previous years there might not have been incentive to make a big inseason trade that's not the case now.

In today's NBA when you have a young superstar on a small market team you have to be active to build around him and make a good faith effort to contend.

This last sentence is exactly why I hope we make a move this year. I don't know what's out there, but we need to continue committing to 'Melo or he will bolt. Hayward was a wise move in this sense. Re-signing Miles is a no-brainer. We've loaded up on youth via the draft the past 4 years. Time to add more vet pieces to balance it out and find a 5 that will improve our interior presence.

[euphorbus]

Time to bring back TH50! Tyler could suit up tomorrow.

[Liver_Pooty]

Time to bring back TH50! Tyler could suit up tomorrow.

Yeah and get put in a body bag.

We need some dogs on the team. Some Jae Crowders. People like that. I don't think a center is the entire problem.

[euphorbus]

Time to bring back TH50! Tyler could suit up tomorrow.

Yeah and get put in a body bag.

I was writing partly in jest, but you might want to ask Armando Bacot about that. As for age, Tyler is a full year younger than LeBron James, with a lot fewer miles on the legs.