Did David Stern ruin the Hornets???

FLASH · 01-27-2012, 09:37 PM

I for one loved the original 3 way Chris Paul deal (the one that David Stern denied). Sure, the whole underlining "no super teams" crap was bogus, but Stern said that he wanted the Hornets to get young promising talent in return. However, I thought the original deal would have given the Hornets a group of good battle tested players that, IMHO, would have made them a playoff caliber team this year. I know Gorden has been hurt, but it is sad to see the Hornets in the NBA cellar right now. Thoughts???

Firecross · 01-27-2012, 09:58 PM

The whole Eric Gordon situation is fishy, how is a bone bruise a 9-10week affair? is this a "Jon Vilma" type of deal where the injury is probably a lot worse than being reported?

If the Hornets can't make Gordon work out with an extension, they move kamen who has been disappointing then ask yourself what did we really get for Paul? Timberwolves might win enough for the pick not be be a lottery.

More and more sounds like the 1st trade would have been so much better at this point.

Broadmoor74 · 01-27-2012, 10:08 PM

Some bone bruise injuries can last that long. Against better judgment, I don't think the EG situation is another BDiddy deal. If Gordon wants out, I don't think riding the pine for most of the season wins him any more cash from another team. I still think the Hornets will match anyone else's offer come this offseason. I think the Kamen deal is another way of getting another pick in next year's draft since the Minny pick doesn't look as nice as it did a month ago.

KikkomanSauce · 01-28-2012, 12:08 AM

No I don't think so. We may have been a low-end playoff team with the first trade, but it would have been hard to make that team into a realistic championship contender. At absolute best they could have been like the Ewing led Knicks.

With the Gordon trade we have a possibility to build a foundation of young talent. Aminu seems to be coming along. He needs a lot of work, but I like his attitude and hustle. Trading Kaman may get us something, a role-player if we're lucky. And it depends on Demps and Monty to work the draft. This year's draft is real deep. So with 2 possible top 10, definitely top 15, picks we could find some young talent.

However, I think the move was mostly business related. In order to sell the team the league has to sell the future. We, as a city, have proven we can sell 12k season tickets with a below-average roster and uncertain ownership. In order to find a New Orleans owner, he has to show that this team has the possibility to win, and thusly be profitable, for years to come.

Stern wants to keep the team in NO. That much is absolutely certain at the moment. He could have sold it to the Oracle guy, at more than asking price, a while back, if he was willing to move them. He is not, so in that way, I think he has helped the Hornets more than anything.

I don't love the guy as a commissioner, but I do have a soft spot for him. For the 2 years we were the NOKC Hornets after Katrina he was adamant that the team would return to New Orleans, way before Tagliabu and Benson were sure the Saints would come back. For 2 years, amid all the speculation of a move, he would repeatedly address the issue by affirming that the Hornets were absolutely not staying in OKC. Gotta give him his props for that.

Succinctly, Stern has done more than any other person to ensure the future of the New Orleans Hornets, IMO.

whodataholic · 01-31-2012, 01:20 PM

i know what will happen.. we will TRY EVERYTHING possible to get this guy back and show him were committed to building the team around him.. bc if i remember correctly he just wants to "see how the season plays out". We wait until after the deadline then its too late to trade him and he walks in FA.. the truth hurts

literature · 01-31-2012, 05:32 PM

Long story short, the Gordon trade is better than the 3 way Laker/Rocket trade because it makes us younger and gives us a better future. The nixed trade made us pretty good for the short term but without any potential for anything more than a 6 or 7 seed. Hornets are rebuilding.

whodataholic · 01-31-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by literature

Long story short, the Gordon trade is better than the 3 way Laker/Rocket trade because it makes us younger and gives us a better future. The nixed trade made us pretty good for the short term but without any potential for anything more than a 6 or 7 seed. Hornets are rebuilding.

Our starting Lineup (with Gordon injured) Jack, Marco, ariza, smith, & Mek. Out of those 5 I only see Mek as a dominant starting PF. I like ariza as a defender but I'll admit his offense is not what we expected. I don't think he'd start at SF on half of the teams in NBA. JMO though..

literature · 01-31-2012, 07:48 PM

Most of the players on the roster right now won't be there in a year or two. I think the only players on the roster right now that will both still be with the team and won't move down on the depth chart are okafor, ariza, vasquez, ayon, and maybe aminu if he develops well. If Gordon signs a deal he'll be a starter.

Saints#34 · 02-01-2012, 09:06 AM

Yeah the Hornets can't be judged yet. Whether we'll be a contender or not depends entirely on what they do with the two picks they have and the trade pieces they have now.

The good thing about basketball is that if you have the flexibility it really doesn't take much to become a solid team. With only 5 on the court, one or two players can change the face of a franchise.

I was kind of hoping the Hornets would play .500 ball and the T-wolves would stink it up so we'd get a great lottery pick and another mid 1st round. Its looking like thats going to happen but in reverse unfortunately. Still, if the Hornets finish with a top 3 pick (looking likely) and another in the 10-15 range (looking likely) they could potentially have a very bright future, especially if they manage to lock up Gordon.

Does anyone know what the market is for a guy like Kaman? I know his contract is pretty favorable as a trade piece and he's a good player on top of that. Is there the potential for a lower 1st round pick in there? I honestly don't know, I don't follow basketball trades/draft/salary structures as closely as football.

BIG E · 02-01-2012, 09:12 AM

David Stern made sure the Hornets stayed in New Orleans. It's not his fault the league had to buy the team back. Under the circumstance setting the team up for rebuilding was the proper way to go.