Offseason 2025 Thread

[amcoolio]

Looking at the East, im guessing it was either something around Garland, or something around Franz Wagner. I would be tempted on Wagner, but we would have had to pivot towards getting a primary ball handler in the draft

[NMBSurfin]

Got a feeling we'll be picking 6th next year. There are 5 close to elite players in the draft.

from ESPN

With Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and the rest of the 2025 class off to the NBA, we can shift our attention to the 2026 draft.

We've been scouting these players for quite some time, publishing our first mock draft in February. And there's considerable excitement around the top of the 2026 class, with some league executives saying the top five has historic star power. Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Nate Ament are potential franchise-caliber players.

[Bassman]

Well, Lonzo was traded to Cleveland. Wonder if they are listening to papa? It ain’t LA, but they’d be together. Would the Cavs go for a shake up when they were so successful regular season? I mean Melo and Nurkic going out for Allen and Garland works, irrespective of the picks that would be involved. Garland is expected to miss time at the start of the season due to his toe injury issue. Just throwing out speculation…but I don’t see Peterson frankly having the guts to trade Melo for anything but an outrageous deal from some desperate team.

[Chapelchilla]

These guys have no idea what they are doing if you ask me.

We got a injury prone star, yet they pushing a long term vision. We are basically wasting LaMelo's time and he's doing the same to us because he can't stay healthy.

If you going to trade him it needs to be now. If you going to keep him then put some damn help around him.

Why are they making this so complicated?

Why would we trade him now as opposed to at the deadline or next year after they see how this team looks together? All I heard on here this offseason was that his value at his lowest.
Let him rebuild that.
Or figure out how he looks with good shooters and ball movement around him (like we just drafted) first.
He has a long contract with the Hornets and no real leverage to leave unless we want him to go.

[JustBuzzin]

These guys have no idea what they are doing if you ask me.

We got a injury prone star, yet they pushing a long term vision. We are basically wasting LaMelo's time and he's doing the same to us because he can't stay healthy.

If you going to trade him it needs to be now. If you going to keep him then put some damn help around him.

Why are they making this so complicated?

Why would we trade him now as opposed to at the deadline or next year after they see how this team looks together? All I heard on here this offseason was that his value at his lowest.
Let him rebuild that.
Or figure out how he looks with good shooters and ball movement around him (like we just drafted) first.
He has a long contract with the Hornets and no real leverage to leave unless we want him to go.

Because you are gambling with his health.

His value will never be great because he hasn't proved he can stay healthy. Y'all keep saying this same crap about LaMelo every season. His value is what it is.

My thing is make a commitment either way. If we keeping him why are we still playing the rebuild game. Melo is on the clock not only for us, but for him wanting out.

Make a move for a significant piece. Let's really see what LaMelo can do with some serious pieces around him.

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

?t=SkqRZQYV25GQRChgH60NGQ&s=19

I wouldn't hate this for the hornets.

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[yosemiteben]

Fats don't make me ban you for posting Sidery posts!

[luciano-davidwesley]

They didn't want to pay mark long-term for whatever reason. Getting two late first round picks for a player they clearly were not going to extend is pretty decent business. It sucks it didn't work out with him though.

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Only if deciding not to extend him turns out to be the right decision. I'm not so sure yet that it is.

[wilson115]

In on Yabusele too, tired of guys like Beef Stew pushing us around.

[fatlever]

r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit
@HornetsReddit
"In addition to teams like Sacramento, Dallas and the LA Clippers whose needs at that position have been a daily talking point, league sources say Charlotte has been searching for veteran ball handlers to back up LaMelo Ball."

[JustBuzzin]

Ben Simmons fits that description if they looking for a backup ball handler.

Put him at backup pf let him play point forward. We could use his defense more than anything.

[SWedd523]

Ben Simmons fits that description if they looking for a backup ball handler.

Put him at backup pf let him play point forward. We could use his defense more than anything.

He doesn't fit the culture

[JustBuzzin]

Ben Simmons fits that description if they looking for a backup ball handler.

Put him at backup pf let him play point forward. We could use his defense more than anything.

He doesn't fit the culture

What culture?

Miles beat ya girl Bridges is on the roster.
Lamelo goofy Ball is on the roster.

If we building a roster with high character/culture this is a funny constructed roster.

[Snidely FC]

Ty Jerome available after CLE Lonzo acquisition

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25218786-ty-jerome-reportedly-expected-leave-cavs-nba-fa-after-lonzo-ball-trade

[SWedd523]

Haven't we met our white guy quota

[EmpireFalls]

I think we’ll put in an offer on some RFA center.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/c

[JMAC3]

Here is my homework from this morning, looking at how certain teams might operate and what players could make sense for which teams in FA. Not many players hitting the Market worth more than MLE, 16 teams could have the full MLE available.

2nd Apron teams - 207.8 Million
Cleveland - 220 Million- 10 players
Phoenix - 214 Million- 11players

1st Apron teams- 196 Million
Indy - 198 Million -12 players including (30 Million projection for Turner)
Minnesota 200 Million - 12 players- Not including NAW
Denver - 196 million - 12 players
Boston-198 Million~ post trades- 11 players
Dallas - 196 Million- 13 players
New York - 197 Million- 10 players

Tax Team - 187 million+
Miami - 192 Million 14 players
LAL - 187 million- 10 players
Toronto - 184 Million - 12 players
Philly- 181 Million - 9 players- not including Grimes or Yabusele
Orlando - 180 Million - 11 players

Non-Tax teams 154.6 Million+
OKC -184 million - 15 players
Portland 179 Million - 15 players
NOP - 174 Million - 12 players
Golden State - 170 Million- 9 players- not including Kuminga
Houston 169 million - 9 players
Sacramento - 167. 5 Million- 10 players
Chicago - 166 Million- 14 players - including Giddey Cap Hold
LAC - 169 Million- 10 players
Milwaukee 165 Million - 9 players
SAS - 161 Million - 12 players
Washington 157 Million - 13 players
Charlotte -155 Million - 12 players - doesn't include Okogie, DaQuan or Tre Mann cap hold
Atlanta - 150 Million - 8 players- doesn't include Levert or Nance cap holds
Utah 148.5 Million - 13 players- likely to be over the cap team picking up unguaranteed

Cap Space Teams
Memphis - 140 Million - 13 players- doesn't include Aldama or Kennard cap holds- could operate over cap
Detroit 135 Million - 10 players - doesn't include cap holds for THJ, Schroeder or Beasley- could operate over cap.
Brooklyn 97 million- 14 players, doesn't include Cam Thomas or Sharpe cap holds-21 million/16 players- if included

2nd Apron teams - don't get any MLE (Phoenix, Cleveland)
1st Apron teams- can use taxpayer MLE, Sign-and-trades are not permitted if the player acquired keeps the team above the apron.

Standard MLE 14.1 million
Taxpayer MLE 5.6 Million
Room MLE 8.7 Million

So for the Full MLE of 14.1 million Charlotte is competing vs potentially as many as 15 teams (Portland, OKC, NOP, Golden State, Houston, Sacramento, Chicago, LAC, Milwaukee, SAS, Washington, Atlanta, Utah, Memphis and Detroit). That is why I think it is very unlikely we land someone like NAW using that as the tool.

Pure Cap Space/Sign Trade Targets- seeking 20 million+
Jonathan Kuminga - RFA
Josh Giddey - RFA
Cam Thomas- RFA
Quintin Grimes - RFA
NAW- UFA
Santi Aldama- RFA

Full MLE targets - 14.1 million
Brook Lopez
Clint Capela
DeAngelo Russell
Geurschon Yabusele
Daron Sharpe
Caris Levert
Chris Paul
Tre Mann
Al Horford
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Ty Jerome
Luke Kennard
Larry Nance
Malik Beasley
Jake LaRavia
Malcolm Brogdon
Bruce Brown
Dorian Finney Smith
Mo Wagner

Taxpayer MLE targets- 5.6 Million
Russell Westbrook
Luke Kornet
Tyus Jones
Kevin Porter Jr.
Amir Coffey
DeAnthony Melton
Precius Achuiwa
Gary Payton Jr.
Kevon Looney
Nicolas Batum
Spencer Dinwiddie
Gary Trent

That is a solid 20 names (Full MLE Candidates) IMO that Charlotte could look at if they were wanting to sign someone.

Here is a list of names that is under 14.1 Million, that could be traded into MLE. About half these names you would have to give up picks to get and the other half might be teams just wanting to dump them into MLE for tax savings/roster spots.
Obi Toppin
Corey Kispert
Josh Green
Grant Williams
Bobby Portis- if he picks up PO
Kelly Olynck
Robert Williams
Cole Anthony
Brandon Clarke
Jared Vanderbilt
Wendell Carter
Jonas Valanciunas
Royce Oneale
Sam Hauser
Caleb Martin
Pat Connaughton
Benedict Mathurin
Goga Bitadze
Georges Niang
Josh Okogie
Kenrich Williams
Dean Wade

Last thing that feels like mentioning, is sizeable Trade Exceptions teams possess.
Atlanta - 25.2 million
Brooklyn - 23.3 million
Chicago17.1 million
Sacramento - 16.8 million
Mmephis 16 million
Atlanta 13.1 million
New Orleans 13 million

[JMAC3]

So to recap a few things that I think are interesting potentially for Charlotte.

1. Phoenix might look to dump more money to try and dodge 2nd apron. Royce ONeale is a guy we could absorb into our MLE
2. Grant Williams and Josh Green both are under the MLE number, so teams could absorb their contracts without using cap space.
3. Indiana, Cleveland, Boston are teams to watch, they could look to trade Obi, Mathurin, Dean Wade and Hauser as guys they could dump for assets to give them more breathing room around aprons.
4. Centers- Rob Williams, Wendell Carter, Horford, Lopez, Capela and Luke Kornet could all be names Charlotte looks at.
5. Fav MLE targets- Ty Jerome, Chris Paul, Malcolm Brogdon and DeAnthony Melton.

[JustBuzzin]

Jmac legendary post right there. Good stuff.

[fatlever]

Jmac legendary post right there. Good stuff.

Absolutely. Great stuff jmac. Thanks for compiling this. Very helpful.

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