Hornets sign Theo Maledon

[amcoolio]

I love the way he plays point guard. I can't believe hes only 21 (will be 21 the entire season, too)...he's got a lot of potential.

[fatlever]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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[Hornet Mania]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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I'd absolutely prefer Maledon to Bouk, especially if Oubre is back on the bench and we don't need additional chuckers.

Maledon just seems to make the right play every time. That doesn't necessarily show up in the box score but it makes an impact on winning. Reminds me of Lowry's appeal, or Derek Fisher if you prefer a role player comparison. Heady unselfish player that defends and seems to be able to shoot.

[CuseMayne]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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I'd absolutely prefer Maledon to Bouk, especially if Oubre is back on the bench and we don't need additional chuckers.

Maledon just seems to make the right play every time. That doesn't necessarily show up in the box score but it makes an impact on winning. Reminds me of Lowry's appeal, or Derek Fisher if you prefer a role player comparison. Heady unselfish player that defends and seems to be able to shoot.

Good size, has played professionally for a while, and still just TWENTY ONE. Plays with big time poise and simply runs the offense in a smart manner. Really glad we immediately pounced on him when the Rockets let him go.

Easily would pick Maledon over Bouk.

[Hornet Mania]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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I'd absolutely prefer Maledon to Bouk, especially if Oubre is back on the bench and we don't need additional chuckers.

Maledon just seems to make the right play every time. That doesn't necessarily show up in the box score but it makes an impact on winning. Reminds me of Lowry's appeal, or Derek Fisher if you prefer a role player comparison. Heady unselfish player that defends and seems to be able to shoot.

Good size, has played professionally for a while, and still just TWENTY ONE. Plays with big time poise and simply runs the offense in a smart manner. Really glad we immediately pounced on him when the Rockets let him go.

Easily would pick Maledon over Bouk.

Age definitely makes a difference. Maledon more than a year younger and has shown way more in the league. Bouk shouldn't win this decision by default due to youth and potential, that's for sure.

[wilson115]

Seems kind of weird for OKC to cut someone whos still 21 and seems to have a bit of potential.

Still wondering how that happened.

Watch on YouTube

[Diop]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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its where I was at and being chewing on this myself, Bouk has been showing some scoring and was expensive so I can see the urge to keep playing him, but I think I prefer Maledon as well.

[Liver_Pooty]

Assuming everyone on our team is healthy, is it fair to say that Theo may actually be ahead of Bouknight in the overall guard rotation? It's at least debatable at this point.

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its where I was at and being chewing on this myself, Bouk has been showing some scoring and was expensive so I can see the urge to keep playing him, but I think I prefer Maledon as well.

Theo is also younger so it isn't like we're throwing some 35 year old out there to take minutes from one of our 2nd year players.

[bubowskee]

Seems kind of weird for OKC to cut someone whos still 21 and seems to have a bit of potential.

Still wondering how that happened.

Watch on YouTube

Theo's game has always needed a center who can play in the pick and roll. If you looked at the rosters for OKC in Maledon's two seasons there, you can see he never had a center worth a damn to play with.

Their rash decision to get rid of him means we get an awesome PG for free.

[amcoolio]

Theo is a good 3 and D point guard, but he's not as dynamic as Bouknight's supposed potential on that end. But he's only 21 so he has room to grow. He's a good contingency plan if DSJ has a monster year somehow and gets a lot of money somewhere else.

[Diop]

Pretty impressive start for a young 2 way, seems to play solid as a point guard and has a sweet stroke.

Did I curse him by pumping him up?

he's been very meh the last couple of games

[dmutombo321]

Really like what I've seen from him, both in Gboro and his start against OKC last night. A couple careless turnovers notwithstanding, he was extraordinarily impressive and stuffed the box score with 19/9/4/4 while shooting at a solid clip.

DSJ has been surprisingly serviceable and likely earned himself another opportunity in the NBA, but I think Theo is the better player. And he's still only 22, essentially the exact same age as LaMelo.

The Hornets would be wise to lock him up on a team friendly, multi-year deal similar to what they've done with Bryce and Richards.

Is it permissible to convert him from the 2way and pitch him an extension offer now, or must it wait until the off-season?

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[LofJ]

Really like what I've seen from him, both in Gboro and his start against OKC last night. A couple careless turnovers notwithstanding, he was extraordinarily impressive and stuffed the box score with 19/9/4/4 while shooting at a solid clip.

DSJ has been surprisingly serviceable and likely earned himself another opportunity in the NBA, but I think Theo is the better player. And he's still only 22, essentially the exact same age as LaMelo.

The Hornets would be wise to lock him up on a team friendly, multi-year deal similar to what they've done with Bryce and Richards.

Is it permissible to convert him from the 2way and pitch him an extension offer now, or must it wait until the off-season?

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I'd like to keep Theo too, but it's going to be a tall task.

Right now the team has 10 guys under contract for next season, 6 free agents (Bridges included), and 4 draft picks. There are only 15 roster spots with 2 spots for two-way contracts. You can probably bet that we won't be adding 4 guys from the draft to the roster, but that still takes us over the limit.

If want to bring most everyone back next season and add two guys in the draft we need to either make a consolidation trade or cut someone currently under contract.

[SWedd523]

I think there's a world where both DSJ and Theo come back, and I'd be ok with it. they both offer different skillsets that complement each other and fit with Melo in different ways situationally, especially considering Melo's injury history

[JMAC3]

Theo is a nice piece when Melo is hurt because he adds a level of playmaking at the point that Rozier and DSJ lack. I do think that with as many picks as we have this year we could potentially find a replacement for Theo though. He is a solid depth piece, but I am not super bullish he has major upside.

[fatlever]

Theo is not better than DSJ. Theo is solid depth. DSJ is bordering on elite level defender at his position. DSJ brings leadership, maturity, toughness.

None of this is a knock on theo, But we need to prioritize DSJ if it's a decision between the two of them.

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[dmutombo321]

I love DSJ's defensive tenacity. I don't love that he misses significant time from various injuries every season (from his sophomore campaign forward) and provides no floor spacing shooting 21% from 3.

Given Maledon's youth, playmaking and some of the flashes he's shown, I think he has more upside.

As others have mentioned, the ideal outcome would be keeping both to round out the PG rotation while shipping rozier elsewhere during the offseason as part of a consolation trade.

The offense just moves so much more fluidly without terry and oubre dominating the ball.

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[fatlever]

The offense just moves so much more fluidly without terry and oubre dominating the ball.

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i think this is something that all of us can agree on. its been fun to watch.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Really like what I've seen from him, both in Gboro and his start against OKC last night. A couple careless turnovers notwithstanding, he was extraordinarily impressive and stuffed the box score with 19/9/4/4 while shooting at a solid clip.

DSJ has been surprisingly serviceable and likely earned himself another opportunity in the NBA, but I think Theo is the better player. And he's still only 22, essentially the exact same age as LaMelo.

The Hornets would be wise to lock him up on a team friendly, multi-year deal similar to what they've done with Bryce and Richards.

Is it permissible to convert him from the 2way and pitch him an extension offer now, or must it wait until the off-season?

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I'd like to keep Theo too, but it's going to be a tall task.

Right now the team has 10 guys under contract for next season, 6 free agents (Bridges included), and 4 draft picks. There are only 15 roster spots with 2 spots for two-way contracts. You can probably bet that we won't be adding 4 guys from the draft to the roster, but that still takes us over the limit.

If want to bring most everyone back next season and add two guys in the draft we need to either make a consolidation trade or cut someone currently under contract.

Cut Bouknight if we can't trade him with Rozier and/or Kai Jones and consolidate for a useful rotation 2 guard or expiring filler and a late first. We shouldn't have taken Bouknight's third year option in the first place.

Resign PJ 4 years $48 million with no team/player options.

Resign Maledon 3 years $6-$8 million (third year team option/non guaranteed)

Draft Wemby, Miller, Scoot, or whoever if we luck out and trade the other three picks to move up to draft Jordan Hawkins.

Let Oubre and Svi walk. Wait out Hayward's contract.

[Braggins]

I wouldn't be opposed to keeping Bouk around for another season if he keeps his head on straight and stops with the bad vibes, but if it came down to him or Theo, its 100% Theo. Theo is better and actually 9 months younger. I think there is a good chance Bouk gets pushed out in the roster crunch regardless of what happens to Theo.