Fake Trade Thread #7

[wilson115]

Simpler consolidation move that saves the Hornets from having to buy out Connaughton, while opening up a roster spot for a free agent:

Green + Grant + Connaughton + Nurk 1st (projects 20-25 in the 2026 draft) for MPJ.

1. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

2. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

3. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

...

...

1001. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

[MasterIchiro]

Simpler consolidation move that saves the Hornets from having to buy out Connaughton, while opening up a roster spot for a free agent:

Green + Grant + Connaughton + Nurk 1st (projects 20-25 in the 2026 draft) for MPJ.

1. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

2. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

3. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

...

...

1001. Gets rid of the players you don't like.

Why are you harassing me? And wasting everyone's time, not contributing anything worthy of discussion?

[Bassman]

These are fun to speculate on, and I have been straining with hope that the leader’s cabal will make a significant deal for a center, but it ain’t happening. Maybe they are waiting for the September date when they have some added options. But I really think they’re done, and stupidly believe they have enough at the 5 to be competitive. Hornets SI had a fake trade idea of sending Green and some 2nd round picks to the Knicks for Mitchell Robinson. I’d do that in a nanosecond, but the Knicks would at least want a first round pick, which I would also do in a nanosecond (one of those 2027 picks). I’m convinced they won’t give up any of their precious first round picks (even the s#*++y ones) to get a quality center. So I’m done with hopeful on that front, and await the debut of this Hornets version.

[GoBobs]

These are fun to speculate on, and I have been straining with hope that the leader’s cabal will make a significant deal for a center, but it ain’t happening. Maybe they are waiting for the September date when they have some added options. But I really think they’re done, and stupidly believe they have enough at the 5 to be competitive. Hornets SI had a fake trade idea of sending Green and some 2nd round picks to the Knicks for Mitchell Robinson. I’d do that in a nanosecond, but the Knicks would at least want a first round pick, which I would also do in a nanosecond (one of those 2027 picks). I’m convinced they won’t give up any of their precious first round picks (even the s#*++y ones) to get a quality center. So I’m done with hopeful on that front, and await the debut of this Hornets version.

Seems like they believe Diabate can be at least 2nd or 3rd string because they just signed him.

Kalkbrenner they probably want to have a shot at 2nd or 3rd string.

They just signed Mason, and you have to think it is with the intent to play him given that we don't have a bunch of extra roster spots.

We are missing the center who has star upside, but how many teams have that?

[Bassman]

We are missing the center who has star upside, but how many teams have that?

Find a list of projected starting centers for every NBA team, and tell me where the Hornets options rank? By almost any measure we are dead last. Then look at depth charts and compare to theirs to ours with Moose, ancient Plumber and a rookie 2nd round pick? I’d say equally at or near the bottom.

I will repeat my speculation; they thought they had a plan to trade for or FA sign a replacement starting center. It flopped like a dead fish, so they made a panic move (with input from the old dog Clifford) and signed the Plumber. Now they’re really stuck and are waxing poetic about how good they feel these guys will perform.

[Diop]

We are missing the center who has star upside, but how many teams have that?

Find a list of projected starting centers for every NBA team, and tell me where the Hornets options rank? By almost any measure we are dead last. Then look at depth charts and compare to theirs to ours with Moose, ancient Plumber and a rookie 2nd round pick? I’d say equally at or near the bottom.

I will repeat my speculation; they thought they had a plan to trade for or FA sign a replacement starting center. It flopped like a dead fish, so they made a panic move (with input from the old dog Clifford) and signed the Plumber. Now they’re really stuck and are waxing poetic about how good they feel these guys will perform.

i dont think they panicked at all, they couldn't get a centre that fit their plan so they grabbed a cheap guy to hold the fort and will wait till something they like presents itself.

i also think Fats will be right in that they will try harder to upgrade the centre position if the team wins a decent amount and look play off bound. If not, they will happily play it out and hope for another good draft pick.

[MasterIchiro]

We are missing the center who has star upside, but how many teams have that?

Find a list of projected starting centers for every NBA team, and tell me where the Hornets options rank? By almost any measure we are dead last. Then look at depth charts and compare to theirs to ours with Moose, ancient Plumber and a rookie 2nd round pick? I’d say equally at or near the bottom.

I will repeat my speculation; they thought they had a plan to trade for or FA sign a replacement starting center. It flopped like a dead fish, so they made a panic move (with input from the old dog Clifford) and signed the Plumber. Now they’re really stuck and are waxing poetic about how good they feel these guys will perform.

I think this is how it went down. And fans are trying to rationalize it and only end up making excuses for the front office where they are not in the slightest deserved. This GM should be publicly humiliated/humbled by questions that expose their shoddy work related to center. If prices are high on the trade market, fine. But force them to at least acknowledge reasons and take ownership of incomplete work, and work undone.

The sports journalists who cover the New York teams have always thrown red meat to readers/viewers/listeners in those markets. They gather the voices of fans, try to see their perspective, and when points are valid, the media echoes and amplifies the fans. The front offices DO hear about it. Does it influence them? Well some pressure is better than none.

We have Rod Boone. He is an echoe chamber for the front office instead of the fans.

And deep down inside, even the business class residing in Charlotte knows we can do better. The informed fans have even less excuse, because the Hornets are more than cozy entertainment. It's just another level of fandom.

Sadly, the tank has run empty in some of us. We have fans who serve as an echo chamber for the front office.

I will keep on trucking.

IDGAF.

[MasterIchiro]

And I will say this, Yankees fans who scream for upgrades every trade deadline have been mistaken as spoiled. They work harder than you guys. There is no comparison.

[yosemiteben]

Criticizing posters on this board for not being more vocal about a topic needs to stop. Final warning.

[British_Buzz]

We are missing the center who has star upside, but how many teams have that?

Find a list of projected starting centers for every NBA team, and tell me where the Hornets options rank? By almost any measure we are dead last. Then look at depth charts and compare to theirs to ours with Moose, ancient Plumber and a rookie 2nd round pick? I’d say equally at or near the bottom.

I will repeat my speculation; they thought they had a plan to trade for or FA sign a replacement starting center. It flopped like a dead fish, so they made a panic move (with input from the old dog Clifford) and signed the Plumber. Now they’re really stuck and are waxing poetic about how good they feel these guys will perform.

I think this is how it went down. And fans are trying to rationalize it and only end up making excuses for the front office where they are not in the slightest deserved. This GM should be publicly humiliated/humbled by questions that expose their shoddy work related to center. If prices are high on the trade market, fine. But force them to at least acknowledge reasons and take ownership of incomplete work, and work undone.

The sports journalists who cover the New York teams have always thrown red meat to readers/viewers/listeners in those markets. They gather the voices of fans, try to see their perspective, and when points are valid, the media echoes and amplifies the fans. The front offices DO hear about it. Does it influence them? Well some pressure is better than none.

We have Rod Boone. He is an echoe chamber for the front office instead of the fans.

And deep down inside, even the business class residing in Charlotte knows we can do better. The informed fans have even less excuse, because the Hornets are more than cozy entertainment. It's just another level of fandom.

Sadly, the tank has run empty in some of us. We have fans who serve as an echo chamber for the front office.

I will keep on trucking.

IDGAF.

The team have more than enough assets to get a starting center on the trade market if they were motivated to. My belief is that Charlotte's bad center depth isn't front office ineptitude, it's intended. This is the front office's artificial way to cap what this team can achieve, securing another top 10 shot at the lottery in a stacked draft.

I realise you can't make this argument forever, and after this next season the expectations should shift to be more aggressive in upgrading talent, not simply adding more picks. However, looking around the Eastern conference and the state of the current roster, I can understand why they've taken a longer term view.

[Bassman]

British Buzz says…

The team have more than enough assets to get a starting center on the trade market if they were motivated to. My belief is that Charlotte's bad center depth isn't front office ineptitude, it's intended. This is the front office's artificial way to cap what this team can achieve, securing another top 10 shot at the lottery in a stacked draft.

I realise you can't make this argument forever, and after this next season the expectations should shift to be more aggressive in upgrading talent, not simply adding more picks. However, looking around the Eastern conference and the state of the current roster, I can understand why they've taken a longer term view.

Agree that running with the triple center zero sum gap is the INTENTION of the brain trust…but if intentional to reach the lottery, that is malpractice. Jeffie and Charlie have been given a long leash by the new owners, and they are taking advantage of that. There is strategy evident, given the trades and signings, but there is also NO GUARANTEE that they can navigate the multiple glide paths that will perfectly land the players needed to eventually arrive at success. Choosing again in the lottery will be a failure IMO, and as we’ve seen multiple times, is a crap shoot (or rigged).

[fatlever]

My stance for when I think the front office is doing the first half of the season remains the same...
- Waiting to see the four core injured players return from injury and looking healthy - melo, miller, grant, mann
- Waiting to see how the rookies look
- Waiting to see if this group looks like it could possibly be a play in or playoff contender
- Getting a further look at Coach Lee and his system and how it fits the current players

And then reassessing everything in January depending on where those other four factors fall. If everything is looking good then I could see them using the assets to shore up whatever seems to be the weak link In the roster, which right now appears to be the center position. And if it looks like the wheels are falling off again due to injuries or lack of progress from the core or if they're starting to have any concerns about coaching, Then I think they'll start to ride it out and look again at trying to land a top eight pick. This could also be where they trade some players for future assets. And this might also be where they start to seriously consider moving off of melo, if It looks really bad again

[Chapelchilla]

My stance for when I think the front office is doing the first half of the season remains the same...
- Waiting to see the four core injured players return from injury and looking healthy - melo, miller, grant, mann
- Waiting to see how the rookies look
- Waiting to see if this group looks like it could possibly be a play in or playoff contender
- Getting a further look at Coach Lee and his system and how it fits the current players

And then reassessing everything in January depending on where those other four factors fall. If everything is looking good then I could see them using the assets to shore up whatever seems to be the weak link In the roster, which right now appears to be the center position. And if it looks like the wheels are falling off again due to injuries or lack of progress from the core or if they're starting to have any concerns about coaching, Then I think they'll start to ride it out and look again at trying to land a top eight pick. This could also be where they trade some players for future assets. And this might also be where they start to seriously consider moving off of melo, if It looks really bad again

Fats is right on, that's what the plan is as far as I can glean. Though I also do think the center rotation was not completely filled so that soft tanking would be an option. They want to win more but maybe not win TOO many. This draft is the good one and the next is not so....

[Rich4114]

My stance for when I think the front office is doing the first half of the season remains the same...
- Waiting to see the four core injured players return from injury and looking healthy - melo, miller, grant, mann
- Waiting to see how the rookies look
- Waiting to see if this group looks like it could possibly be a play in or playoff contender
- Getting a further look at Coach Lee and his system and how it fits the current players

And then reassessing everything in January depending on where those other four factors fall. If everything is looking good then I could see them using the assets to shore up whatever seems to be the weak link In the roster, which right now appears to be the center position. And if it looks like the wheels are falling off again due to injuries or lack of progress from the core or if they're starting to have any concerns about coaching, Then I think they'll start to ride it out and look again at trying to land a top eight pick. This could also be where they trade some players for future assets. And this might also be where they start to seriously consider moving off of melo, if It looks really bad again

Pretty fair assessment, likely what they are doing and really what they ought to be doing. Although if it were me, I'd bet slightly bigger and go get a serious front court player now to give this group a better chance to look better and compete for a playoff spot. You could do that without giving up much if you really wanted (Vuc, maybe Gafford) but if they wait until January and things look promising then I would want to see them go bigger (Sabonis, Bam, Zion) depending on how those situations play out.

[GoBobs]

Sexton, Green, 2 firsts for trigger trae?

[HornetJail]

Sexton, Green, 2 firsts for trigger trae?

that's nowhere close to Trae's value unfortunately

[GoBobs]

Sexton, Green, 2 firsts for trigger trae?

that's nowhere close to Trae's value unfortunately

Maybe not, but it is still my top offer, and I think that is a lot for the privilege of paying him 50 or 60 mil per year.

Atl probably knows his value as well as anyone. If he was that valuable, they would have offered him an extension.

[Bassman]

I still like the fake trade idea Hornets SI had on their site several weeks ago. I’d try to modify it some, and Dallas wouldn’t do it anyway, but here is what they proposed:

Charlotte sends Miles Bridges, Nick Smith Jr, Tidjane Salaun and a 2027 first-round pick (Via DAL) for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford.

Strangely I’d prefer to not include Tiddy, because we really have no backup PF other than Grant Williams, who won’t be ready right out of the gate. It would possibly take additional 2nd round picks for the Mavs to consider, but I’d make that deal. Gafford is a solid starting 5, not great, but much better than our current situation. PJ is still a good PF, doesn’t have the baggage of Miles.

But again I don’t see Dallas or Jeffie pulling the trigger on this.

[HornetJail]

interesting idea, but I don't think PJ wants to come back. any teams want to swap a bigger interior focused PF for PJ?

[GoBobs]

I still like the fake trade idea Hornets SI had on their site several weeks ago. I’d try to modify it some, and Dallas wouldn’t do it anyway, but here is what they proposed:

Charlotte sends Miles Bridges, Nick Smith Jr, Tidjane Salaun and a 2027 first-round pick (Via DAL) for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford.

Strangely I’d prefer to not include Tiddy, because we really have no backup PF other than Grant Williams, who won’t be ready right out of the gate. It would possibly take additional 2nd round picks for the Mavs to consider, but I’d make that deal. Gafford is a solid starting 5, not great, but much better than our current situation. PJ is still a good PF, doesn’t have the baggage of Miles.

But again I don’t see Dallas or Jeffie pulling the trigger on this.

Problem is both those guys are on one year deal. That 27 mavs pick is going to be locked into a cheap contract until 2031.