Woj: CHA making Kemba available in trade talks

[Eoghan]

So Kemba not fun to watch?

Not when Dwight is giving him crappy screens, Batum is throwing the ball over his head into the third row, and the rest of the team isn't doing anything off the ball enough to prevent him from being doubled two dribbles over half-court.

Understandable, but tough to trade a very good players when you likely have to ride out most of those bad contracts and then just hope you can get high picks...or great guys in the draft...

A couple of #2 picks in the draft ended up being MKG and Marvin Williams. Sometimes withstanding awful years doesn't end up paying off in the least...I've learned this over the last 7 years being a Suns fan...not that I need to tell anyone here that.

I just don't know if I'd trade him and think the team could get better this year and you never know who you may find in the draft regardless of where you pick that may add quite a bit.

Oh there's certainly no easy way out of this predicament. It's precisely b/c of the very rudderless management of this team that all options are tough pills to swallow. Scrap for the 8th seed, max out the cap, no, full-on tank, too painful, quick rebuild, still too painful, quicker rebuild, screw this, scrap for the 8th seed again, nope this still sucks, max out the cap, still suck?! = is basically the story so far. There's no commitment and/or competency for rebuilding or competing properly, they're unbelievably inept at both and just oscillate between the two in a panicky fashion.

That last sentence of yours is the sort of wishful thinking this fan base has been proven incontrovertibly false by the franchise. This team has refused to find hardly any value wherever they pick (basically begins and ends with Kemba) and are extremely unlucky with the draft as a whole. Someone on here did a good synopsis of this recently and the TL;DR version is that Charlotte picks the wrong player ~25% of the time and the other 75% is that the right player didn't exist regardless due to crap luck. For Charlotte to pick up a draftee that moves the needle forward, and quickly enough to be in Kemba's window of competitiveness, they would have to fall into a can't miss prospect and those are statistically found most often at the very top of the draft. And even then, Charlotte might still take a MKG.

[geraldwallace]

Per Ian Bagley

The Charlotte Hornets would like engage the Knicks on trade discussions involving All-Star point guard Kemba Walker but New York and Charlotte haven't yet had substantive discussions about a trade involving Walker, per league sources. It seems unlikely at this point that the Knicks will want to meet Charlotte's desired return. Charlotte is hoping a Walker trade returns a good young player or a first-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Knicks have first-round draft picks and a promising young player in Frank Ntilikina. But the other part of Charlotte's request is a holdup for the Knicks. Wojnarowski reports that Charlotte appears eager to shed one of its less desirable contracts. That would mean the Knicks would likely need to take on extra salary to acquire Walker, which was something New York was hesitant to do in trading Carmelo Anthony over the summer.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Whatsup guys, Pacers fan here, but Hornets are my #2 team as I grew up, and live in Charlotte.

This situation kinda sucks, but as ya'll have said, its just been a series of bad decisions that have led to this. I'm okay with the Hornets wanting to trade Kemba, not because he has done anything wrong obviously, but his window is going to be gone by the time this team can reset enough to compete. However, attaching him to a bad contract is going to be a tough pill to swallow. It might be the best thing long term if ya'll can get out of Batum's deal, but it will greatly decrease Kemba's value. Its going to be interesting to see what teams offer up, but I'm hoping the Hornets can get a great deal and start a proper rebuild.

[bwgood77]

Not when Dwight is giving him crappy screens, Batum is throwing the ball over his head into the third row, and the rest of the team isn't doing anything off the ball enough to prevent him from being doubled two dribbles over half-court.

Understandable, but tough to trade a very good players when you likely have to ride out most of those bad contracts and then just hope you can get high picks...or great guys in the draft...

A couple of #2 picks in the draft ended up being MKG and Marvin Williams. Sometimes withstanding awful years doesn't end up paying off in the least...I've learned this over the last 7 years being a Suns fan...not that I need to tell anyone here that.

I just don't know if I'd trade him and think the team could get better this year and you never know who you may find in the draft regardless of where you pick that may add quite a bit.

Oh there's certainly no easy way out of this predicament. It's precisely b/c of the very rudderless management of this team that all options are tough pills to swallow. Scrap for the 8th seed, max out the cap, no, full-on tank, too painful, quick rebuild, still too painful, quicker rebuild, screw this, scrap for the 8th seed again, nope this still sucks, max out the cap, still suck?! = is basically the story so far. There's no commitment and/or competency for rebuilding or competing properly, they're unbelievably inept at both and just oscillate between the two in a panicky fashion.

That last sentence of yours is the sort of wishful thinking this fan base has been proven incontrovertibly false by the franchise. This team has refused to find hardly any value wherever they pick (basically begins and ends with Kemba) and are extremely unlucky with the draft as a whole. Someone on here did a good synopsis of this recently and the TL;DR version is that Charlotte picks the wrong player ~25% of the time and the other 75% is that the right player didn't exist regardless due to crap luck. For Charlotte to pick up a draftee that moves the needle forward, and quickly enough to be in Kemba's window of competitiveness, they would have to fall into a can't miss prospect and those are statistically found most often at the very top of the draft. And even then, Charlotte might still take a MKG.

I hear you...same thing for the Suns....Len at 5, Bender at 4, Chriss at 8, Jackson at 4. We got our best current players at 13 or 14 with Booker and Warren...and Warren has plenty of weaknesses, as does Booker on D. So there are plenty of arguments and I fall on the side of the fact that eventually the right player will be taken with a high pick, but it still comes down to a lot of luck.

[catch20two]

Charlotte might still take a MKG.

Eh it very easily could’ve been Thomas Robinson instead lol.

[Bassman]

So, the front office throws all this out to Wojo, the most connected guy in the NBA, to put into public chatter. Why?

I get that this stuff is dropped into channels to get the word out, but this is like a bloody garage sale. Why?

My initial conclusion: MJ is fed up. He told Cho to try shopping select players (as mentioned, Dwight, Marv, etc.) to little or no avail. Either they brought nothing (per Woj) or maybe the “effort”to make a deal was intentionally weak. Either way, putting Kemba out there says WE ARE DEALING very loud. MJ may be planning to fire Cho, Clifford (which he must) but doesn’t want to do it now. Wondering if the braintrust is resisting deals? Cliff made the comment about him having some say in any Kemba deal in the Observer article.

Or.....did MJ put this out as a gamble that it might push this team to rally for each other and step up their play to another level? I doubt it, but either way this was a big move to put this on the street. Hopefully Jordan is determined. I don’t want Kemba outta here. But we are going practically nowhere. No matter who is dealt, only a major rebuild will do.

[316Hornets]

Or.....did MJ put this out as a gamble that it might push this team to rally for each other and step up their play to another level? I doubt it, but either way this was a big move to put this on the street. Hopefully Jordan is determined. I don’t want Kemba outta here. But we are going practically nowhere. No matter who is dealt, only a major rebuild will do.

This is what I'm thinking. It's like a put up or shut up for this group this next couple weeks. A winning streak may have us looking to the playoffs instead of a trade, at least I hope.

[ChokeFasncists]

Good old days when this team was tied at no.3 in the East and almost beat the Heat.

[catch20two]

Good old days when this team was tied at no.3 in the East and almost beat the Heat.

We miss Lin.

[HoopsMalone]

The Hornets are looking for top-end transcending talent. Fultz was labeled as such

Was.

Fultz couldnt even lead an offense to a top 100 ranked in efficiency in college. Now he's gone mental on us. I'm not sure Id trade Lamb for him. In fact, i wouldnt.

[Liver_Pooty]

Jabari Parker is a young player that comes to mind. Granted he tears his ACL every other day. We have to get a top 5 pick or a young promising player in return or this is dumb

[catch20two]

I honestly hope they don’t trade Kemba and just find a way to dump Batum attached to a protected 1st for expirings or at least a backup PG (George Hill).

Then fire Clifford and bring in a new coach with modern day approach and strategy. Start Lamb at SG. Get a healthy Cody. I think that alone would make us a top 4 seed next season with a worst case scenario of 6 seed.

[Kerrsed]

Im just wondering does anybody here believe that Batum is still a good player, and this is just kinda a fluke season? I mean even at his best i personally dont think he is worth anything close to that contract, but his stats this season have been really poor for someone playing 30+ minutes a game. What is his deal? I admit, havent watched any Hornets games this season, but have just been looking over the numbers and dont understand whats going on with him.

[ChokeFasncists]

Good old days when this team was tied at no.3 in the East and almost beat the Heat.

We miss Lin.

Miss y'all

Miss that team

Miss Lin

[catch20two]

Im just wondering does anybody here believe that Batum is still a good player, and this is just kinda a fluke season? I mean even at his best i personally dont think he is worth anything close to that contract, but his stats this season have been really poor for someone playing 30+ minutes a game. What is his deal? I admit, havent watched any Hornets games this season, but have just been looking over the numbers and dont understand whats going on with him.

Batum is a good ‘role’ player as a 4th/5th man on a contender and yes you’re correct that even at his best he wasn’t worth that kind of contract. I harped on that tediously during his career season/contract year that was still barely above average and nothing great.

This season I wouldn’t call a fluke since he had a similar season the year before we traded for him that made the Blazers want to get rid of him.

[BatumtheGlue]

Im just wondering does anybody here believe that Batum is still a good player, and this is just kinda a fluke season? I mean even at his best i personally dont think he is worth anything close to that contract, but his stats this season have been really poor for someone playing 30+ minutes a game. What is his deal? I admit, havent watched any Hornets games this season, but have just been looking over the numbers and dont understand whats going on with him.

Batum is a good ‘role’ player as a 4th/5th man on a contender and yes you’re correct that even at his best he wasn’t worth that kind of contract. I harped on that tediously during his career season/contract year that was still barely above average and nothing great.

This season I wouldn’t call a fluke since he had a similar season the year before we traded for him that made the Blazers want to get rid of him.

Agreed. He is a glue guy not a franchise player or a second option. Heck, he is not ging to be a third best player in a contender. I like Batum but his contract is a product of an idiotic NBA salary cap this recent years.

[countryboi]

Its possible the Hornets are already talking to a team about Kemba and put the word out with Woj to shake them down for more assets. that said it doesnt really seem like something the Hornets would do, we always end up looking like the bumpkins in these deals.

[jbk1234]

Per Ian Bagley

The Charlotte Hornets would like engage the Knicks on trade discussions involving All-Star point guard Kemba Walker but New York and Charlotte haven't yet had substantive discussions about a trade involving Walker, per league sources. It seems unlikely at this point that the Knicks will want to meet Charlotte's desired return. Charlotte is hoping a Walker trade returns a good young player or a first-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Knicks have first-round draft picks and a promising young player in Frank Ntilikina. But the other part of Charlotte's request is a holdup for the Knicks. Wojnarowski reports that Charlotte appears eager to shed one of its less desirable contracts. That would mean the Knicks would likely need to take on extra salary to acquire Walker, which was something New York was hesitant to do in trading Carmelo Anthony over the summer.

Frank OR a pick? This is just nuts. If the Hornets devalue Kemba based on the desire to offload Batum, you guys have every reason to be angry (more than you already are). Hornets were my second favorite team for a long time (rooted for you when you all made the playoffs and we didn't) but I cut the cord on Cho when he didn't pick up Bizmack's option. That was just inexplicable. He's had good trades and bad ones. His F.A. signings were bad overall. His draft record is okay at best (which really matters for a lottery team). I hope for your guys' sake Jordan fires him.

[Hugo The Hornet]

There are some guys here who are saying that it's part of the re-build and Hornets should trade him? Do you really can imagine an Hornets game without Kemba? OK, and if we trade him for a 1st-round pick in the coming draft - what we'll do with it? Draft another MKG? Or another Cody Zeller?

An additional 1st-round pick will not help us. Our scouting system sucks. Our player development isn't existent.

Our horrible front office shopping for the only reason to watch Charlotte Hornets. As I've already said - Kemba is the face of this franchise. He should be untouchable. Any decision to get rid of him would be horrific. No matter what we'll get in return.

[geraldwallace]

What is so appealing about sucking with Kemba? Even if we rebuild with him he'll be in his 30s by the time we're out of cap hell